PhD Programme Psychology Vienna

Application & admission period:

For the winter semester 2025/26: until 30 June 2025
Please note that late applications are accepted until 20th of August, 2025. However, they will take longer to process.

The formal prerequisite for admission to the PhD Psychology programme is a completed full degree in psychology (300 ECTS credits). In addition, degrees from Master’s degree programmes at recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institutions with a social science, cultural studies, humanities or economics orientation can also be recognised.

In order to be admitted to the PhD programme, however, courses relevant to the subject with at least 60 ECTS credits, but especially courses on social and cultural science research methods, are required in such cases. Within the framework of admission requirements, two thirds of the missing ECTS credits (i.e. a maximum of 40 ECTS credits) can be made up in the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at the Faculty of Psychology at SFU Vienna before entering the second study phase.

In addition, an exposé on the planned research project must be prepared for admission to the PhD programme. The exposé contains a brief description of the topic, the methodological approach and the planned work processes.

A confirmation of supervision is not a compulsory admission requirement for the PhD Psychology programme, but we advise you to plan the exposé for the application with a possible supervisor early enough in advance.

All habilitated staff members of the Faculty of Psychology are eligible to supervise PhD theses at the Faculty of Psychology. A list of available supervisors is linked below. Postdoctoral researchers who do not belong to the Faculty of Psychology can be approved by the head of the degree programme in justified exceptional cases; as a rule, supervision then takes place in tandem with a member of the Faculty of Psychology. Doctoral non-professorial staff members of the Faculty of Psychology can be integrated into supervision tandems in tandem with professorial colleagues at the faculty.

Available supervisors for PhD theses:

• Betreuer*innen PhD Thesis (PDF, in German)

Please note that the PhD study programme in Psychology at SFU Vienna is currently only offered in German. 

The admission procedure consists of the online application and the selection procedure. If the admission procedure is passed, a study place will be allocated subject to the availability of places.
Important: If you are already studying / have studied at SFU, please contact the Studies Service Center before creating a new account on the online application platform.

Online application:

Please select the desired field of study in our Application Platform. You will receive the link after the initial contact via our contact and application form.
Online Application Platform: We will then send you an access code to your registered e-mail address (please also check your spam folder). You can then log in any time, make changes to your data or upload additional documents. Please provide the following documents with your online application:

• Proof of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree according to § 20
• CV
• Copy of passport or identity card
• Copy of e-card (if available)
• Exposé (template short exposé)
• Letter of motivation
• Portrait picture

Selection procedure:

The selection procedure consists of a review of the competences required for the study programme on the basis of the submitted documents, in particular the exposé, by the head of the PhD programme at the Faculty of Psychology and, optionally, an admission interview. It is recommended to plan the exposé together with a possible PhD thesis supervisor (see list under “Supervision of PhD theses”).

Please note that the PhD study programme in Psychology at SFU Vienna is currently only offered in German. 

• Folder & Curriculum.pdf (in German)
• Module und LVs PhD Psychologie.pdf (in German)
• Module handbook PhD Psychology.pdf
• Handbook PhD programme and PhD thesis in Psychology.pdf

After completing the first study phase, the students have didactic knowledge and practical experience with regard to the independent preparation, implementation and evaluation of university courses and are familiar with the requirements and tasks of supervising student theses (Bachelor’s and Master’s theses). They know about the structure and function of the European higher education system as well as about national and international systems or programmes of (public) research funding and are able to independently prepare corresponding project proposals. In particular, this introductory phase should also qualify graduates for a later professional activity in the context of the management of scientific education and research processes.

After completing the PhD thesis, students have cutting-edge knowledge in the field of research where they have qualified for entering a scientific career.

Students have the professional authority to work independently on developing their science and contributing to the innovative development of their fields of work in organisations at all levels of the tertiary education sector (administration, research and teaching) – independently and with sustained commitment in leadership positions.

Tuition fees (as of summer semester 2024): 

• € 5.045,00 per semester
• For SFU graduates: € 4.280,00 per semester
• Costs admission procedure: € 180,00

Contact Finance and Controlling:

Mail: psy-accounting@sfu.ac.at
Phone: +43 1 798 40 98 304
Opening and telephone hours: Mo-Thur: 10 am–3 pm / Fr: 10 am–3 pm (fridays by telephone only)
Address: Freudplatz 1, 3rd floor, room 3002

• General payment modalities

Following the applicable criteria, Sigmund Freud University awards scholarships every year.

Application & admission period

For the winter semester 2025/26: till 30 June 2025

• Information event (in German)
• Academic year
• Timetable
• Graduation

The German PhD Programme in Psychology was accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) in 2019. All SFU Accreditation Reports are available in German.

Programme Head:

Prof. Mag. Mag. Dr. Ivo Ponocny
doktorat.psychologie@sfu.ac.at

Studies Service Centre:

Mail: psychologie@sfu.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 798 40 98 500

Office hours:
Tue: 10 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 15:30 
Wed: 10 – 12:30 
Thur: 10 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 15:30 

Questions regarding admission and administration: psychologie@sfu.ac.at

General questions about the content and organisation of the PhD programme:

• Dean Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Benetka: gerhard.benetka@sfu.ac.at
• Prof. Mag. Mag. Dr. Ivo Ponocny: ivo.ponocny@sfu.ac.at