Independent Scholarships for Doctoral Researchers

A large number of foundations and institutions award scholarships to finance the doctorate. Below you will find an overview of various doctoral scholarships from external sponsors. We make every effort to keep this information up to date.

Please note: The browser’s keyword search function can be used for a simplified search for suitable funding options (Ctrl+F). It is advisable to search for subject areas (for example physics, all).

Individual Scholarships for Doctoral Researchers at a Glance

Doctoral researchers scholarships by German organisations for the promotion of young talent

Below please find the individual scholarships for doctoral researchers offered by organizations for the promotion of young talent that are supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung - BMBF). These organizations are similar regarding certain offers and requirements: The applicants go through selection procedures, receive a monthly grant of EUR 1,350 (plus research cost allowance), and are advised and assisted, also through seminars and conferences, by members of the respective organization and trust lecturers at the respective university. Some of the organizations offer scholarships with alternative terms for foreign doctoral students. Stays abroad are expressly welcome and are supported financially.

Please find more detailed information about requirements and contents on the homepage of ▶ Begabtenförderung im Hochschulbereich (organizations for the promotion of talented students and young researchers).

Further Individual Scholarships for Doctoral Researchers

Avicenna Studienwerk e.V. (organisation for the promotion of young talent with religious orientation)

Target group:
Muslim students and doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
The selection procedure, which will be based on the procedures used by other organizations for the promotion of young talent, is currently still being developed. The procedure will consist at least of two stages with good achievements, social commitment, and overall personalities playing an important role. Applicants must have German language skills at level C1 or DSH-3 at least.

Period/amount of funding:
All doctoral researchers will receive a monthly grant of EUR 1,350. In addition, a research cost allowance of EUR100 can be granted. The funding period, which as a rule is two years (standard funding term), is determined by the organizations for the promotion of young talent. Upon a duly justified application, the term may be extended. In addition, stays abroad for studying, doing internships, and attending language courses, are supported financially. Conceptual support gives scholarship holders the opportunity of participating in various Avicenna Studienwerk programs and training courses contributing to personality development and interdisciplinary thinking and teaching key skills such as presentation techniques.

Deadline:
April 1 and October 1.

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Cusanuswerk (organisation for the promotion of young talent with religious orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers 

Area of studies:
All (except for medicine)

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be firmly committed to the Catholic Church. Applicants must have German language skills at least level C1.

Period/amount of funding:
Three years with a monthly grant of EUR 1,350 plus a monthly research cost allowance of EUR 100 (child and family allowances, if applicable). The basic scholarship amounts to EUR 1,350 per month. From the winter semester 2023/24, the scholarship will be increased from EUR 1,350 to EUR 1,450 per month. Further increases of EUR 100  each are planned for fall 2024 and 2025, so that the monthly rate will then be EUR 1,650.

Deadline:
November 1, 2022 (March 2023 selection) and June 1, 2023 (October/November 2023 selection).

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Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (organisation for the promotion of young talent with religious orientation)

Target group:
Students and doctoral researchers enrolled at state or state-approved higher education institutions in Germany, EU member states or Switzerland

Area of studies:
All (except for medicine)

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be involved in a Jewish community, be socially committed, and be active in youth work, student organizations, and social matters. Applicants must have German language skills at least level B2

Period/amount of funding:
Funding is subdivided into basic funding and doctoral funding, doctoral candidates receive a monthly grant of EUR 1,350, in addition, a research fee of EUR 100.

Deadline:
March 31 (for funding from 1 October) and September 30 (for funding from 1 April of the following year)

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Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V. Villigst (organisation for the promotion of young talent with religious orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers, special conditions apply for ▶ foreign researchers.

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to belong to the Protestant Church. To pool a number of doctoral projects (exchange between doctoral candidates and professors), the Studienwerk has established three main research areas (relativistic quantum physics, globalization and employment, biomedical sciences).Thesis and documents can be handed in in English.

Period/amount of funding:
One year (with the option to extend to a maximum of three years) with a monthly grant of EUR 1,450 plus a monthly research cost allowance of EUR 100. Scholarship holders are entitled to a childcare allowance and support for a parental year.

Deadline:
December 1 and June 1(applicants will be charged an administration fee of EUR 19).

