FAQs

Applicants must hold an excellent masters’ degree in the social sciences or humanities, preferably in history, art history, sociology, anthropology, political science, didactics of social sciences, or gender studies. Since courses in the degree programme may be conducted in either English or German, you must be fluent in one of these two languages.

You must not have been resident in Germany for more than the last nine months prior to the application. You should not have graduated any longer than six years before the time of application. You must not have completed a PhD previously.

The confirmation of supervision by a university lecturer is not required for the application. However, the project must fit thematically into the Faculty of Sociology or the Department of History.

Only projects that are still in the initial phase will be shortlisted. The advertised scholarships are not intended to fund advanced projects or projects in the final phase.

If you want to complete your doctorate even without a doctoral scholarship, please apply for admission to our study programme online until 15 June for the Winter Semester and 15 January for the Summer Semester.

The motivation letter may be no longer than 600 words; the curriculum vitae may be no longer than 1,000 words. Please read the guidelines on form and content for motivation letters and CVs.

Yes, please read the project description guidelines carefully for rules and recommendations on form and content. Project descriptions which do not follow the formal guidelines will not be considered.

Yes, the schedule may not be longer than 1,000 words. Please read the schedule of the planned research work guidelines carefully.

Yes, the letter of recommendation muss be signed by a university professor from your home university.”Home University” is the university where you obtained your last degree. In addition, there are a specific DAAD-template, which be found here: PDF, Word. Please read the letter of recommendation guidelines carefully.

All application documents must be in English or German. Applications written in another language will not be considered.

Your transcripts/grades should be scanned and uploaded as PDF files for your online application. If your documents are not in German or English, you must also include a translation into one of these two languages.
You do not need to send in an officially certified/notarised copy or, if necessary, translation of your secondary school leaving certificate and university transcripts (grades and degree) until you have been offered a doctoral position.

Proof of degree and your final grades or a preliminary certificate of completion from your Examination Office must be on hand by the deadline (30 April 2023). Said certificate must contain not only a list of completed coursework, but also your final grade, including the grade of your Master’s thesis. Applications that do not include the grade of the Master’s thesis will not be considered.

The diverse biographical, social, and cultural backgrounds of BGHS community members are an exceptional resource that enriches research and (international) cooperation. For this reason, the selection procedure is geared towards increasing the percentage of international doctoral researchers and ensuring continued gender parity among researchers.

The process of selecting doctoral candidates is geared towards creating a diverse community, particularly as regards gender and internationality. All applications that fulfill the formal requirements go through a multi-stage procedure.

1. Evaluation of the project description without information about the applicant’s person (anonymous)
2. Invitation to a personal interview; decision is made based on the project description and the expert evaluation.
3. Positions are filled; decision is made on the basis of the personal interview and all application documents including CV and motivation letter.

After you have submitted your application, the BGHS office shall check whether they are complete and fulfill all formal requirements. Complete applications which fulfill all formal criteria are accepted into the selection procedure. The first step of the procedure is the evaluation by members of the Faculty of Sociology or Department of History who have completed their doctorate or habilitation. Project proposals by those who have completed their Master’s at Bielefeld University are assessed by external evaluators. Evaluations are based solely on the project description.

Evaluators are asked to assess the scientific quality of the proposed doctoral projects in particular as regards the following aspects: thematic concept, contribution to the discourse in the field, theoretical and methodological approach, whether or not the project can realistically be completed, academic relevance of the proposed project.

A selection committee decides who to invite to a personal interview on the basis of the project descriptions, the expert evaluation and the short profile. The selection committee is appointed by the BGHS executive board. It consists of eight voting members and additional consulting members. Voting members are drawn from all levels of the BGHS community (doctoral researchers, research associates who have completed their doctorate, professors).

Based on the complete application, the BGHS executive board decides who will be nominated for the DAAD.

In the past, around 8-10 percent of applicants were granted a BGHS doctoral scholarhip.

By mid of June 2023 we will send email invitations to personal interviews. If you have not heard from us by this date, you were not shortlisted.

Interviews are planned for beginning of July 2023. We regret that we cannot offer alternative interview dates. You will receive more information on the interview procedure should you be invited.

Doctoral scholarships in the DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP) are awarded in a two-stage process. First, the BGHS selects promising candidates for two scholarships, who must then submit their applications via the DAAD online portal. The DAAD then awards and administers the scholarships. The result of the BGHS nomination process will be sent to the DAAD at the end of September 2023. If you are selected, you will receive a confirmation of the nomination from us by email. After that, you will need to upload your application to the DAAD online portal. The DAAD will then carry out its selection procedure and notify you of the result through the online portal. This procedure takes approximately three months. The notifications about the results of the selection procedure are therefore expected to be sent out in January 2024. The scholarship starts on 01 April 2024.

The scholarships have a duration of 4 years and include a scholarship payment of EUR 1,200 per month, a country-dependent travel allowance, a combined health, accident and liability insurance, a study and research allowance, if applicable, a rent subsidy and family allowances, and the financing of a German language course.

Successful candidates are awarded with a scholarship for up to four years. The continuation of the scholarship is based on annual reports of the doctoral researcher and statements by the supervisor to the DAAD.

In addition, a one-time final grant of up to six months can be applied for, which follows the end of the regular funding period of usually 48 months.

Field studies and stays outside Germany will be covered by the DAAD as long as they have been included in the schedule of the planned research work.

Yes. The successful candidates receive a computer work station at the BGHS.

As a scholarship holder, you are primarily obliged to carry out the research project with which you have applied to us and to write a written paper (dissertation) on it. In addition, you are obliged to present an annual report to the DAAD and the BGHS. Furthermore, we expect a clear commitment to the BGHS community, e.g. as a doctoral representative or in the organisation of workshops or similar.

Yes. Besides your work on your own research project you will follow the BGHS course of study, a curriculum of research-oriented and skills-building courses. All information on our degree programme can be found on our website under Programme.

Family allowances: The scholarship includes family allowances according to DAAD regulations.

Parental leave: In accordance with the regulations on maternity leave, DAAD scholarship holders can apply for an extension of the scholarship for up to 3 months - during which the scholarship benefits continue to be paid. In addition, an interruption of the scholarship for up to 18 months can be applied for if necessary - as long as the scholarship goal is not compromised. In addition to these regulations, the scholarship will also have the additional benefits such as the family allowance. Parents can obtain information from the DAAD about maternity protection and parental leave regulations.

Family services: Bielefeld University believes in the compatibility of working/studying and family life. Comprehensive counseling and support services are available for students and employees of the university who must care for children or other family members.  More information is available (in German) on the website of Bielefeld University family services.