FAQ Scholarship Programme

The scholarship to participate in the European Forum Alpbach is available to:

• International applicants up to the age of 30 (up to 35 for applicants from the Global South. As for "Global South", we refer to the definition of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and its classification: “The developing economies broadly comprise Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia without Israel, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and Oceania without Australia and New Zealand").
• Applicants from all countries and professional/academic backgrounds.

We would like to encourage candidates coming from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, members of ethnical or religious minorities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and refugees or displaced persons to apply for a scholarship. If you identify as belonging to one of these groups, you may indicate this in your motivational statement. We will take it into consideration in our jury assessment.

There is a special application procedure for nationals of ROC Taiwan or permanent residents in Taiwan: Please apply via the Lung Yintai Cultural Foundation. 

We continuously try to include voices which we think should be focused on even more in the context of further developing Europe. For the EFA26, we would like to particularly encourage people whose professional, academic, and personal background corresponds to one of the following profiles to apply for a scholarship: 

This category refers exclusively to the applicant’s own educational and professional background and is independent of the educational background of their parents or family.

Individuals from diverse non-academic backgrounds bring a wealth of perspectives, practical expertise, and innovative approaches to the European Forum Alpbach, enriching creative endeavors and tackling intricate challenges in ways traditional education may not encompass. If you bring a unique perspective, whether from community activism, non-profit work, your apprenticeship or other fields shaping the societal and business landscape, we encourage you to highlight that in your application for the program focused on Talents with a Non-academic Background. 

The European Forum Alpbach application platform will open from 2-22 March 2026.

An EFA scholarship covers the participation fee for the entire Forum and accommodation from August 24 to September 4. 

If additional costs pose a financial burden, applicants may apply for further support, subject to the availability of funds. In line with the principle of solidarity, participants with sufficient financial means are encouraged to cover their own accommodation costs to enable others from less privileged backgrounds to attend the Forum. 

No. Scholarships for the European Forum Alpbach 2026 are only available for first-time scholarship holders. This means that you haven't been granted an onsite scholarship before. If you have already attended the European Forum Alpbach onsite as a scholarship holder and wish to return, you may apply for a seminar assistant position. The call for applications will be shared in April.

Another option to return to the European Forum Alpbach is by being involved with a FAN Club or applying for the Alpbach in Motion leadership lab if you are over 30 and in a management position.

Yes. If you have attended the European Forum Alpbach 2020 or 2021 as an e-scholar, you may apply for a scholarship for the European Forum Alpbach 2026, provided you fulfill the general requirements.

Participants are expected to cover their own daily expenses during the Forum. Travel costs to and from Alpbach have to be covered by yourself, as well as health care and travel insurance.

 Subject to the availability of funds, scholarship holders may receive a lump-sum contribution to help offset some of these expenses. 

Yes, scholarships are open to all applicants born after 04.09.1995. If you are a citizen of the Global South (see definition above with "who can apply"), the age limit of 35 limit applies, i.e. scholarships are open to applicants born after 04.09.1990. 

Yes, scholarships are open to all applicants born before 24.08.2008. 

Yes, we welcome applications of non-graduates and strive to increase the percentage of non-academic scholarship holders at EFA. Feel free to indicate the latter in your application by selecting the programme for talents with a non-academic background.

If you do not have any regional affiliation to one of the Austrian FAN Clubs, for instance because you have never lived in Austria, you may apply via EFA. Austrian FAN Clubs have their own application procedure. Please visit their websites for more information.

You will need to apply via the Lung Ying-tai Cultural Foundation. Please check their website for updates about the call for applications: https://civictaipei.org/

The European Forum Alpbach is committed to diversity and inclusion with the goal of providing an accessible and welcoming environment for scholarship holders with disabilities. If you have any questions about accessibility of the Forum, please contact scholarships@alpbach.org. We will provide you with all necessary information about attending the Forum as a person with disabilities. All your information will remain confidential. If you think that we should consider the fact that you have a disability in the assessment of your application, you may indicate this in your motivational statement.

No. You can only apply through the online application platform.

No. The application is free of charge.

No, a letter of recommendation is not required.

Join one of our three webinars where we answer your questions personally! You can also send us your questions to scholarships@alpbach.org and sign up for our scholarship newsletter to get more info.

If you apply via EFA, the selection process starts with a check of formal criteria. Applications fulfilling the formal criteria will be passed on to the next round where they are anonymised and subsequently reviewed and rated by at least two members of our selection committee. Our selection committee consists of engaged members of our community who work in various fields of society, e.g. academia, think tanks, business, etc. Many of them are alumni and/or former participants of the Forum. The average of the two jury ratings defines the ranking of all candidates. Based on these rankings, the European Forum Alpbach finalises the selection of candidates, taking into consideration a balanced mix of disciplines and backgrounds.