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Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (organization for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers at German universities. ▶ Alternative terms apply for foreign doctoral students.

Area of studies:
All (except for medicine)

Terms of application:
Unsolicited applications based on diplomas are possible. Doctoral research phases and doctoral degrees accomplished outside of Germany will not be supported (with exceptions).Applicants must have German language skills at the level C1 at least.

Period/amount of funding:
Doctoral students receive EUR 1,450 per month. The scholarship will be gradually increased to EUR 1,550 per month from October 2024 and to EUR 1,650 per month from October 2025. In addition, there is a monthly research allowance of EUR 100. Funding is provided for a maximum of three and a half years.

Deadline:
Applications can be submitted at any time. Handing in an ▶ online application is the first step.

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Friedrich Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit (organisation for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
German and foreign doctoral researchers at German universities (no doctorates in the final phase)

Area of studies:
All, particularly natural sciences (except for human medicine and dentistry)

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be committed to liberal political and social issues. Parent-independent funding. Applicants must have German language skills as documents must be handed in in German and interviews will take place in German.

Period/amount of funding:
One year (with the option to extend to one more year). All doctoral researchers will receive a monthly grant of EUR 1,450. In addition, a research cost allowance of EUR 100 can be granted.

Deadline:
April 30 and October 31 every year

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Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung (organisation for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers under the age of 32 at German universities

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be involved in social, political, and churchly issues.

Period/amount of funding:
As a rule, funding through to maximum BaföG funding period. Monthly grant of EUR 1,450 plus monthly research allowance of EUR 100 (if applicable, family allowance of EUR 155 and childcare allowance of EUR 155 or more). Instead of funding period extensions, payments amounting to up to the expected value of the scholarship can be applied for.

Deadline:
January 15 and July 15 every year

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Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (organisation for the promotion of young talent with a link to trade unions)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers under the age of 40

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be involved in union and socio-political issues. They have to have sufficient knowledge of German to be able to understand the German language application documents. In addition, they have to already be in Germany at the time of application.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years with a monthly grant of EUR 1,350 plus a monthly research cost allowance of EUR 100. Additional support for research visits, conferences, and language courses abroad.

Deadline:
May 31, 2023 and November 02, 2023

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Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (organisation for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers from all countries studying at universities and institutions of higher education

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be actively involved with the values of the foundation (ecology, non-violence, solidarity, and democracy) and to have knowledge of the German language at at least level B2.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years (maximum extension is two times half a year): Basic scholarship for German doctoral researchers: Monthly grant of EUR 1,350 plus research cost allowance of EUR 100, family allowance of EUR 155. Basic scholarship for doctoral researchers from other countries: Monthly grant of EUR 1,200, research cost allowance of EUR 100 plus family allowance of EUR 276.

Deadline:
March 1 and September 1 (Please note: the target group may be different depending on deadline).

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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (organisation for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
German doctoral researchers under the age of 32 studying at German universities, foreign doctoral researchers under the age of 30.

Area of studies:
All (except for medicine, dentistry)

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be committed to voluntary work and to agree with the foundation’s political position. Applicants must have German language skills at at least level C1.

Period/amount of funding:
One year (with an option to extend by six months at a time for three years at the most) with a monthly grant of EUR 1,350 plus further allowances.

Deadline:
January 15 and July 15 at 12 noon respectively.

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Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (organisation for the promotion of young talent with political orientation)

Target group:
German and foreign doctoral researchers, as a rule below 30 years of age, from universities in Germany, an EU country, and Switzerland (Alternative terms for foreign doctoral students).

Area of studies:
All (except for medicine)

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be firmly committed to social issues. For the international phD Students Scholarship applicants must have very good German language skills, for the special program basic German language skills are sufficient.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years (with an option to extend twice by six months at a time). German doctoral researchers: Monthly grant of EUR 1,450 plus research cost allowance of EUR 100. Foreign doctoral researchers: Monthly grant of EUR 1,000 and allowances for stays abroad, if applicable.

Deadline:
April 1 and October 1 every year

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Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann der Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft – SDW (organization for the promotion of young talent with entrepreneurial orientation)

Target group:
German and foreign doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
All, particularly natural and engineering sciences

Terms of application:
Applicants are required to be committed to social issues. Applicants must have German language skills at approximately level B2. There must be no more than five years between graduation and the start of the doctorate.

