Fully Funded PhD Positions 2025–2026:
Pursuing a PhD is one of the most significant academic and professional journeys, especially when backed by full funding that provides financial stability and access to world-class research opportunities. For aspiring scholars across fields such as medicine, artificial intelligence, environmental health, agriculture, education, and infrastructure resilience, 2025 and 2026 offer a wave of exceptional fully funded PhD positions across globally renowned universities.
This in-depth guide outlines five major opportunities:
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Medical University of Vienna (Austria) – PhD in Anesthesia, Intensive Care & Pain Medicine
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Pennsylvania State University (USA) – PhD in Geospatial Data Science & Environmental Health
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University of Waikato (New Zealand) – PhD Scholarship in Supporting Postgraduate Researchers
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Montana State University (USA) – Graduate Research Assistantship in Precision Agriculture
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University of Texas at Arlington (USA) – PhD in Resilient Materials & Infrastructure
Each of these programs is fully funded, offering stipends, tuition coverage, and additional support. Below, you’ll find details of eligibility, funding, research scope, application process, and deadlines for each program.
1. Fully Funded PhD Positions at Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Start Date: January 2, 2026
Deadline: November 14, 2025 (applications due by October 31st)
Reference Number: 600/25
The Medical University of Vienna, one of Europe’s premier academic medical institutions, is offering two fully funded PhD positions in the Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pain Medicine.
Research Focus
Candidates will join the Representational Intelligence for Intensive Care (RIIC) Lab, closely affiliated with the Comprehensive Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (CAIM). The focus lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, deep neural networks, and clinical decision support for anesthesia and intensive care medicine.
Candidate Profile
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Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Biomedical Informatics, Mathematics, or related fields.
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Strong programming background in Python and deep learning frameworks like PyTorch.
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Interest in healthcare AI, time series analysis, multimodal clinical data, and self-supervised learning.
Funding & Benefits
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Salary: €3,714 gross/month, paid 14 times annually.
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Duration: 5 years, full-time (40 hrs/week).
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Comprehensive academic and teaching opportunities.
Application Process
Send CV, cover letter, references, and certificates to:
Ensure subject line includes reference number 600/25.
2. Fully Funded PhD at Penn State University (USA) – Geospatial Data Science & Environmental Health
Start Date: Fall 2026
Deadline: December 1, 2025
Penn State University’s Gong Lab is offering fully funded PhD positions in Geospatial Data Science and Environmental Health.
Research Domains
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Environmental Exposure Assessment: GeoAI-based models to predict pollution and health outcomes.
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Environment & Health Interactions: Studying impacts of climate and environment on health disparities.
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Spatiotemporal Big Data Analytics: Advanced visualization and machine learning for large-scale data.
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Social Sensing & Human Dynamics: Network analysis, text mining, and AI for public health insights.
Candidate Profile
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Degree in Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Public Health, or similar fields.
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Programming experience in Python, R, MATLAB.
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Strong academic background; prior publications desirable.
Funding & Benefits
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Full tuition waiver.
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Monthly stipend and health insurance.
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Professional development and conference travel support.
Application Process
Send CV, research statement, transcripts, and references to gonglab.psu@gmail.com.
3. Fully Funded PhD Scholarship at University of Waikato (New Zealand)
Start Date: 2025–2026 academic year
Deadline: September 1–October 31, 2025
The University of Waikato is offering the Seeker Doctoral Scholarship, focusing on supporting postgraduate researchers in high-risk or sensitive topics.
Research Topic
“How can supervisors support postgraduate students researching confronting, sensitive, or dangerous topics?”
Areas include:
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Supervisory frameworks for student wellbeing.
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Ethical support in emotionally challenging fields.
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Qualitative and educational research methods.
Candidate Profile
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Strong academic record.
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Background in education, social work, psychology, or community development.
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Interest in student wellbeing and higher education research.
Funding & Benefits
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Stipend: Up to NZD $30,000 per year for 3 years.
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Full tuition and student services fees.
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Strong supervisor support and professional development.
4. Graduate Research Assistantship at Montana State University – Precision Agriculture
Start Date: Spring 2026
Deadline: Rolling (early applications encouraged)
Montana State University’s Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) is offering a Graduate Research Assistantship (MS/PhD) in Precision Agriculture.
Project Focus
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In-season spot spray systems in pulse crops.
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Weed detection using machine learning and remote sensing.
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Sustainable agriculture and herbicide optimization.
Candidate Profile
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Bachelor’s/Master’s in Agronomy, Agricultural Sciences, or Computer Science.
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Skills in Python, R, remote sensing, and weed management.
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Strong teamwork and communication.
Benefits
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Competitive stipend.
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Fieldwork and cutting-edge agri-tech exposure.
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FAA Part 107 drone certification opportunities for international students.
Application Process
Contact Dr. Ricardo Pinto (ricardo.pinto@montana.edu) with CV, statement of purpose, and transcripts.
5. Fully Funded PhD Positions at University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) – Resilient Materials & Infrastructure
Start Dates: Spring 2026 and Fall 2026
UTA’s Center for Advanced Construction Materials (CACM) is offering two fully funded PhD positions focused on sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
Research Areas
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Sustainable low-carbon engineered materials.
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Experimental mechanics and AI-driven simulations.
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Infrastructure resilience under environmental hazards.
Candidate Profile
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BS/MS in Civil, Mechanical, or related engineering.
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Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, CAE software (Abaqus, Ansys).
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Hands-on lab experience with experimental mechanics.
Benefits
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Full PhD funding.
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Access to state-of-the-art labs.
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Collaboration with top researchers and industry.
Application Process
Email application with subject “PhD Position application from [Your Name]” to wangyao118@gmail.com
