Protestant Academic Foundation - Doctoral Sponsorships (Protestant Academic Foundation)

What you get

You get a monthly grant of 1,050 EUR plus a research allowance of 100 EUR per month while you work on your doctorate. Funding runs for 3 years and can be extended to 3.5 years. You can get a further extension if you care for a child, have a health limitation or look after a relative. If you have a child under 14 in your household, you can claim a childcare supplement. Beyond the money, you join a support programme with meetings across subjects, personal and skills training, religious offerings and gatherings for doctoral researchers. The foundation is the talent-support body of the Protestant churches in Germany. It funds around 250 to 300 doctoral researchers at any one time, across all subjects.

Who can apply

• Level: You are doing a doctorate (PhD) and hold a degree that qualifies you for it.
• Admission: Your university has admitted you to the doctorate by the time you apply.
• Timing: You have worked on your doctoral project for no more than one year when you apply, and you are not in the final phase.
• Church: You belong to a Protestant church. In justified cases non-members can apply too. Either way, you write a motivation letter about your interest in the foundation and your thoughts on religion and church.
• Field of study: All subjects are open, but a Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. are not funded. A biomedical Dr. rer. nat., a Dr. med. vet. and arts-based doctorates with a mainly academic focus are possible.
• Grades: You finished your studies quickly and with above-average results, at least the grade "good" (in law "vollbefriedigend").
• Where you study: You do your doctorate at a German university. Germans may also do it in an EU country, the UK, Norway or Switzerland.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply. If your degree is foreign, you must be admitted to a doctorate at a German university. If your first language is not German, you need German at level B2/DSH.
• Age: No age limit. If you are over 35, explain your motivation in your CV.

How to apply

You apply through the online portal only. There are two windows a year: 1 September to the first working day in December, and 1 March to the first working day in June. If your documents pass the pre-check, you are invited to an in-person selection interview in Schwerte. You hear back about two weeks later.

How realistic are your chances?

The award is open to all subjects and all nationalities, which widens the pool. But you must belong to a Protestant church and write a genuine motivation letter on faith, which narrows it to applicants who fit the foundation's profile. With around 300 doctoral scholarships supported at any time, the scale is decent for a well-matched candidate. If you have strong grades, are early in your project and can write an honest letter about your link to church and faith, your prospects are solid.