Period/amount of funding:
No less than 18 months and no more than three years. Monthly grant of EUR 1,450 plus research cost allowance of EUR 100 (if applicable, childcare allowance and additional allowances for stays abroad).

Deadline:
January 31, 2023 and August 1, 2023 (funding to begin October 1, 2023).

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Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (organisation for the promotion of young talent with no specific orientation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers who have started to work on their doctoral theses less than a year ago.

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Highly qualified PhD students may, together with their supervisors, submit an application for support for an ambitious and innovative thesis project, which can be completed within a three-year funding period. The last academic degree should have been completed no longer than four years prior to submission of the application. Applications can be handed in in English.

Period/amount of funding:
From October 2023, the financial support will increase to a total of EUR 1,550 and the scholarship will also be increased by a further EUR 100 in each of the next two years, to a total of EUR 1,750 from October 2025. In addition, there will continue to be funding abroad, including fee subsidies, as well as substantial allowances for scholarship holders with child(ren).

From October 2023, funding will be granted for the entire project duration of three years with the option of an additional six-month extension. This does not affect parents and people whose work progress is restricted by a chronic illness or disability, who can receive funding for up to 12 months longer.

Deadline:
Applications can be made at any time. The selection committee meets four times a year.

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Further individual scholarships for doctoral researchers

Akademie Schloss Solitude – Residency Scholarship

Target group:
Doctoral reseachers up to 40 years of age or who have gained their university degree no more than five years ago

Area of studies:
Visual arts & media, music & performing arts, digital solitude, architecture & design, literature and language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences & economics.

Terms of application:
 Applicants must speak at least one of the languages English, French or German.

Period/amount of funding:
For a period between three and twelve months/ EUR 1,200 monthly as well as a furnished living / working office.

Deadline:
Two application rounds each year, in May/June and November/December. Deadline for new applications is approximately 10 weeks before the decision date. Current deadline: will be declared in February 2024.

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Apple Scholars in AI/ML – PhD Fellowship

Target group:
Mid-to-late career doctoral students with an established research and publication record.

Area of studies:
Nominees should be pursuing research in one or more of the following research areas: Privacy Preserving Machine Learning, Human Centered AI, AI for Ethics and Fairness, AI for Accessibility, AI for Health and Wellness, ML Theory, ML Algorithms and Architectures, Embodied ML, Speech and Natural Language, Computer Vision, Information Retrieval, Ranking and Knowledge, Data-Centric AI.

Terms of application:
Universities invited can nominate up to 3 doctoral students. Karlsruhe House of Young Scientists (KHYS) coordinates the nomination process at KIT. Please contact Nadja Mazko for further information.

Period/amount of funding:
The fellowship includes a stipend for two academic years to help with living expenses and related expenses as well as a USD 5,000 travel grant each year to support research-related travel and associated expenses.

Deadline:
The next call for applications is expected in summer 2024.

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Andrea von Braun-Stiftung – voneinander wissen

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
All, interdisciplinary

Terms of applications:
Applications are made via ▶ email. The foundation focuses on clarity and brevity of the application.
Prerequisite for the application is that the project is interdisciplinary and overcomes barriers between disciplines and fields, especially those who would otherwise have little or no contact with each other.

Period/amount of funding:
Individual

Deadline:
It is no longer possible to apply for Apple Scholar 2023.

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Barbara-Wengeler-Stiftung – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers up to the age of 30 at the end of the funding period.

Area of studies:
Areas of networking and exchange between philosophy and neurosciences.

Terms of application:
Applicants need to be proposed by a professor and have an excellent university degree.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years (with an option to extend twice by six months at a time) with a monthly grant of EUR 1,700 plus monthly research cost allowance of EUR 100.

Deadline:
Application possible at any time

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Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds – PhD Fellowships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers who started university no more than eight years ago

Area of studies:
Basic biomedical research

Terms of application:
Only Online application and application in paper form. At the time of application, applicants ought to have worked on their respective project no longer than six months.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years (with an option to extend by 18 months), head of delivery depending on country.

Deadline:
February 1, June 1, and October 1.

