ELIGIBILITY:

Option a) Doctorate with bi-national supervision:
Your doctoral project is supervised by a university teacher both at your home university and at the host institute in Germany (so-called ‘sandwich model’). Your project must be agreed with both supervisors according to the following procedure:

You start your doctoral degree in your home country.

This is followed by research trips to Germany.

You complete your doctorate in your home country and are also supervised by the German academic adviser.

Your home university awards the doctoral degree.

Option b) Doctorate following the ‘Cotutelle’ procedure:
Funding is provided for doctoral projects that are carried out at the home university and at a university in Germany according to the so-called Cotutelle model. This is based on an individual cooperation agreement which is concluded individually for your doctoral project by the participating universities. After you have successfully completed your doctorate, the German university and your home university award the doctoral degree jointly.

Depending on the nature of your project, you can apply for:
Bi-national supervision based on the ‘sandwich model’. You can apply if you have earned a Master’s degree or Diplom (or in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree) at the latest at the start of the funding period.
Cotutelle model. You can apply if you have been admitted to a doctoral programme at the latest at the start of the funding period.
Please also note die information under ‘Application requirements’.

Qualification:

Academic achievements (grade point average, development of grades)

Academic progress

Knowledge of the language(s) of instruction or working language(s)

If applicable, scholarly achievements after graduation, (e.g. publications, lectures, conference papers)

Quality of research project

Quality of research proposal and preparation (originality, topicality and relevance of the project, choice of host institution and first contacts)

Feasibility and consistency of study plan and time schedule

Incorporation of project within the overall doctorate (in terms of content and time), if relevant

Potential of applicant

Career prospects: significance of the research project and stay in Germany for further academic, professional and personal development

Motivation: academic and personal reasons for wanting to visit Germany, German language skills (if different from working language)

Non-study-related activities: non-study-related knowledge and skills, civic engagement

BENEFIT:

Value:

Monthly payments for doctoral candidates during the stay in Germany: 1,400 euros. Please note that no scholarship payments are made during stays at your home university.

Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover

Travel allowances (upon application only) for up to three outward and return journeys unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source

A research allowance of € 460

Travel and accommodation expenses according to the German Federal Travel Expenses Law for your supervising university teachers for one trip of up to 10 days
to Germany to monitor progress,
to your home university to take part in final examinations.
Please indicate the trips in the time schedule (see ‘Application documents’) when applying.

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits for uninterrupted stays of over 6 months in Germany after the start of funding:

Monthly rent subsidy (please read the important scholarship information / section F, point 9)

Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 3.

In case of a disability or chronic illness: on application, a subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs incurred abroad that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and that are not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent a subsidy will be paid, will be reviewed and determined on an individual basis (see important information for scholarship applicants, section F, point 8)