LGF Completion Scholarships

How does the selection process for the LGF Completion Scholarships work?
After the formal check at KHYS, applications for the 2026 completion scholarship program will be forwarded to the Scholarship Awards Committee (LGF), which will decide on the applications at its meeting in mid-November 2025. You will be notified of the outcome in writing. Please refrain from making inquiries in the meantime.

What is the composition of the selection committee that decides on the applications?
The Scholarships Awards Committee (LGF) is usually chaired by the Vice President Academic Affairs of KIT, Prof. Dr. Oliver Kraft, or alternatively the Vice Provost Early Career Researchers, Prof. Dr. Stefan Hinz. In accordance with the statutes of KIT on the LGFG (§11), five university lecturers, the spokesperson of the Equal Opportunities Officer and two academic or research assistants are also members of the committee.

How likely is it that I will be granted a scholarship? 
This question cannot be answered in advance as it depends on the number and quality of applications.

Is there an age limit?
No.

Do I have to add an application photo to my CV?
There are neither advantages nor disadvantages for you if you submit an application photo

How should I submit the supervisor's expert opinion?
The expert opinion can be sent directly by the supervisor via lgf15∂khys.kit.edu. We will then complete your application documents. 

Do I have to be accepted as a doctoral researcher at a KIT department if I participarte in the LGF completion scholarship program?
According to § 2 (1) of the Act on Graduate Funding from the State (LGFG), the ▶ Acceptance as a doctoral researcher is a prerequisite for funding. Without acceptance at a KIT department, no funding is possible.

Do I have to be enrolled as a doctoral candidate at KIT at the start of the LGF scholarship?
Enrollment as a doctoral student is no requirement to apply for an LGF scholarship or receive funding. However, during the funding period with the LGF Completion Scholarship, you are obliged to be enrolled in any case, as you are only allowed to work part-time to a limited extent during this period and an exemption from the enrollment requirement is therefore not possible. Please check this for your individual case and make sure to catch up on your ▶ enrollment if necessary.

• ▶ Act on Graduate Funding from the State (LGFG) as of July, 23, 2008 (available only in German)
• ▶ LGF statutes of KIT as of August 11, 2025 (available only in German)
• ▶ Privacy policy for the Graduate Funding from the State at KIT as of August 21, 2025.

• You receive the notification of approval of funding by post and digitally. Please read the notificcations and the information sheets sent with them carefully.
• To rule out any double funding, you may have to withdraw from already existing grants.
• Employment contracts may need to be adjusted (see statute § 6 additional income and information under “Gainful employment and other funding during the scholarship”). Upon lapse of the employee status at KIT (employment contract at KIT) the employee ∂does-not-exist.kit edu address expires. A ▶ KIT account for the scholarship holders has to be newly requested by the institute.
• If and when there is an existing employment relationship with KIT, or one is to be concluded, the scholarship holder has to inform the business unit Personnel Service (PSE) of the scholarship. An additional employment contract with KIT is only possible if there is no connection in terms of content, location and time with the activities within the framework of the scholarship.
• Third-party subsidies must also be compatible with the scholarship, even if they were applied for before the start of the scholarship (see § 6 of the LGF statutes and information under “Gainful employment and other funding during the scholarship”)
• Scholarship holders are responsible for their own health insurance.
• Please check your enrollment status: All LGF scholarship holders are obliged to ▶ be enrolled as doctoral students. If you are not yet, please do so.
• The monthly payments are transferred at the beginning of each month to the account you stated in your application form.

Please note the following with regard to gainful employment and other funding during the funding period:

• You are obliged to report all additional earnings (from employment or third-party subidies) to KHYS respectively the coordinating office of your Cooperative Doctoral Program.
• Your earnings (from employment or third-party grants) during the scholarship period may not cumulatively exceed an exemption limit per year that corresponds to the gross salary of a 0.25 TV-L E 13 level 3 position. If the additional earnings are spread over shorter periods than one calendar year, the exemption limit is reduced by 1/12 per calendar month. Higher additional earnings are not compatible with the LGF scholarship.
• Gainful employment in addition to the scholarship is possible within the above-mentioned exemption limit, provided that it does not interfere with the doctoral project, i.e. the time required should not exceed a quarter of the regular working hours of a full-time job.
• If and when there is an existing employment relationship with KIT, or one is to be concluded, the scholarship holder has to inform the business unit Personnel Service (PSE) of the scholarship. An additional employment contract with KIT is only possible if there is no connection in terms of content, location and time with the activities within the framework of the scholarship.
• Third-party subsidies (especially travel subsidies) may be used during the funding period within the above-mentioned exemption limit, provided that they do not conflict with the purpose of the scholarship, in particular the focus on completing the dissertation in the case of the LGF Completion Scholarships.
• Other full scholarships to finance the doctorate are not compatible with the LGF scholarship

Family allowance
Within the scope of the funding a family allowance can be applied for (see Satzung des KIT zur Durchführung des LGFG, § 2 Fördersätze (available in German only). A family allowance of 400 euros per month for the first child, 100 euros per month for each additional child (applies to children living in the same household and up to the age of 18). You can apply:

• Together with your scholarship application (see application documents).
• During the scholarship period from the month of the birth of your chilld. For this, you can use the application form ▶ family allowance (DOCX file). Additionally, please hand in a written confirmation from the Residents' Registration Office ("Einwohnermeldeamt") stating that your child lives in your household
   

Maternity protection regulations
The scholarship is automatically extended by the number of months rounded up from the statutory maternity protection period. Please contact the KHYS (or the coordinating office of the Cooperative Doctoral Program)

The KHYS offers are open to all LGF scholarship holders:

• The KHYS further eduction program ▶ FIT for your Next Career Step is tailored to the content of each important phase of your doctoral project.
• In our ▶ event calendar you will always find the latest dates for upcoming events.
• ▶ Personal counseling and advice on all aspects of doctoral studies (e.g. funding, formal aspects, career planning, etc.).
• KHYS funding measures for ▶ Internationalization and networking.

Many doctoral students leave KIT immediately after completing their doctorate or after a few years of postdoctoral research. We recommend focusing on developing your interdisciplinary skills early on and discussing this with your supervisors.

1. No later than three months after the end of the scholarship period, you must submit an official confirmation from your KIT department in digital form to KHYS that you have submitted your dissertation.
2. After completion of your doctoral project you have to submit a copy of your doctoral diploma and certificate. The copies do not have to be certified in this case.

Do you consider becoming a postdoc?
If you are interested in a postdoc-phase at KIT, please feel free to contact the ▶ KHYS Postdoc Office anytime.