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Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD) – Scholarship Program 1

Target group:
Doctoral researchers from a developing or emerging country in Africa, Asia, the Near and Middle East or Latin America

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
You can apply for the "Scholarship Program 1" of the KAAD if you: have a university degree and professional experience in your home country, want to carry out a research stay at a German university and are of Catholic Christian faith (mainly from the Near /Middle East belong to a Christian denomination in general/applicants of another religion may be eligible if they are put forward by Catholic partners with a documentable commitment to interreligious dialogue), have German language skills prior to entering Germany. The KAAD offers to finance a German course for a maximum of six months.

Period/amount of funding:
Doctoral studies or research stay in Germany; Postdoctoral stays are also financed under the program (see ▶ Funding for Postdoctoral Researchers) as well as short stays in Germany (for this, see ▶ Research Travel and Visiting Researcher Scholarships)

Please enquire the amount of funding directly from the foundation.

Deadline:
The selection committee meets twice a year. For the precise deadlines for application, please contact your KHG/KSG.

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Catholic Academic Exchange Service  (KAAD) – Scholarship Program 2 (PhD Fellowships)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers from a developing or emerging country in Africa, Asia, the Near and Middle East or Latin America

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
For the scholarship programme 2 of KAAD you can apply if you: come from a developing or emerging country in Africa, Asia, the Middle East or Latin America, are already studying at a German University, want to acquire a doctorate at a German university. are a Catholic Christian (or - particularly for candidates from the Middle East - belong to another Christian denomination/Candidates from other religions can apply if they are proposed by Catholic partners and can prove their commitment to interreligious dialogue), possess German language skills (at least general communication level).

Deadline:
The selection committee convenes twice a year. For the precise deadlines for application, please contact your KHG/KSG.

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Dan David Foundation – Dan David Prize Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers

Area of studies:
Fields change every year. You may find the current fields ▶ here.

Terms of application:
The requested information must be entered in English only. The required documents should be submitted via the Dan David Prize website only.

Period/amount of funding:
USD 30,000 for one year (9 prizes)

Deadline:
Nominations will be open in summer 2024.

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Dr. Jost-Henkel-Stiftung  (Dr. Jost Henkel Foundation)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
All, particularly economic sciences and natural sciences

Terms of application:
Scholarships awarded are subject to ongoing academic excellence. As far as the Dr. Jost Henkel Foundation is concerned, it is essential that provision exists or is made for monitoring the academic career and success of its scholarship-holders on an ongoing basis.

Period/amount of funding:
Monthly payments as well as one-off payments and interest-free loans.

Deadline:
Applications can be submitted at any time.

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Evonik Stiftung (Evonik Foundation) – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
Natural sciences. Your scientific research is being conducted in a well-known, chemically oriented working group at a German university or a non-university research institution. As the Evonik Foundation specifies a scholarship focus every year, the topic of your research project must coincide with one of the topics in this focus.

Terms of application:
Program for applicants who are not able to finance their academic education through their own financial means or through other grants. The application is made online, if the response is positive, the expert opinion of the supervising professor must be sent by post.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years (with an option to extend) with a monthly scholarship of EUR 1,850.

Deadline:
February 15, 2024

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FAZIT-STIFTUNG (FAZIT Foundation) – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers (under the age of 28)

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
Mandatory approval by the head of department (doctoral thesis supervisor) as well as approval of the application by another professor. Applicants are required to give details of their intended career. All documents must be handed in in German. In addition, the applicant must have German language skills.

Period/amount of funding:
No more than two years with monthly grants of up to EUR 1,250.

Deadline:
Applications can be submitted at any time. It is recommended to submit the application three to four months before the desired start of funding.

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Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) – German Doctoral Student Programme at CERN (Wolfgang Gentner Scholarships)

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
Technical studies

Terms of application:
Applicants must have a university degree eligible for pursuing a doctoral degree when starting at CERN, be a national of an EU Member State of CERN, be enrolled at a German university during the scholarship, have a very good academic standing with the ability to pursue a doctoral degree and have  good knowledge of English or French.

Period/amount of funding:
For up to three years scholarship holders receive a tax-free subsistence and, if applicable, further benefits such as family or children allowances

Deadline:
November 6, 2023 (selection committee: February 1, 2024)
March 11, 2024 (selection committee: June 6, 2024)

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Foundation for the Study of Communist Dictatorship in East Germany (GDR) – Scholarship Program

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
All disciplines are possible if the research projects are related with the history of the communist dictatorship in the GDR and the deal with German and European history division.

