Financial Assistance
The PhD programme does not provide scholarships or financial support for the upkeep of students; the admitted PhD students have to meet their own expenses. Applicants should consider looking and applying for a suitable scholarship besides the application to the PhD programme.
These scholarship databases might be useful to you:
DAAD Scholarship Database (DAAD and other selected organisations)
ELFI Database (German and selected international organisations)
German Center for Research and Innovation
Some of the most important German foundations are (note that these foundations receive a large number of applications every year):
- Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, party of the Green political movement in Germany
- Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, associated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany
- Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, the German conservative research foundation
- Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation, associated with the German Left Party
- Friedrich-Nauman-Foundation, the German foundation for liberal politics
- German National Academic Foundation, largest, non-political and non-denominational sponsorship organization for academically gifted
- Hans-Böckler Foundation, institute of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB)
- Klaus-Murmann-Fellowship Programme (Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft), Fellowship Program of the Foundation of German Business
- Mawista Scholarship – Scholarships for those studying abroad while taking care of a child, including those pursuing study in Germany.
- Deutschland Stipendium – Merit-based scholarships of €300 a month are available to highly talented students enrolled at German universities.
Some of the international foundations supporting PhD students:
- World Bank Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program awards fellowships for full-time study or research at the postgraduate level in fields related to economic development.
- Rotray Global Grants is an international institute that provides support for graduate-level studies for 1-2 years. The focus is on topics related to promoting peace, growing local economies and education
- The European Union offers funding opportunities (including Marie Curie Fellowships ), regardless of what country or sector you wish to work in. you can find open calls on the portal of The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
- Open Society Foundation awards a number of grants to individuals, primarily through scholarships and fellowships.