Program Name: EFA Scholarship Programme
Host Organization: European Forum Alpbach
Type: Scholarship
Deadline: 22 March 2026, 11:59 p.m. CET
Location: Alpbach
Applications are now open for the 2026 EFA Scholarship Programme of the European Forum Alpbach. The official scholarship page explains that the programme brings first-time participants to the European Forum Alpbach, where they join seminars and studios, take part in the conference programme, and participate in social and cultural activities. Each year, around 350 scholarships are awarded by the European Forum Alpbach together with the Forum Alpbach Network.
What the Programme Offers
The page describes the Forum as an event that gathers students, young professionals, and changemakers from around the world. Scholarship holders remain in Alpbach for the entire duration of the Forum and receive access to content, exchanges with decision-makers and thought leaders, and encounters with peers and other generations.
Funding Details
According to the official information, the scholarship package covers the participation fee and accommodation costs. Applicants who would face financial difficulty covering food, transportation, special needs, or other remaining expenses may also apply for additional support, depending on available funds.
The same page adds that participants who have sufficient financial means are encouraged to pay their own accommodation costs of €49.00 per night, amounting to €539 for 11 nights of EFA26. EFA arranges the bookings.
Eligible Applicants
The scholarship programme is intended for students, young professionals, and change-makers who want to have an impact and become active citizens in their region. It is available to applicants from all countries and disciplines, and artists as well as non-graduates are invited to apply.
Application Criteria
The official page lists the following requirements.
No Previous EFA Scholarship
Applicants must qualify as first-time scholarship holders and must not have already received a scholarship from the European Forum Alpbach. Attendance at the virtual Forum in 2020 or 2021 does not prevent someone from applying.
English Requirement
Since English is the main language of the European Forum Alpbach, applicants need fluent English skills at a minimum B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference and must submit supporting documents.
Required Record
Applicants must upload their most recent qualification or academic record.
Age Requirement
Applicants must be 18 to 30 years old at the time of the forum. For citizens of the Global South, the age range is 18 to 35.
Attendance Rule
Applicants must be prepared to attend the full duration of the Forum. The page states that departure before 31 August is not allowed unless there is an exceptional, duly justified case approved in advance by the EFA team. Leaving earlier than that results in withdrawal of the scholarship.
Inclusion Note
The scholarship page specifically encourages people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, ethnical or religious minorities, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and refugees or displaced persons to apply. Applicants may mention this in their motivational statement, and it will be considered during jury assessment.
Application Pathways
There are two ways to apply: through EFA directly or through one of the FAN alumni clubs.
Through FAN Clubs
Applicants who have a regional affiliation by nationality or present or past residency with a FAN club offering its own scholarships are asked to apply through that club. The page names the following clubs: CA Burgenland, CA Czechia & Slovakia, CA Liechtenstein, CA Niederösterreich, CA Poland, CA Upper Austria, CA Salzburg, CA Senza Confini, CA Steiermark, CA Südtirol Alto Adige, CA Tirol, CA Vorarlberg, and IG Wien. Their own websites provide details on their selection process and criteria.
Through EFA
Applicants may use the EFA route if there is no club in their country or if the club in their country does not run a separate selection process. The page states that this route is open to international applicants from all regions of the world, with a special focus on Europe outside Austria. It also states that EFA cannot consider applications from people connected to clubs that already operate their own application process.
Applications submitted through EFA must go through the online application platform. The page says incomplete applications, applications sent by email, and late missing documents are not accepted.
Special Procedure for Taiwan
A separate application procedure applies to nationals of ROC Taiwan or permanent residents in Taiwan, who are instructed to apply through the Lung Yingtai Cultural Foundation.
Required Documents
The official page provides a document checklist for applicants.
Proof of B2 English
Accepted proof includes a language certificate issued within the last three years that shows B2 level, with listed examples including TOEFL minimum 72, IELTS minimum 5.5, Cambridge English Scale Score minimum 160, MUET minimum 4, and Duolingo minimum 115. The page also accepts proof of studying in an English-speaking country, proof of graduation from an English-speaking high school, proof that a degree is fully taught in English, a passport from applicants considered native speakers from the listed majority English-speaking countries, or confirmation from a school, employer, or university professor stating B2 or equivalent.
Most Recent Qualification
Applicants currently studying must submit their latest transcript of records, and only transcripts from 2025 or 2026 are considered. Applicants who completed studies recently must submit their latest diploma, including A-levels issued in 2024 or later, apprenticeship or other vocational training, or university degree. Applicants who are working must submit proof of employment plus their latest diploma. Documents not in German or English must include a translation, which does not need to be certified.
CV and Motivation Details
The EFA application platform requires applicants to enter CV details and explain their motivation for attending the European Forum Alpbach.
Disqualification Rule
The page states that applications containing a letter of motivation generated by Artificial Intelligence will be removed from the selection process and disqualified in advance if they do not meet the minimum criteria.
Q&A Session
For applicants with additional questions, the scholarship page lists Q&A webinars. The next listed session is Webinar #3, scheduled for Tuesday, 17 March 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. CET.
