External Funding Opportunities

In addition to doctoral grants, which allow you to finance your doctorate over a longer period, there are numerous other funding opportunities that you can benefit from in the course of your doctorate. These can be travel allowances for attending a conference or grants for the printing costs of your dissertation. On this page you will find an overview of the wide range of subject-specific and interdisciplinary funding opportunities.

Looking for a PhD scholarship?

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

Funding Lines by the University of Bonn 

The University of Bonn has the right funding offer for you for every phase of your doctorate. Benefit from the wide range of funding opportunities for doctoral students.

Travel Subsidies

The University of Bonn supports international research stays of its PhD students within the framework of the Global Exchange. In addition, the Erasmus+ program of the European Union offers enrolled PhD students of the University of Bonn the opportunity to gain experience abroad through study visits, internships abroad, faculty or staff mobility. 

In addition, numerous foundations award grants for travel by doctoral students (research, archive and conference stays). You can find a compilation here. 

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Travel Subsidies

Universität Bonn: Direktaustauschprogramm33 [website in German] 
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Worldwide

DAAD44 [website in German] 
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Worldwide

Fazit-Stiftung55 [website in German] 
Discipline: Open, especially journalism 
Target country: Worldwide 
Details: Financial hardship

Fulbright Commission 66
Discipline: Open 
Target country: United States

Gesellschaft für Kanadastudien77
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Canada

JSPS Bonn Office88 [website in German] 
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Japan

JSPS Summer Program99
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Japan

JSPS Fellowship short-term1010 [website in German] 
Discipline: Open 
Target country: Japan

JSPS Fellowship standard1111 [website in German]
Discipline: Open
Target country: Japan

JSPS Invitational Fellowship long-term & short-term1212 [website in German]
Discipline: Open
Target country: Japan

The Erasmus+ Program of the European Union 1313offers enrolled doctoral students of the University of Bonn the opportunity to gain experience abroad through:

Barbara-Wengeler-Stiftung [website in German]
Discipline: Psychology, neuropsychology, philosophical psychology
Target country: Worldwide

German Institute for Japanese Studies
Discipline: Japanese studies 
Target country: Japan (Tokyo)

Gerald D. Feldman Travel Grants
Discipline: Humanities
Target country: Host countries of Max Weber Institutes

German Historical Institute Washington DC
Discipline: History
Target country: USA

Helmuth von Glasenapp-Stiftung [website in German] 
Discipline: India research 
Target country: India

Mesoamerika Gesellschaft Hamburg e.V. [website in German] 
Details: Relation to Mesoamerica 
Target country: Mesoamerica

Stiftung für Kanada-Studien [website in German] 
Discipline: Canadian studies 
Target country: Canada

Weichmann-Stiftung [website in German] 
Discipline: Resistance to the Nazi regime 
Target country: Worldwide 

Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung [website in German]
Discipline: Humanities and social sciences
Target country: USA 

Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships 22
Discipline: Environmental protection 
Target country: Worldwide
 
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds23285353 
Discipline: Fundamental biomedical research
Target country: Worldwide 
Details: Travel grants
 
Wolfgang Gentner Scholarships 24295454
Discipline: CERN-related research 
Target country: Switzerland
 
Otto Bayer Scholarship 25
Discipline: Natural sciences  
Target country: Germany (German doctoral students going abroad and international doctoral students coming to Germany)
 
Discipline: Computer science
Target country: Worldwide
 
Discipline: Geography, geosciences 
Discipline: Commercial, corporate, economic and employment law 
Target country: Worldwide 
Details: Scholarship holders of the working group only
Annemarie und Günter Haackert-Stiftung2934 [website in German] 
Discipline: Prenatal surgery 
Target country: Worldwide
 
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds 2328[website in German]
Discipline: Natural Sciences, Biomedicince
Target coutnry: Europe and Overseas
 
Carl-Duisberg-Stipendien3035 [website in German]
Discipline: Human and veterinary medicine
Target country: Worldwide
 
Discipline: Neurology 
Target country: Worldwide
 
Dr. Liesel Keinath Stiftung3237 [website in German] 
Discipline: Arthritis research 
Target country: Worldwide
Kind-Philipp-Reisestipendien3338 [website in German] 
Discipline: Leukemia research 
Target country: Worldwide
 
Runnebaum-Stiftung3439 [website in German]
Discipline: Medicine, natural sciences 
Target country: Worldwide 
Details: Promotion of women
 
Discipline: Alzheimer's research
Target country: Worldwide 
Details: Travel grants
 
Neurowind e.V.36 41[website in German] 
Discipline: Neurosciences
Target Countries: Germany and Europe

Thesis Print-Cost Subsidies

Printing cost grants for dissertations are awarded primarily in the humanities and social sciences. As a general rule, only dissertations that have been evaluated very positively are funded. A few options are listed below; for a comprehensive survey of German research funding institutions, please consult the German version of this webpage. For subsidies on which information in English is not provided, international researchers may still be eligible to apply.

