How Do I Finance My Doctoral Studies?

Here you can find information regarding the possible financial and non-material grants (including travel expense grants) during the doctoral studies provided by German institutions who sponsor the intellectually gifted, the University of Greifswald, etc.

The University offers doctoral candidates the following financial and non-material grant possibilities:

• State Postgraduate Scholarships
• Mentoring Programme for Doctoral Candidates [de]
• For Doctoral Candidates of the University Medicine: Gerhard-Domagk Programme for Junior Talents [de]

There are currently 13 institutions for the intellectually gifted in Germany that are partially close to religion, parties, the economy or trade unions.

An overview with information and experience reports about the institutions for the intellectually gifted can be found at www.stipendiumplus.de/deine-werke.html [de]

Avicenna-Studienwerk [de] - the first Muslim institution for the intellectually gifted in Germany

Cusanuswerk e.V. [de] - the study foundation of the Catholic Church in Germany

Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (ELES) [de] - the foundation for Jewish scholars

Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V. Villigst [de] - the institution for the intellectually gifted of the Protestant Churches in Germany

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung [de] - the foundation of social democracy

Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom [de] - the foundation of liberal politics

Hanns Seidel Foundation [de] - the foundation of Christian and social values

Hans Böckler Foundation [de] - the study foundation of the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (German Trade Union Confederation)

Heinrich Böll Foundation [de] - the Green Political Foundation

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung [de] - the foundation of Christian and Democratic values and structures

Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung [de] - the foundation of democratic socialism

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw) [de] - the foundation close to companies and the economy

The German Academic Scholarship Foundation [de] - the largest and oldest institution for the intellectually gifted, which promotes the entire breadth and variety of ideologically, religiously and democratically anchored political backgrounds and values

There is also a number of smaller foundations that often fund specific subjects and subject areas, women in science, people of a certain social and regional origin or with research interest in certain countries.
A comprehensive overview about the funding options on offer with a respective search functionality is possible via DAAD’s scholarship database and EURAXESS’ position and scholarship search.

The International Office informs you about current funding options for completing doctoral studies and conducting research abroad.
The DAAD offers doctoral candidates and postdocs funding for study and research stays abroad or funding for foreign scientists wanting to perform research in Germany.

Here you can find a list of further finding and support offers

Federal Ministry of Education and Research - Research page of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with search engine and search function for doctoral theses.

Association of German Foundations

German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (Deutscher Hochschulverband - DHV) - the comprehensive service and information institution for university lecturers and early career researchers.

Federal Funding Advisory Service "Research and Innovation" - the Federal Government’s central point of contact for all questions related to research and innovation funding.

European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations - Information and consultation services for doctoral study funding programmes and postdoc funding programmes provided by the European Union, including information events.

Research in Germany - Information platform for the initiative "Promote Innovation and Research in Germany".