The Department of Ancient History, Classical Studies, Papyrology, and Epigraphy at the University of Vienna (Institut für Alte Geschichte und Altertumskunde, Papyrologie und Epigraphik) invites applications for fully funded, four-year PhD scholarships, beginning at any point between 1 July and 1 October 2026. The application deadline is 2 March 2026 at 14:00 CET.
Applications are accepted in English or German and will be considered within the framework of the University of Vienna Doctoral Recruitment Call 2026 – Social Sciences, Humanities & Cultural Studies: https://careers.univie.ac.at/en/praedoc/praedoc-ssh.
Our department offers specialist supervision in Ancient History, with especial emphasis on the written (documentary) sources. We can offer specialist supervision in Greek, Roman, Etruscan, and Late Antique history and culture, and we have particular strengths in the study of inscriptions and (documentary) papyri.
A word of advice
With some 40 positions advertised across all disciplines in the field of Social Sciences, Humanities & Cultural Studies, we expect an extremely high volume of applications overall, meaning that success rates may well turn out to be in the low single digits. We cannot therefore, in good conscience, recommend to apply ’on a wing and a prayer’. Instead, we encourage anyone who considers to submit an application to contact an eligible supervisor from our department ahead of submission and to discuss an application with them. Enquiries about research areas and available supervision should be directed in the first instance to [email protected].
Application information
Doctoral researchers will join the Department of Classical Archaeology as well as the Doctoral School of Historical and Cultural Studies (‘HistKult’). The School provides generous funding and professional support for PhD candidates, including travel grants for conferences and archival research; grants for organising workshops, conferences, and other scholarly events; completion scholarships for the final phase of the doctorate; mobility scholarships for research stays abroad; and targeted publication support. Doctoral researchers are fully integrated into a vibrant, cross-disciplinary, world-class academic community, benefiting from direct engagement with a high-profile international network of leading scholars.
Vienna offers an excellent quality of life for doctoral researchers and is regularly ranked among the world’s most liveable cities, combining a strong international research environment with a rich cultural and intellectual landscape.
The salary is calculated at 30 h/week under the collective bargaining agreement § 48 VwGr. B1. More details, including the welfare package, can be found at https://www.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/legal-information-and-notices/collective-agreement.
For further particulars and information on how to apply, please refer to the FAQs for the SSH call: https://careers.univie.ac.at/en/praedoc/praedoc-ssh/faqs-to-the-ssh-call.
Given the relatively close deadline (2 March 2026 at 14:00 CET), prospective candidates and interested parties are encouraged to attend the Online Information Session on 10 February 2026, 13:00–14:00 CET, available at https://careers.univie.ac.at/en/praedoc/praedoc-ssh#c14488.
For general questions about the Recruitment Call and the application process, please contact [email protected].
