Find the right Doctoral Grant

Doctoral Scholarships

In addition to the funding opportunities in structured doctoral programs, there are numerous scholarship programs for individual promotion of the doctorate. Find the right scholarship here and get advice at the Bonn Graduate Center!

Scholarships for Talented Students

The "Begabtenförderungswerke" award scholarships to doctoral students who can demonstrate above-average academic performance and are socially committed. You can find detailed information about all twelve scholarships for the gifted on the pages of Stipendiumplus. You can get an initial overview here.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© colourbox

Scholarships for Talented Students

Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
Affiliation: Independent

Konrad Adenauer Foundation [website in German]
Affiliation: Christian Democratic

Friedrich Ebert Foundation [website in German]
Affiliation: Social Democratic

Heinrich Böll Foundation
Affiliation: Green

Friedrich Naumann Foundation 
Affiliation: Liberal

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation
Affiliation: Democratic Socialist

Hanns Seidel Foundation
Affiliation: Christian Social

Cusanuswerk [website in German]
Affiliation: Catholic

Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst [website in German]
Affiliation: Protestant

Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk 
Affiliation: Jewish

Avicenna Studienwerk 
Affiliation: Muslim

Hans Böckler Foundation
Affiliation: Trade Union

Foundation of the German Economy [website in German]
Affiliation: Entrepreneurial


Scholarships by Discipline

In addition to merit-based scholarships for talented students, doctoral candidates at the University of Bonn may also qualify for funding based on their area of study. An overview of options is below; more details are available via Stifterverband. You can also find a first overview here.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Lannert / Uni Bonn

Scholarships by Discipline

A*STAR Research Attachment Programme14
Discipline: Open
Details: PhD supervisor needs collaboration with an A*STAR researcher

Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt
Discipline: Environmental protection

Deutsches Historisches Institut in Rom16 [website in German]

Discipline: Musicology and music

Dr. Jost Henkel-Stiftung 17 [website in German]

Discipline: Economic, social, natural and engineering sciences

Elmar-Stenitzer-Preis UMS GmbH 18[website in German] 
Discipline: Soil and plant sciences, hydrology, geosciences, environmental research 
Details: Best project sketch

Fazit-Stiftung 19[website in German] 
Discipline: Open, especially journalism 
Details: Financial hardship

GOstralia! Research Centre Scholarships
20
[website in German]

Discipline: Open
Details: Doctoral candidates

Hardiman PhD Scholarships 21

Discipline: Open 
Details: Exceptional M.A. students before their doctoral registration

Joachim Herz Stiftung Add-On Fellowships for Interdisciplinary Science
Discipline: Systems biology 
Details: Doctoral candidates, postdocs

Netzwerk für Stipendiaten mit besonderem unternehmerischen und gesellschaftlichen Engagement e.V. [website in German]
Discipline: Open
Details: One-time 2.500 €, also scholarships for the final phase of the doctorate 

Pathways to Research
Discipline: Open
Details: PhD scholarships, workshops and coaching for PhD students with a refugee or migration background 

Rhodes Scholarships 23
Discipline: Open
Details: Exceptional M.A. and doctoral candidates

University of Perugia24
Discipline: several
Details: 3 years doctoral scholarship in Italy

Fulbright Scholarships25 [website in German]

Discipline: several
Details: doctoral scholarship for a research project in the USA

JSPS Tokyo: Doctoral Fellowship (Short Term)26 [website in german]

Discipline: open
Details: 1 - 12 months

Andrea von Braun-Stiftung

Details: Interdisciplinary research, strengthening of ecological boundary areas.

Barbara-Wengeler-Stiftung27 [website in German] 
Discipline: Psychology, neuropsychology, philosophical psychology

Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung28 [website in German] 
Discipline: Humanities and social sciences
Details: Topic is “Reworking of Causes, History and Consequences of the Dictatorship in the Soviet Zone of Occupation in Germany and in the GDR”

Center for Chinese Studies Research Grant 29
Discipline: Sinology, Chinese studies

Immanuel-Kant-Scholarship [website in German]

Discipline: History and culture of Germans in Eastern Europe

Gertrud und Alexander Böhlig-Stiftung31 [website in German] 
Discipline: Languages and cultures of the Christian Orient

Gerda Henkel Stiftung
Discipline: History

German Historical Institute in Rome33 [website in German & Italian]
Discipline: musicology/music history