Terms of application:
Both the application and the final paper must be written in German. Doctoral researchers from abroad are required to submit their German application via a German research institution assuring the supervision of the applicants.

Period/amount of funding:
Currently EUR 1,500 a month for doctoral researchers. The scholarships are awarded for a period of one year and can be extended for another year (in the case of post-doctoral scholarships to a total of three years) based on a work report to be submitted after the third quarter of the first funding year. Six-months extensions beyond this period are only possible in exceptional cases.

Deadline:
January 15 and July 15 every year

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Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (Chemical Industry Fund) – Kekulé Fellowship

Target group:
Doctoral researchers from Germany or EU Member States; non-EU citizens can be founded if they studied in Germany

Area of studies:
Chemistry or adjacent areas

Terms of application:
University studies must have been completed within no more than ten semesters. Applicants are required to provide evidence of excellent achievements throughout. The appication has to be made by the supervisor of the doctorate at the latest four months after the start of the doctoral project.

Period/amount of funding:
Two years with a monthly grant of EUR 1,850 plus a one-off relocation allowance of EUR 1,750 (if applicable) and an annual allowance of EUR 1,000 for covering material costs. Supervisors receive a one-off payment of EUR 5,000 for covering material and travel expenses.

Deadline:
March 1, July 1 and November 1 every year.

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Gerda Henkel Stiftung (Gerda Henkel Foundation) – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Young researchers under the age of 28 with a final grade better than 1.5

Area of studies:
Archaeology, historical science, historical Islamic studies, art history, history of law, history of prehistory and early history, history of science    

Terms of application:
Decision criteria: Duration and progress of studies, final grade, age, and special qualifications.

Period/amount of funding:
No more than two years with a monthly grant of EUR 1,920 plus child care allowance, monthly living-abroad allowance of EUR 480, and, if necessary, a certain amount for covering travel expenses and material costs.

Deadline:
Applications can be submitted at any time. Decisions on awarding scholarships are made four times a year.

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German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – Research Grants- Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees/Cotutelle

Target group:
doctoral researchers; if the applicant has been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline, the application cannot be considered. The start of the doctorate should not be longer than 3 years ago.

Area of studies:
All

Terms of application:
The aim of this programme is the funding of bi-national doctoral projects at the home university and at a university in Germany. The programme offers two options:

a) Doctorate with bi-national supervision:
The doctoral project is supervised both by a university teacher at the home university and an academic adviser at the host institute in Germany (so-called "sandwich model"). The doctoral degree is awarded by the home university.
b) Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure:
The prerequisite is an individual cooperation contract between the participating universities about the doctoral project which is to be supervised. After successful completion of the doctorate, the German university and the foreign partner university award a doctoral degree together.

Period/amount of funding:
The research grant covers funding for the research stays in Germany. The monthly payments are EUR 1,300 (plus travel allowance, payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover).
The maximum funding duration is 24 months. The grant may also be used within the framework of several shorter stays.

Deadline:
The application deadlines are depending on the country of origin. Please use the DAAD ▶ scholarships database to find out your application deadline.

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German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – Research Grants/ Doctoral Programmes in Germany

Target group:
foreign applicants wishing to pursue a doctoral degree in Germany

Area of studies:
All, except medicine, veterinary medicine and dental medicine

Terms of application:
Excellently-qualified young academics and scientists who have completed a master's degree or  in exceptional cases a bachelor's degree at the latest at the beginning of the funded period can apply.
Applicants who have resided in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered. In most subjects at least good German language skills are a must, in some cases good English skills might be sufficient.

Period/amount of funding:
Usually a maximum of three years, in exceptional cases up to four years;
Monthly payments of: EUR 1,300 for doctoral researchers (payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover, travel allowance, one-off research allowance etc.).
The host institutes receive a one-off materials and mentoring costs grant of EUR 1,000.

Deadline:
The application deadlines are depending on the country of origin. Please use the DAAD ▶ scholarships database to find out your application deadline.

