BIGSSS PhD Fellowships

BIGSSS offers a Ph.D. program which commences in Fall. Successful applicants for our Ph.D. fellowships will pursue a topic in one of BIGSSS'three Thematic Fields:

• Field A: Global Governance and Regional Integration
• Field B: Welfare State, Inequality and Quality of Life
• Field C: Changing Lives in Changing Socio-Cultural Contexts

As applicant you are asked to apply with your own research project broadly related to one of the three thematic fields. You must indicate one or two supervisors for your proposal. If you do not name one or two potential supervisors, your application will not be considered. Please be sure to check the BIGSSS homepage and the ones of our faculty for their research interests. By having a close fit to the research interests of BIGSSS faculty, we can assure the best possible supervision. Please note that you should not contact the potential referees directly. Instead, it is sufficient that you indicate their names in your Statement of Purpose.

Eligibility: 

• An excellent MA degree (or national equivalents like the German "Diplom" or "Magister") in a discipline pertinent to at least one of BIGSSS' three Thematic fields (see above), i.e. in Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, or related social science disciplines e.g. Law, Economics or Mass Communication. The degree must be completed by the end of July of the year of application, which means you may apply before having finished your MA degree.
• English proficiency as described in the application materials section below.
• Additionally BIGSSS offers 2 Preparatory Fellowships to particularly talented BA Graduates. Please refer to Predoctoral Fellowships to find out more about the program. 

Scholarship value: Stipends of 2250 Euros/month for 36 months are paid to all accepted fellows, contingent on successful completion of each year. To support its Ph.D. fellows in achieving early scientific independence, it also provides funds for conducting, presenting and publishing research. There is no separate funding application, because all admitted applicants receive a stipend.