Gesellschaft für Kanadastudien
Discipline: Canada studies

MOFA Taiwan Fellowship 
Discipline: Sinology, literary studies, social sciences, cultural studies

Letter-Stiftung36 [website in German] 
Discipline: Art history, especially sculpture and graphics

Stiftung Bildung und Wissenschaft [website in German] 
Discipline: German Literature, History
Details: Foundation also provides scholarships for the final phase of the doctorate

Zeit-Stiftung: Trajectories of Change Scholarship 38
Discipline: Humanities and social sciences
Details: Topic is “Transformation Processes in the European Neighborhood”

Arbeitskreis Wirtschaft und Recht [website in German] 
Discipline: Commercial, corporate, economic and employment law 
Details: At least 10 points in a state exam, exemption from all professional duties

Stiftung Kapitalmarktrecht [website in German] 
Discpline: Financial markets and regulatory law

Dr. Jost Henkel-Stiftung 28[website in German]
Discipline: Economic, social, natural and engineering sciences
 

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds 41
Discipline: Natural sciences, biomedicine 
Details: Fundamental research

Christiane Nüsslein Volhard Foundation 42
Discipline: Experimental natural sciences, medicine 
Details: Female researchers with children

Evonik Scholarships [website in German]

Discipline: Natural sciences, particularly chemistry 
Details: Annually changing core areas

Kekulé Mobility Fellowship 
Discipline: Chemistry or related fields 
Details: Application by PhD supervisor

Reiner Lemoine Stiftung 45
Discipline: Renewable energies

Werner Schwarze Scholarship  [website in German]

Discipline: Amino acid research

Professor Werner Schulze-Stiftung zur Förderung der Pflanzenbauwissenschaften  [website in German] 
Discipline: Use of genetic resources of plants in modern crop production 
Details: Start-up financing for the development of a dissertation project

Runnebaum-Stiftung48 [website in German] 
Discipline: Medicine, natural sciences 
Details: Female candidates

Singapore International Graduate Award49
Discipline: Physical Sciences and Engineering
Details: Graduates with passion for research and excellent academic results

Ausgleichsstiftung Landwirtschaft und Umwelt 50
Discipline: Agricultural sciences 

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds 4141
Discipline: Natural sciences, biomedicine 
Details: Fundamental research

Christiane Nüsslein Volhard Foundation 
Discipline: Experimental natural sciences, medicine 
Details: For female researchers with children

Christoph-Dornier-Stiftung [website in German)
Discipline: Clinical Psychology

German Cancer Aid5252 [website in German] 
Discipline: Cancer research

Dr. Hilmer Foundation [website in German] 
Discipline: Pharmacy 
Details: Doctoral scholarships, €25,000 funding volume

Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung5454 [website in German] 
Discipline: Cardiovascular diseases 
Details: Basic and clinical research, €60,000 over two years

Carstens Foundation  [website in German] 
Discipline: Complementary procedures in medicine

Gesellschaft für Epilepsieforschung e.V. [website in German]
Discipline: Research into epilepsy
Details: Also scholarships for the final phase

Karl-Enigk Foundation5656 [website in German] 
Discipline: Parasitology 
Details: Maximum of 12 months

Kind-Philipp Foundation5757 [website in German] 
Discipline: Pediatric oncology 
Details: Maximum of 12 months

Lieselotte and Dr. Karl Otto Winkler PhD Scholarships [website in German] 
Discipline: Occupational medicine 
Details: Maximum of 12 months

Singapore International Graduate Award5959
Discipline: Biomedical Sciences
Details: Graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results

José Carreras Leukämie-Stiftung60 [website in German] 
Discipline: Research into leukemia and related blood diseases in adults
Details: Maximum of 12 months

Sonnenfeld Stiftung

Discipline: human medicine

Contact

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Dr. Robert Radu

Do you have questions about doctoral funding? Please feel free to arrange a consultation appointment.

Also see

Events and Opportunities

Find out what's new and see upcoming events.

During Your Doctoral Studies

Find out more about the Argelander program for early-career researchers. We offer you orientation, qualification and support.

Life in Bonn

There is life outside the lecture hall and laboratory— and what a life! The City of Bonn and the Rhineland region has much to offer; the University also makes its own contribution to this mix.

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