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German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – Programs in Cooperation with Funding Institutions in the Country of Origin

Target group:
Foreign applicants wanting to do their doctoral degree in Germany

Area of studies:
All, expect medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry

Terms of application:
For some countries, in addition to the research grants of the DAAD mentioned above, there are additional funding programs executed in cooperation with partner organizations in the countries of origins. Please use the ▶ scholarship database of the DAAD (indicating the status and country of origin) to check whether a corresponding program exists.

Period/amount of funding:
The funding modalities depend on the respective program.

Deadline:
The deadlines depend on the specific program.

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German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers at German universities whose research topics show a clear link with current problems of environmental and natural comservation problems and whose work contributes to their solution

Area of studies:
Applications from all disciplines are welcome, not just engineering and natural sciences, but also life sciences, humanities, economic and legal sciences. Interdisciplinary environmental research is especially welcome.

Terms of application:
The application should be done online and in German. In addition paper documents are to be submitted. Topics with international references are welcome, however the research should be mostly done in Germany and there must be a clear link to the environmental situation in Germany. Foreign applicants are espected to have a good knoledge of German, so that they can be integrated into the network of DBU scholarship holders.

Period/amount of funding:
Up to three years. In general no projects are supported which are already underway at the time of application. The aid amounts to EUR 1,500 a month. In addition material funds of EUR 210 per month fto carry out the doctoral project are made available via a project account at the supervising institution.

Please note that as soon as the material funding has been approved, a Third Party Funding Notification (Drittmittelanzeige) must be submitted to KHYS (▶ Nadja Mazko). Further information regarding Third Party Funding Notification can be found within the ▶ Intranet of KIT (in German only).

Deadline:
January 15 and June 15 every year.

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Hector Fellow Academy – PhD Positions

Target group:
Doctoral reseachers from all over the world including Germany

Area of studies:
Biology, chemistry, engineering, informatics, mathematics, medicine, physics

Terms of application:
The Hector Fellow Academy gathers ▶ professors working in the field of natural sciences, engineering and medicine/psychology at different research institutions across Germany. Excellent master students may apply with an innovative, self-developed PhD research proposal within the research field of one of the Hector Fellows via the ▶ application portal.

The Hector Fellows currently available to supervise doctoral students and the open positions can be found on ▶ this website.

Period/funding amount:
Doctoral researchers of the Hector Fellow Academy are employed for three years as full-time research assistants at the university of their supervising Hector Fellow (equivalent to TV-L 13, up to 100%, based on the funding rates of the DFG for doctoral researchers). In addition, they have access to EUR 9,500 per year in material expenses for their research project. They also have the opportunity to take part in various training courses to promote interdisciplinary competences and soft skills.

 

Deadline:
The application portal is open again from January 15, 2024 – March 31, 2024.

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Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel (Herzog August Library Wolfenbüttel) together with the Dr. Günther Findel Foundation and the Rolf and Ursula Schneider Foundation – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers from Germany and abroad

Area of studies:
All historically oriented disciplines with Herzog August Bibliothek being in the focus of the respective research projects. In addition there is a two-month scholarship for musicologists.

Terms of application:
Applicants can submit unsolicited applications. Former holders of fellowships from the foundations can also apply for further financial support, "Footnote Fund". The fellowship is EUR 300 for Germans and EUR 500 for international applicants.

Period/amount of funding:
Two to ten months with a monthly grant of EUR 1.100 plus EUR 100 for material costs.

Deadline:
April 1 and October 1 of every year

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IBM – Ph.D. Fellowship Program

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
Changing - focus areas include the following topics of particular interest: Hybrid Cloud, Quantum Computing / Quantum Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud / Open Source Technologies, Security / Cyber Security, Data Science, Systems

Terms of application:
IBM University Relations Ph.D. Fellowships are awarded worldwide. Students from Europe and Russia may be nominated in their first year of study in their doctoral program. All IBM Ph.D. Fellows are matched with an IBM Mentor according to their technical interests, and they are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one internship at IBM while completing their studies. While students may accept other supplemental fellowships, to be eligible for the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship they may not accept a major award in addition to the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship. Students in Europe and Russia may accept government scholarships and remain eligible for the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship.

Period/amount of funding:
One academic year/ fellowships vary by country/ geographic area

Deadline:
Nominations for the annual Ph.D. Fellowship program are accepted in September and October.

