Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany

DAAD research grants provide young foreign academics and scientists with an opportunity to carry out research and continue their education in Germany. There are funding programmes for various qualification phases and stages in a career. The grants also promote the exchange of experience and networking amongst colleagues.

The aim of this grant programme is to support doctoral projects in Germany.

Application deadline

01.09.2016

Who can apply?

Excellently-qualified young academics and scientists who have completed a Master's degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a Bachelor's degree at the latest by the time they begin their grant-supported research.

What can be funded?

Doctoral programmes at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany:

· individual projects under the supervision of a university teacher or academic adviser

or

· participation in a structured doctoral study programme

Duration of the funding

Usually a maximum of three years, in exceptional cases up to four years; the length of the grant is decided by a selection committee and depends on the project in question and the applicant's work schedule.

Grants are initially awarded for a maximum of one year. Extensions depend on whether the selection committee considers the previous award period to have been successfully completed.

For doctoral projects in Germany that require several years of research, research phases outside Germany can be supported if these are critical for the successful completion of the doctoral degree. Planned stays must be specified in the application in the work and time schedule and should not exceed a quarter of the anticipated total funding period.

Value

Depending on academic level, monthly payments of:

euros 750.- for graduates,

euros 1,000.- for doctoral candidates

Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover

Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding

One-off research allowance

Under certain circumstances, grant holders completing an uninterrupted stay of over 6 months may receive the following additional benefits:

monthly rent subsidy

monthly allowance for accompanying family members

To enable grant holders to improve their language skills in preparation for their stay in Germany, DAAD offers the following services:

Payment of course fees for the online language course "Deutsch-Uni Online (DUO)" (www.deutsch-uni.com) for six months after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter

if necessary: Language course (2, 4 or 6 months) before the start of the research stay; the DAAD decides whether to fund the grant holder's participation and for how long depending on language skills and project. If a language course scholarship is granted and the working language at the host institute is German, participation is compulsory.

Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the grant period

Reimbursement of the fees for the TestDaF test which has either been taken in the home country after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter or in Germany before the end of the funding period

As an alternative to the TestDaF for scholarship holders who have taken a language course beforehand: the fee for a DSH or GI (Goethe Institute) examination taken during the scholarship period may be reimbursed.

Selection

An independent selection committee consisting of specialist scientists reviews applications.

The most important selection criteria:

· a convincing and well-planned research project or course of continuing education.

· academic achievements

Additional documents that prove academic suitability or provide information about extracurricular activities will also be considered in the assessment.

What requirements must be met?

At the time of applying you must hold a MA or MSc degree (or equivalent) with a score of at least 80%.

As a rule, applicants should not have graduated any longer than six years before the application deadline. If you are already working on a doctoral degree, you should not have started your degree any longer than three years previously.

Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.

Note:

For applicants from the fields of human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry, other regulations are applicable. Please refer to the leaflet "Additional information on DAAD Research Grants for applicants from medical fields" (www.daad.de/extrainfo).

Language skills

Good knowledge of English language (TOEFL-ITP (at least 550) or IELTS (6.5 at least).)

The required language level depends on the applicant's study plans and subject: In the arts, social sciences and in law, at least a good knowledge of German is usually expected. For the natural sciences and engineering, proof of good English language skills may also be accepted if English is spoken at the host institute.

The application procedure occurs online through the DAAD portal. You are also required to send 2 copy/copies of the "Application summary" (PDF file), which is generated in the DAAD portal after the online application procedure has been completed, and other appendices by post to the application address.

Please note that the "Submitting an application" tab in the scholarship database only appears while the current application period is running.

The access to the DAAD portal opens about 6 weeks before the application deadline.

Application documents

Certificates , proof of credits, certifications and translations may be scanned in non-certified form and uploaded to the DAAD portal. DAAD's Head Office in Bonn will only request certified copies of the submitted documents in paper form if a grant is awarded!