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Print-Cost Subsidies

Andrea von Braun Stiftung 
Discipline: Interdisciplinary research 
Amount: Dependent on project
 
Fazit Stiftung [website in German]
Discipline: Open
Amount: Dependent on project
 
Discipline: Open
Amount: up to 1/3 of the estimated costs
 
Herbert und Elsbeth Weichmann Stiftung [website in German]
Discipline: Open
 
VG Wort444473 [website in German]
Discipline: Open
Amount: Full scholarship

Geschwister Boehriger Ingelheim Foundation for Social Sciences [website in German]414141
Discipline: Social sciences
Amount: €1,000 to €2,500

Fonte Foundation [website in German]424242
Discipline: Literature, German studies, English studies, Romance studies, Cultural and media studies
Amount: Dependent on project
 
Johanna und Fritz Buch Gedächtnis-Stiftung [website in German]434343
Discipline: Medicine, social & law sciences 
Amount: Up to €1,500
 
Deutscher Akademikerinnenbund [website in German]4444
Discipline: gender related projects
Amount: Up to €1,500
 
Franz und Eva Rutzen Foundation [website in German]4545
Discipline: Archaeology
Amount: Not specified
 
Richard Stury Foundation [website in German]4646
Discipline: Aesthetics and dramatics
Amount: Not specified
 
ADAMAS Foundation Götz Hübner [website in German]4747
Discipline: Interculural studies German-Polish / German-Greek
Amount: Dependent on project
 
Barbara Wengeler Foundation [website in German]4848
Discipline: Interdisciplinary linkage of philosophy and neurosciences
Amount: Dependent on project
 
Deutsche Altamerika Foundation [website in German]4949
Discipline: American studies
Amount: Dependent on project
  
Society for Endangered Languages5050
Discipline: Endangered languages 
Amount: Up to €1,500
 
Society for Missiology [website in German]5151
Discipline: Missiology
Amount: Not specified

Gerda Weiler Foundation [website in German]5252
Discipline: Feminist women's studies
Amount: Not specified
 
Gertrud und Alexander Böhling Foundation [website in German]5353
Discipline: Language and cultures of the Christian Orient
Amount: Not specified
 
Helmut von Glasenapp Foundation [website in German]5454
Discipline: India studies
Amount: Not specified

Herbert und Elsbeth Weichmann Foundation [website in German] 3939
Discipline: Resistance against the NS regime
Amount: Not specified 

Martha Muchow Foundation [website in German] 5555
Discipline: Pedagogy in elementary and primary level
Amount: Not specified
 
Foundation on the Promotion of Japanese-German Research and Culture relations [website in German]5656
Discipline: Japan studies

Axel Springer Stiftung [website in German]5757
Topics: German-jewish history, national socialism, Israel, DDR, totalitarianism, media history and transatlantic relations  
 
Georg Strecker Stiftung [website in German]5858
Discipline: Protestant theology

Currently no funding options available

91

Neurowind e.V.44
Discipline: Neurosciences
Amount: Publication costs in peer-reviewed open access journals are partly or fully covered

Dissertation Awards

Numerous funding organizations, especially in medicine and life sciences, award prizes for outstanding dissertations. In our overview you will mainly find those prices for which self-application or an external nomination is permitted.

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Dissertation Awards

Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien: Awards6060
Discipline: open, Canada-related 
Amount: €1,000
 
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung6161466379 6262
Discipline: open
Age limit: up to age of 35 years 
Amount: €5,000
 
Körber-Stiftung: 6363German Thesis Award 6464
Discipline: open
Amount: €25,000
 
Friedwart Bruckhaus-Förderpreis der 656548656666Hanns Martin Schleyer-Stiftung 6565
Discipline: Every second year changing topics 
Age limit: up to age of 35 years 
Immanuel Kant Research Award6767676682
Discipline: Culture and history of Germans in Eastern Europe
Amount: €2,500
 
Con Sozial: Research and Management Award 6868[website in German] 
Discipline: Sustainable development of social work 
Amount: €4,000-5,000
 
Demokratie-Stiftung: Foundation Award 6969[website in German] 
Discipline: Deepening of the democratic idea 
Amount: €2,500
 
Hanns-Lilje-Stifung: Foundation Award 7070[website in German] 
Discipline: Creative power of art and culture 
Amount: €10,000
 
Marie-Luise und Ernst Becker-Stiftung: Award 7171[website in German] 
Discipline: Aging and work 
Amount: €10,000
 