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Klassik Stiftung Weimar – Shakespeare Scholarships

Target group:
Graduates

Area of studies:
The thematic focus of the graduate scholarship is the early modern period in a broader context, including the Baroque era, as well as processes of reception and transformation to the present day.

Terms of application:
The project must possess a clearly recognisable reference to the collection holdings of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and the applicant must hold appropriate academic qualification.

Period/amount of funding:
Two to three months with a monthly scholarship of EUR 2,000.

Deadline:
January 31 of every year

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Pipeline Simulation Interest Group (PSIG) – Don Schroeder Scholarship / Orin Flanigan Scholarship

Target group:
Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral or master’s graduate degree program

Area of studies:
Research related to pipeline simulation

Terms of application:
Applicants must demonstrate a capability to deliver results along with a financial need that this scholarship will help to address.

Period/amount of funding:
USD 10,000

Deadline:
End of November

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Research at Google – Google PhD Fellowship Program

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Area of studies:
Algorithms, Optimizations and Markets, Computational Neuroscience, Health Research, Human-Computer Interaction, Machine Learning, Machine Perception, Speech Technology and Computer Vision, Mobile Computing, Natural Language Processing (including Information Retrieval and Extraction), Privacy and Security, Programming Languages and Software Engineering, Quantum Computing, Structured Data and Database Management, Systems and Networking

Terms of application:
Applications are not accepted directly from doctoral researchers (except in India). The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding doctoral researchers doing exceptional work in computer science and related research areas.

Period/amount of funding:
The details of each fellowship vary widely by region.
Europe and the Middle East: 3-year fellowship. Yearly bursary towards stipend / salary, health care, social benefits, tuition and fees, conference travel and personal computing equipment. The bursary varies by country.

Please note that as soon as the material funding has been approved, a Third Party Funding Notification (Drittmittelanzeige) must be submitted to KHYS (▶ Nadja Mazko). Further information regarding Third Party Funding Notification can be found within the ▶ Intranet of KIT (in German only).

Deadline:
Applications for the 2024 program will open March 2024 and close in May 2024.

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Stiftung Bildung und Wissenschaft – Doctoral Scholarships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers under the age of 30 who have financed their studies through BaföG student grants or predominantly through their own work.

Area of studies:
Literature

Terms of application:
Above-average talent, sense of social responsibility, social commitment and open-mindedness

Period/amount of funding:
One year with a monthly scholarship of EUR 1,400 and an option to extend by another year

Deadline:
October 1 (first selection stage) through questionnaires. After positive decision, submission of documents until January 15 of the subsequent year.

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Stiftung Nagelschneider – Support for Research Work of Doctoral Researchers

Target group:
Doctoral researchers

Areas of study:
The purpose is to promote scientific research in the fields of generation, storage, transference and intelligent network planning of alternative energy sources that can be produced in a sustainable and ecologically compatible manner as well as the reduction of energy consumption in the context of the overall ecological situation.

Application modalities:
Applications must be submitted to the Fundation using the online application form, wich can be found on the Nagelschneider Foundation´s website, together with a CV of the doctoral researcher, both in paper form and by e-mail.

Period/amount of funding:
A maximum of EUR 2,000 per month for up to three years.

The Nagelschneider Foundation informs the applicant directly about funding decision.

Please note that as soon as the material funding has been approved, a Third Party Funding Notification (Drittmittelanzeige) must be submitted to KHYS (▶ Nadja Mazko). Further information regarding Third Party Funding Notification can be found within the ▶ Intranet of KIT (in German only).

Deadline:
Grant applications for 2025 can be made by October 31st, 2024. It is no longer possible to apply for grants for 2024.

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Wüstenrot Stiftung – PhD Fellowships

Target group:
Doctoral researchers who, at the time of their university degree entitling them to a doctorate, have not yet reached the age of 30

Area of studies:
Architecture, urban development, preservation of monuments / memorials, art and humanities as well as social sciences.

Terms of application:
Funding is provided for research projects that focus on buildings, ensembles, or the design of open spaces of post-war modernism, their emergence, aesthetics and significance, or on issues such as energetic retrofitting or adaptation of use, the preservation of their authenticity or their targeted transformation.

Period/amount of funding:
2 years, with the option to extend to one more year; EUR 1,400 + EUR 150  for material costs monthly and family allowance

Deadline:
May 1 and November 1 every year.

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