Advice for doctoral students
PhD Postions
You may find a position as a doctoral candidate via specific newsletters and the websites of universities and research institutes. In case you are looking for a good place for your research project you might be successful by using the Research Explorer.
Please note:
For an employment contract with a German university or research institution you need a Statement of Comparability of your foreign higher education qualification, issued by the "Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen" (Central Office for Foreign Education – ZAB)
> Portals for finding doctoral positions
PhDGermany
Database with open positions for doctorates in Germany
International Programmes
Datenbase of the DAAD for international Study- and Doctoral Programmes
EURAXESS
Information and assistance to mobile researchers
Academics
Career portal offering positions in science.
Jobvector
Job Portal für scientists, physicians, and engineers
> Scholarships
> Current opportunities
Fulbright for Doctoral Students
Fulbright Germany supports young German scientists who carry out a four- to six-month research project at a U.S. university or scientific institution that is directly related to their academic dissertation.
The research project to be funded will contribute to strengthening academic relations between U.S. and German universities.
All information on the general conditions and application deadlines can be found online.
Doctoral Fellowships on German-Jewish History and Culture
The international Leo Baeck Fellowship Programme awards fellowships to doctoral students who carry out research into the field of German-Jewish history and culture. We welcome projects on any period or field (including literature, philosophy, history, cultural studies), and any region (such as Europe, Israel, the Americas). In addition to financial support for one year, the programme provides opportunities to exchange ideas with peers from around the world. It is open to doctoral candidates of any nationality, studying at any university. All fellows remain at their home institution, but come together for two workshops in the course of the fellowship, which are jointly organised by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, the Leo Baeck Institute London and the Leibniz-Institute for Jewish History and Culture – Simon Dubnow Leipzig.
- Application deadline: February 1, 2026
- More Information online
PhD-fellowships Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) awards PhD fellowships of 2 to 3.5 years to outstanding junior scientists worldwide who wish to pursue an ambitious PhD project in basic biomedical research in an internationally leading laboratory.
There are three deadlines each year: 1 February, 1 June, 1 October.
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) awards MD fellowships of up to 18 months to outstanding medical students to pursue ambitious, experimental projects in basic biomedical research worldwide. Fellowship holders must study human medicine in Germany and change cities and institutions for at least ten consecutive months to work in an internationally renowned laboratory. Applications can be submitted at any time, but no later than three months before the change of location or the intended start of the research.