1. Documents to be uploaded to the DAAD portal:

Online application form

Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)

List of publications (max. 10 pages), if applicable

Extensive and detailed description of the research proposal and a description of previous research work (max. 10 pages)

In the case of individual projects supervised by a university teacher (academic adviser)

Letter confirming supervision by a university teacher in Germany (academic adviser)

Schedule of planned research work

In the case of planned participation in a structured doctoral study programme:

Letter of admission to a study programme; this can be subsequently submitted before the grant-supported research begins if it is not available at the time of application.

Proof of existing contacts to the coordinator of the doctoral programme in the form of copies of correspondence

Also for all applicants:

Diplom or degree certificate indicating final grade(s): the certificate must be subsequently submitted before the grant-supported research begins if it is not available at the time of application.

Other documents which support your application (example: certificates of employment, proof of placements, etc.)

All university certificates on all annual examinations with individual grade(s), incl. explanation of grading system.

Copy of passport

Abstract of Master's thesis

Copy of school-leaving certificate which entitles holders to study at a university in the home country (with all individual grades)

TOEFL-ITP (at least 550) or IELTS (6.5 at least)

German or English translations of documents submitted in the national language

In the arts, social sciences and law, a proof of at least a good knowlegde of German ist to be provided

2. To be submitted by post:

The "Application summary", which is generated in the portal in PDF format and which can be printed out after the online application procedure is completed; please send 2 copy/copies to the application address.

Two recent references from university teachers which provide information about your qualifications; please enclose the references in envelopes with each copy of your application

Application deadline

01.09.2016

Application location

DAAD

Section ST33

Kennedyallee 50

53175 Bonn

Germany

Please note:

Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents to the DAAD portal (see Item 1) and by post (see Item 2). The postmark date serves as proof that the application has been dispatched on time.

The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. Central European Time (CET) on the last application day.

Late or incomplete applications cannot be considered. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are complete.

The application documents remain with the DAAD. Data relating to applicants is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act insofar as this data is needed to process applications.

Information and advisory centres

DAAD Information Centre Erbil

c/o ETTC, European Technology & Training Center

Erbil-Nawroz St. beside the building of Municipality 6

Iraq

Tel.: +964 750 /8200 134

E-Mail.: ic_erbil@daad-iraq.info

WWW.: http://www.daad-iraq.info

This is what you have to do:

1. Register in the DAAD portal.

2. Request references (if necessary according to the call for proposals, see "Application procedure")

The form, which has to be completed by a referee, has to be generated in the DAAD portal in the section "Request reference" after registration and downloaded. Please send the form by e-mail to your referee and ask for the completed reference form to be returned to you in a sealed envelope. References are confidential and should not be read by the applicant. The unopened envelope should be enclosed with the printed "Application summary" generated in the portal (see Item 4). Please note: If the call for proposals requires you to send several copies of your application by post to the application address (see "Application documents" in the section "Application procedure"), you will also need several copies of your reference in several envelopes, which you must then enclose with your printed "Application summary".

3. Applying online in the DAAD portal.

Download and complete the online application form

Prepare application documents

If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).

Scan paper documents (except references) and save in PDF format. Please note that you can only upload PDF files to the portal.

Upload the completed application form and the required appendices (except references and any work samples which you might have to submit) to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.

Upload your "Application summary", which has been generated in the DAAD portal.

4. Sending application documents by post

Submit the printed "Application summary" – if necessary with several copies (see "Application procedure/Application documents") by post. Please do not enclose any other documents that have not been uploaded to the portal with the printed "Application summary" – except the required references (in sealed envelopes) and a work sample if applicable!

Please note:

If you have any technical questions or problems your local information and advice centres could not help you with, please do not hesitate to contact our technical Portal hotline: +49 (0228) 882-888 or via e-mail (portal@daad.de), open every weekday from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm.

Please consider this when you are planning your application.

More detailed information:

DAAD website section "PhD studies and research"

Website "Research in Germany"

Website "Research Explorer"