Baden-Württemberg offers excellent conditions for PhD students and young researchers: There are multiple scholarships and funding opportunities available.
If you are in a structured or individual doctorate program, you don’t have to pay university tuition fees.
There are even more good news: In most cases, PhD students can retain their student status and benefit from reduced entrance fees for museums and public swimming pools as well as reduced or free tickets for local public transport. If you are under 30 years old, you may also benefit from special student rates for your mandatory health insurance.
Many scholarships are available to help you cover your living expenses. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a searchable database with scholarships for international PhD candidates and young researchers.
One common way to cover your living expenses is taking on a position as a research assistant with your supervising professor. This will also allow you to deepen and broaden your knowledge in your field of study and contribute to scientific work. PhD positions are often advertised as “job announcements” and working in the department where you study for your PhD degree is very common.
Structured PhD programs often offer scholarships of around €1000 to €1300. In most cases, these scholarships don’t require you to teach or assist your professor, but you may be asked to take on certain responsibilities within your department.
Scholarships for post-docs
If you continue to do scientific work after completing your PhD, you will also find attractive funding opportunities and scholarships in Baden-Württemberg.
- One place to start your search is the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation.
- The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) has many funding opportunities in its database.
- The Carl-Zeiss-Foundation lists several funding opportunities for science projects and researchers on its website.
- The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts also has funding opportunities available.
- The postdoctoral fellowship for leading early career researchers of the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung supports excellent postdoctoral researchers at universities in Baden-Württemberg who aim for a professorship.
- The Brigitte-Schlieben-Lange Program offers support for female PhD students and young female researchers with children.
- The EU’s Marie-Sklodowska-Actions support post-docs from EU member states who want to do research outside their national borders, for example in Baden-Württemberg.
In addition to the websites and programs listed, universities sometimes offer their own scholarships, so it is definitely worth checking the website and consulting with the international office at your chosen university.
