Study and research in Germany

Financial Options for a Doctorate

Doctoral programmes are tuition free in Germany. However, the cost of living does need to be financed during the doctorate. There are plenty of options, even though these are not always easy to understand: An overview.

by Grit Thümmel

In a traditional doctorate with an academic supervisor, called a Doktorvater in German, candidates often have to raise their own financial resources. In such cases, teaching assignments in the form of research assistantships at the university often account for part of a doctoral student's income. A second source involves financial support in the form of scholarships and grants. NB: When applying, the Doktorvater must already have agreed to supervise the candidate and the dissertation topic must have been decided. Once this is the case, the Doktorvater can propose the doctoral candidate for a grant, such as from the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation), for example. This pays its scholars around 1,000 euros per month over a period of between two and three years at most. In general, doctoral students in Germany benefit from the fact that they do not have to pay tuition fees.

Prospective candidates can also apply for a scholarship or grant themselves. Depending on the subject area in question, numerous foundations in Germany award individual grants. For instance, the Bundesstiftung Umwelt (German Federal Foundation for the Environment – DBU) funds young researchers (up to 28 years of age) and their research projects in the field of environmental protection with up to 1,000 euros per month spread over three years. Church foundations, such as the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst (Protestant Academic Foundation) or the Bischöfliche Studienförderung Cusanuswerk (Episcopal Scholarship Foundation Cusanuswerk) support doctoral students who demonstrate a particular social commitment in various areas. Both these foundations, however, call for applicants to have the relevant denominational affiliation as a requirement for application. In addition, political party related foundations offer young researchers grants for doctoral dissertations in social policy fields. However, the funding terms differ greatly, namely between 3 and 36 months, while age limits strongly restrict the group of eligible applicants.

A useful tip: Most scholarships and grants can be complemented by a number of one-off payments and subsidies, for example for families with children, for research trips, or consumables. Applicants from abroad must remember that proof of German language proficiency is often required for many individual grants or scholarships. This proof can be provided by a DSH or TestDaF certificate, for example.  

The advantage of such foundation scholarships is that besides offering financial support, many also provide non-academic support and advice. Joint leisure activities and assistance with everyday problems can help foreign doctoral students, in particular, find their way around and enable them to settle in and feel at home.

Besides a scholarship, grant or working, doctoral students can also earn their living by taking on temporary jobs. A residence permit is required for this that allows the pursuit of gainful employment. Doctoral students from non-EU countries (so-called "third countries") who do not enjoy Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit (freedom of movement for workers) in the EU need to apply for the appropriate visa at the German mission abroad (Embassy or Consulate General) responsible for their place of residence before travelling to Germany. Those who want to top up their budget with a temporary job during their doctorate despite holding a scholarship or a grant, should only do so to a limited extent, otherwise they might have their scholarship reduced.

Financial issues are different when taking part in a doctoral programme or a Graduate School. Those interested in one of the so-called structured programmes simultaneously apply for a place on the doctoral programme of their choice along with a grant. This means that if their application is successful for a place on their chosen programme, they can be certain of a place and of its funding. For example, the Graduiertenkollegs (Research Training Groups) initiated by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation – DFG) as well as the International Max Planck Research Schools initially support their junior scientists for two years with a grant amounting to between 1,000 and 1,400 euros per month or, alternatively, with a position as a research assistant. If needed, the grant can be extended by a year. In addition, the universities in Germany are each creating more and more internationally-oriented doctoral programmes financed from the budgets of the individual federal states, whereby the doctoral students are additionally supported with a position or a grant. In Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia or Lower Saxony, for example, this model ensures that participants have as much as up to 1,400 euros per month available to them. Generally, the doctoral programmes will themselves award the grants and positions, which means that the doctoral students always apply direct to the research project that interests.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has been funding foreign doctoral students with the binational PhD Network (PhD-Net) since 2008 with the goal of encouraging collaboration between German and foreign universities. PhD-Net is the follow-up programme to the "International Postgraduate Programmes" ( IPP ) that were jointly chosen by the DAAD and the DFG. What makes the DAAD programmes special is their international focus. Foreign degrees are recognised without any problems and all the relevant courses are offered in English. Defined application deadlines apply for most of the programmes offered as part of PhD-Net .

The doctoral students can either finance themselves by taking up a further qualification position at the university or by applying to one of the usual DAAD scholarship programmes. The DAAD awards the latter to exceptionally-qualified university graduates. The key selection criterion, besides previous academic track record in the form of credits and grades, is a convincing and well-planned research project that has been agreed with the supervisor. The funding term is based on the defined time to doctorate, in most cases, three years. However, the scholarship award is initially only given for a period of one year. Subsequent extensions then depend on whether the funding term is successful. German language skills are generally required for DAAD Research Grants – as also for individual scholarships or grants outside a programme. The DAAD then decides on a case-by-case basis whether a free-of-charge German language course can be made available before the research grant starts. Exceptions to this are often found in the natural sciences and engineering, or when the dissertation is written in English. In such cases, proof of good English language skills can also be accepted.

The DAAD also awards research grants under its "Sandwich Model" for young scientists and researchers from developing countries. The funding aims to promote cooperation, meaning that it finances projects that are jointly supervised by a German and a foreign professor. Although the doctoral student writes the dissertation in the home country, a research stay of between one and two years with the supervising German professor will already have been agreed in advance and is financed by the DAAD .

© academics.de

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