Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany 2026

About the scholarship:
This scholarship programme offers you the opportunity to complete your doctoral degree in Germany.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you have above-average qualifications and you completed your Master's degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a Bachelor's degree, at the latest by the time the funding period begins.

What can be funded?

The programme provides funding for a doctoral project at a state or state-recognized institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany. This can be either:

• An individual project supervised by a university teacher (doctoral supervisor) or participation in a structured doctoral study programme

Value of the scholarship:

• Monthly payments of 1,300 euros
• Payments toward health, accident, and personal liability insurance cover 
• Travel allowance
• Annual research allowance. If you come from a DAC country, you will receive a flat rate of € 460 (€ 230 in the fourth year); for all other countries, the grant is € 260 (€ 130 in the fourth year).

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after the start of funding:

• Monthly rent subsidy
• Monthly allowance for accompanying family members. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants/section F, point 3.
• In the case of a disability or chronic illness: subsidy for additional costs that result from the disability or chronic illness and are not covered by other funding providers: Further information.

Selection:

The selection criteria are:

1. Qualification
2. Quality of research project
3.  The potential of the applicant

The selection committee also gives due consideration to equal opportunities; you can provide relevant information in the application form.

Application Process:

Applicants need to submit an online application form.