Applicants will be notified by end of May 2026 at the latest. 

Yes. Your scholarship will be final only after your final confirmation. You need to accept or decline your scholarship within seven days after receiving our acceptance e-mail.

Once you are selected for a scholarship at EFA26, you will receive a scholarship offer along with the terms and conditions. 

Scholarships for the European Forum Alpbach are made possible through sponsorship, grants and donations. The list of our sponsors will be published on our website with the programme launch.

The EFA has reserved rooms for all scholarship holders in Alpbach and surrounding villages for the entire EFA event. If you are selected as a scholarship holder, we will take care of the booking (even if you decide to cover the costs). 

Note that most accommodations have shared rooms (two to six people in a room, including double beds to share). 

We kindly ask you to communicate any special requirements to us immediately after your confirmation in our registration form. If this information is passed on later, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate you accordingly. 

Nationals of EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland do not require a visa for entering the Republic of Austria. All other nationals require a visa in order to enter the Schengen Area or the Austrian territory. As a general rule, the passport must be valid at least three months beyond the planned date of departure from the Schengen area. Please check the visa requirements for your country here: Visa – BMEIA - Außenministerium Österreich

Yes, you are responsible for contracting health care and travel insurance for the period of your stay in Alpbach with five additional days for travelling between your hometown and Alpbach. 

All participants of the EFA (including partners, scholarship holders, staff) agree to the EFA Code of Conduct. Professional and appropriate behaviour is expected of everyone at all times and places during the EFA. During the EFA, an ombudsperson (with no affiliation to EFA) is present and available to mediate in case of violation or conflict. You can reach the ombudsperson during the event via e-mail. 

Code of Conduct

Coming to Alpbach by public transport is easy. There are bus services from the train stations Wörgl, Jenbach and Brixlegg to Alpbach. The closest airports to Alpbach are Munich and Innsbruck airport. From there, you can easily take a train to one of the above-mentioned stations. Finde details and reduced train tickets on our service site.

Alpbach has many restaurants and places to eat. In most hotels and restaurants, you will find reasonably priced lunch menus. You will get detailed information on this in Alpbach. There is a big SPAR supermarket on the left-hand side of the main street as you enter the village where you can buy products of daily necessity. In most cases, your accommodation includes breakfast (if not, your accommodation will have a kitchen at your disposal).

All scholarship holders will attend a scientific and an artistic/practical seminar or one studio of their choice. Further information on the seminars and studios at EFA26 will be shared with selected applicants in due time. 

Alpbach is a mountain village where the weather changes fast - even in the summer. Do not forget to bring warm clothes, weatherproof footwear and rain jackets with you! Please bear in mind that the roads in Alpbach are steep, so flat-heeled shoes are advisable. The dress code ranges from casual to smart casual. If you are unsure about how to dress, have a look at the photos of the previous EFA on Flickr.

If you consider participating in hikes, please bring warm clothes and appropriate shoes (trekking shoes or at least adequate sneakers). Participation is at your own risk. As the European Forum Alpbach is a Green Meeting, we strongly encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottle. You will need it in particular during the Alpbach Seminars.

For the Alpbach Seminars, please bring your own laptop.

Make sure to bring enough money for your time in Alpbach to cover your daily expenses such as food and drinks!

The scholarship programme runs from 24 August to 4 September 2026. Scholarship holders are expected to attend the full duration of the European Forum Alpbach (EFA).

In exceptional and duly justified cases—such as unavoidable professional or academic obligations—a shorter stay may be permitted. Any reduced participation must be approved in advance by the EFA team. If you are selected as a scholarship holder and already know that you will not be able to attend the entire event, please inform us as early as possible.

The earliest possible departure date is 31 August.

Departures before 31 August will result in the withdrawal of the scholarship. Departures between 31 August and 4 September require prior approval by the EFA team and will only be granted in exceptional and duly justified cases, as outlined above. 

There are plenty of ways to stay connected after the European Forum Alpbach. The Forum Alpbach Network organises activities during the year and will bring you closer together. Find a Club or an Initiative Group in your region!

Yes - your feedback matters! We want to make the European Forum Alpbach better every year and to adjust it to your needs and requirements. This is why we would like to hear your feedback in a short report of ~1 page.

Moreover, our scholarship programme would not be possible without the generous support of organisations and private persons. By providing sufficient funds, they make your participation in the European Forum Alpbach possible. In order to convey your experiences and impressions to our sponsors and to attest the importance of their financial contribution, your feedback reports are crucial for us.