phd uni innsbruck

Studying at the University of Innsbruck

Phd and doctoral programme.

  Deadlines and Admission periods   Admission and documents required for admission   Tuition fee   Forms   Contact & Information

PhD programmes / doctoral programmes are standard study programmes designed to further develop students’ ability to carry out independent scientific work. Building on the knowledge and skills taught in diploma and master’s programmes, they aim to educate and support the next generation of researchers and scientists. In order to be admitted to a doctoral programme, students must have completed a relevant diploma or master’s programme at a university or a university of applied sciences or an equivalent study programme. Graduates are awarded the title “Doctor” in line with the respective curriculum .

>> Full range of study programmes

Deadlines and Admission periods

Dates and Deadlines »

During the general admission period you can

• pay the tuition and/or Austrian Students’ Union Fee (incl. insurance)

Online applications  to a PhD/Doctoral Programme can be made at any time throughout the year. However, the university recommends that students submit their applications during the normal admission periods in order to be able to register for lectures in time. Please be aware that a special admission period applies to non-EEA citizens.

From the start of the general admission period until the end of the extension period you can :

• be admitted as a student of another Austrian university to also study at the University of Innsbruck ,
• be admitted to continue a study programme at the University of Innsbruck after having paid the tuition and/or Austrian Students’ Union fee at another Austrian University
• apply for leave of absence ( before the start of term ).

Admission and documents required for admission

EEA 1 Citizens

If you want to start a Doctoral or PhD-Programme you must apply online. Besides of personal data, also required documents are uploaded. The online application and the enrolment in person are possible all year.

If you have already completed a relevant study programme at the University of Innsbruck you can apply for admission via the online student platform LFU:online.

Documents required for the online application:

• Notice ("Bescheid") confirming awarding of Bachelor's and Master's Degree
• diploma or master’s programme certificate,
• Academic Transcripts
• Diploma Supplements
• (if necessary) Abstract of Master's Thesis
• curriculum vitae,
• valid passport or personal identification
• Passport photograph
• E-Card (if available)

Foreign-language documents require translation into German or English – if applicable with proper certification – and must be uploaded. 

Non-EEA Citizens and Stateless Persons:

If you want to start a Doctoral or PhD-Programme you must apply online. Besides of personal data, also required documents are uploaded.   The online application for the winter semester is possible to 15 June (from 2024 May 15) and for the summer semester to 15 October.

It is expressly pointed out that the application documents can only be processed with documents proofing the conclusion of the studies. Intermediate certificates or confirmations, temporary transcripts etc. are not accepted.

Full applications will be reviewed by the Admission Department in the order of arrival. Please take care that the processing of the applications may take some time. In the case of a positive decision, you will get a notice, which you need for enrolling.

Prospective students must enrol in person at the Admission Department with the notification of the selected study programme and the original required documents and copies thereof.

• if necessary proof of German or English language ability  

   Information for students with a foreign school-leaving certificate can be found here .

¹ The EEA (=European Economic Area) comprises the Member States of the EU (= European Union) – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden – and the signatory states of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) – Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway.

Tuition fee

Amendments to § 91 Universities Act means that from the summer semester 2013 there are new rules governing tuition fees at the University of Innsbruck.

There are several different rules that apply to students enrolled in standard study programmes. The criteria used to decide which of these rules is to be applied are the nationality of the person, his/her residence entitlement in Austria, and any connections to Austria according to the Austrian Regulation on Eligible Groups of Persons (“ Personengruppenverordnung ”). Non-degree programme students who are enrolled in individual lectures must pay a standard tuition fee of €363.36 per semester.

All students must pay the Austrian Students’ Union fee.

Degree programme students 1 exempted from paying tuition fees for a designated period:  

• EU/EEA citizens (automatically exempted for paying tuition fees for the regular duration of study),
• students with permanent residency (proof required - online application ),
• students from third countries who are deemed to have a connection to Austria according to the Austrian Regulation on Eligible Groups of Persons (“Personengruppenverordnung”) (proof required - online application ),
• students from third countries who are neither covered by the Austrian Regulation on Eligible Groups of Persons (“Personengruppenverordnung”) nor have a student residence permit (proof required).

Students in any of the abovementioned categories who exceed the regular duration of study by more than two “tolerance semesters” must pay a tuition fee of €363.36 per semester. In individual cases a tuition fee waiver may be granted, meaning that students who have exceeded the regular duration of study by more than two “tolerance semesters” remain exempted from paying the tuition fee.

  1 Degree programme students

Degree programme students 1 from third countries

Degree programme students from third countries who are not covered by the Austrian Regulation on Eligible Groups of Persons (“ Personengruppenverordnung ”), are not subject to an international agreement and are in possession of a residence permit according to § 64 Settlement and Residence Act (NAG) must pay a tuition fee of € 726.72 starting from their first term at university. No reduction of the tuition fee will be granted to these students, even if the tuition fee is paid before the end of the extension period.

