Boehringer Ingelheim Fund - PhD Fellowships

What the BIF PhD fellowship gives you

A scholarship is a grant used to fund your PhD. You will receive a monthly payment starting at around 2,250 EUR, which varies depending on the country. It consists of a basic amount of 1,650 EUR, a flat-rate allowance of 150 EUR per month for minor research expenses such as books and travel in most countries, and a country-specific supplement to cover the cost of living. For example, you will receive around 2,400 EUR in Germany, 2,200 EUR in Spain, 2,450 EUR in Austria, 2,900 EUR in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, 3,500 EUR in Switzerland and 3,800 EUR in the USA. The money is generally tax-free. The grant runs for 24 months and can be extended once by up to 18 months, bringing the total duration to up to 3.5 years. In addition, there is 200 EUR per month for a spouse, 200 EUR per month per child, and a childcare allowance of up to 500 EUR per month. You may also claim travel expenses for conferences, methodology courses and research stays at partner laboratories. In addition, there are seminars, further training courses and a global network of more than 1,900 current and former scholarship holders. The scholarship is awarded by the Boehringer Ingelheim Fund (BIF), an independent foundation based in Mainz.

Who can apply

• What you study: An experimental PhD project in the field of basic biomedical research, for example on immune regulation, epigenetics, neural circuits or parasitology. Computer-based (in silico) projects are also eligible. Applied research such as biotechnology, drug screening, clinical trials and laboratory rotation courses are not eligible for funding.
• Nationality and where you go: Europeans can undertake a PhD anywhere in the world. Non-Europeans must do so in Europe. The BIF defines Europe geographically, including the United Kingdom, Turkey, Israel and several former Soviet states (Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine).
• Where you studied: If you are a European citizen, you must have completed at least your secondary or higher education in Europe.
• Your degree: Your most recent higher education qualification (BSc, MSc, Diplom) must have been completed or be due to be completed within four months of the application deadline. Doctors, vets and pharmacists must have passed their state examination.
• Timing after school: No more than 8 years (96 months) may have elapsed between the date you completed your school-leaving qualifications (e.g. Abitur, A-Levels) and the cut-off date. Exceptions may be made in the case of raising children, long-term illness or vocational training prior to your degree programme.
• Timing of your PhD: Please apply shortly before the start of your PhD or within the first 6 months. You will need a supervisor and an institution that has agreed to accept you. You do not yet need to be officially enrolled, and no initial results are expected at this stage.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online in English using the BIF project proposal template. There are three submission deadlines per year: 1 February, 1 June and 1 October. If you pass the first round of peer review, this is followed by an external assessment and a face-to-face interview. The Foundation’s Board then makes the final decision.

How realistic are your chances?

This is an extremely competitive award. Fewer than 10% of the applicants are awarded a scholarship, and around a quarter make it through the first round. Grades alone are not enough. The selection committee assesses the scientific quality of both your project and your host laboratory. If you submit an ambitious, well-justified project at a renowned international laboratory that clearly aligns with the focus on basic research, your prospects will improve. Nevertheless, you should expect a rigorous, multi-stage selection process.