1 Degree programme students

Degree programme students 1 from developing countries

Degree programme students from developing countries are automatically exempted from paying the tuition fee . These students do not need to apply for an exemption. However, please be aware that any change of nationality must be communicated to the university without delay.

Non-degree programme 2 students (regardless of nationality)

Non-degree programme students admitted to attend individual lectures in scientific fields must pay a tuition fee of € 363.36 per semester, regardless of their nationality. There is no increase in this fee, even if payment is not completed before the end of the extension period.

2   Non-degree programme students

Tuition fee waivers and reimbursement

In order for tuition fees to be waived or reimbursed, students must prove that their case fulfils the relevant legal requirements (e.g. working income below the marginal earnings threshold, main person responsible for childcare) and must respect certain deadlines. Application for tuition fee waiver: by 31 October for the winter semester and by 31 March for the summer semester. Application for reimbursement: by 31 March for the winter semester and by 30 September for the summer semester. Information about grounds for granting waivers and reimbursements

Forms and information sheets

  "Meldungsblatt" registration form (enrollment, disenrollment, change of study programme)  

Applications for the tuition fee to be waived or reimbursed must be made via LFU:online :

    written confirmation from a specialist doctor  (illness) 

    formal declaration (childcare)

Leave of absence

  Leave of absence

Contact & Information

Admission Department at the University of Innsbruck       » Innrain 52d/Ground Floor 

Master's and Doctoral/PhD Programmes, Study Programmes UMIT, University Continuing Education Programme »

Admission Foreign Students »

Innsbruck PhD School for Biomedical Sciences

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Medical University of Innsbruck

We offer phd programs in:.

Molecular and Cellular Basis of Diseases Neuroscience Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics (GEG) Infection, Immunity & Transplantation (IIT) Image-Guided Diagnosis and Therapy Musculoskeletal Sciences Medical Psychology

• Molecular and Cellular Basis of Diseases
• Neuroscience
• Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics
• Infection, Immunity & Transplantation
• Image-Guided Diagnosis and Therapy
• Musculoskeletal Sciences
• Medical Psychology
• Application & Forms
• MCBD Best Paper Award
• The Neuroscience Best Paper Award 2023
• Life Science PhD Meeting
• 20 years PhD @ MUI
• Open Positions

• Medical Psychology

The PhD Program in Medical Psychology focuses – following the biopsychosocial paradigm – on the interaction of psychological, physical and social factors with an individual’s health. Research areas covered by the PhD program include, for example, patient-reported outcome research, psychological treatment of patients with somatic diseases, sexual health, health services research, and psychoimmunology. Students in this program will learn the skills and acquire the expertise necessary for conducting studies in the field of Medical Psychology. They will be trained in qualitative and quantitative research methods (including psychometrics and systematic approaches to guide the process of implementation of PRO-based health services in clinical care) and familiarized with different study types such as observational studies and clinical trials. Students will learn how to successfully master the full life cycle of a clinical study from planning the study, to its implementation, data analysis and dissemination of results. The program is directed at students with a master’s level degree in psychology or a related field. Each student will be supervised by a faculty member and a PhD committee consisting of senior researchers. In addition, the students will be integrated in one of the research teams to provide the opportunity for close interaction with peers and senior researchers. Completion of the PhD program will allow to pursue a research career in academia or industry.

Lectures and Courses

The minimum study duration is 6 semesters. For the program 180 ETCS points are required. These are composed of 20 ECTS for curricular courses and 160 ECTS for the thesis. The 20 ECTS for curricular courses are composed of core subjects (8-10 ECTS), seminars (6 ECTS) and general subjects (4-6 ECTS). PhD program specific courses and seminars are offered in yearly intervals. Detailed information on core subjects and general subjects are provided by our Campus Information System i-med inside.

Link to i-med.inside »

• Lecture series: Selected research areas in medical psychology
• Patient-reported Outcomes: An introduction to the evaluation of medical treatments from the patients‘ perspective
• Quantitative methods in medical psychology
• Clinical Neurosciences II – Neuropsychology
• Introduction to data analysis with R
• Ethics and misconduct in bio-medical science
• Gender Medicine
• Project application and management
• Intellectual property, innovation and financial exploitation

• Molecular and Cellular Basis of Diseases
• Neuroscience
• Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics
• Infection, Immunity & Transplantation
• Image-Guided Diagnosis and Therapy
• Musculoskeletal Sciences
• Application & Forms
• MCBD Best Paper Award
• The Neuroscience Best Paper Award 2023
• Life Science PhD Meeting
• 20 years PhD @ MUI
• Open Positions

Innsbruck PhD School for Clinical Sciences

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Medical University of Innsbruck

We offer phd programs in:.

Applied Morphology and Regeneration (AMR) Clinical Cancer Research (CCR) Clinical Neurosciences (CNS) Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ICE) Cardiovascular Medicine (CVM) Clinical Imaging Science (CIS)