Roman Herzog Institut: Research Award7272727187 [website in German] 
Discipline: Social market economy 
Age restriction: Up to 40 
Amount: €20,000 (for first place)
 
Schroubek-Fonds Östliches Europa: Doctoral Award 7373[website in German] 
Discipline: Folklore and European ethnology with emphasis in Eastern Europe
 
Wolf-Erich-Kellner-Gedächtnisstiftung: Preis 7474[website in German] 
Discipline: History and spiritual foundations of liberalism
 
Demokratie-Stiftung: Foundation Award 6969[website in German] 
Discipline: Deepening of the democratic idea
Amount: €2,500
 
Forum Vergabe: International Public Procurement Award7575757490 [website in German] 
Discipline: Public procurement 
Amount: €5,000
 
Gregor Louisoder Umweltstiftung: Research Award 7676[website in German] 
Discipline: Economic topics with environmental relevance 
Amount: €2,500
 
Roman Herzog Institut: Research Award7272727187 [website in German] 
Discipline: Social market economy
Age restriction: Up to 40 
Amount: €20,000 (for first place)
 
Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft: Schmalenbach Award 7777[website in German] 
Discipline: Practice-oriented business administration
 
Stiftung Kapitalmarktforschung: Award 7878[website in German] 
Discipline: Capital market and regulatory law
Amount: €10,000
 
Stiftung Kapitalmarktrecht: Förderpreis 7979[website in German] 
Discipline: Capital market law 
Amount: €10,000
 
Studienstiftung Ius Vivum: Awards for Outstanding Scientific Achievements 8080[website in German] 
Discipline: Jurisprudence
 
Vodafone Stiftung für Forschung: Award8181818095 [website in German] 
Discipline: Market and customer orientation 
Amount: €5,000
 
Wolf-Kellner-Gedächtnisstiftung: Award 7474[website in German] 
Discipline: History and spiritual foundations of liberalism
 
Wolfgang-Ritter-Stiftung: Wolfgang Ritter Award 8282[website in German] 
Discipline: Business and economics 
Amount: €20,000
 
Deutsche Foundation for Law and Computer Science: DSRI 8383[website in German] 
Discipline: Legal informatics and information law
Adolf-Martens-Fonds: Adolf Martens Preis848484 84
[website in German] 
Discipline: Analytical chemistry, material sciences
Age restriction: Up to 40 
Amount: €3,000
 
Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI): GI Doctoral Award 858585[website in German] 
Discipline: Computer science 
Amount: €25,000
 
Amazone-Stiftung: Innovation Award86868686 [website in German] 
Discipline: Agricultural machinery 
Amount: €4,000
 
German Electronic Mycroscopy Society: Ernst Ruska Award 87
Discipline: Electronic microscopy
Amount: Not specified
 
German Physical Society: Award88 88 [website in German] 
Discipline: Physics 
Age restriction: Dependent on award 
Amount: Up to €10,000
 
Dr. Tyczka Energy Award89 [website in German]
Discipline: Engineering and natural sciences, energy technology and business administration 
Amount: Up to €5,000
 
Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker: Awards 908787[website in German] 
Discipline: Chemistry 
Age restriction: Varies 
Amount: Up to €7,500
 
Gregor Louisoder Umweltstiftung: Research Award 767676[website in German] 
Discipline: Biology, geo- and environmental sciences, agricultural and forestry sciences
Amount: €2,500
 
Klaus-Tschira-Stiftung: Klaus-Tschira-Award for Understandable Science91
Discipline: Biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, physics  
Age restriction: Recent graduate 
Amount: €5,000
 
VDI: International Bionic Award91 [website in German]92
Discipline: Bionics 
Amount: €10,000
 
Vodafone Stiftung für Forschung: Award 818181[website in German] 
Discipline: Natural sciences and engineering 
 
Discipline: Realized basic and applied research on acute and chronic pain 
Amount: €7,000 for first place, €3,500 for second place
 
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziale Psychiatrie e.V.: DGSP Research Award 938989[website in German] 
Discipline: Social psychiatry 
Amount: €3,500
 
Desitin: Young Scientist Research Award 949090[website in German] 
Discipline: Neuropediatrics 
Age restriction: Up to 36 
Amount: €5,000
 
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Biomedizinische Technik: Award of the “Stiftung Familie Klee" Foundation 959191[website in German] 
Discipline: Medical technology, bioengineering 
Age restriction: Up to 35 
Amount: €5,000
 
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Thorax-, Herz- und Gefäßchirurgie: Award 969292[website in German] 
Discipline: Thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery 
Age restriction: Varies 
Amount: Up to €10,000
 
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychosomatische Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe (DGPFG): Doctoral Award 979393[website in German] 
Discipline: Psychosomatic gynecology and obstetrics 
Age restriction: No more than two years after doctorate 
Amount: €1,000
 
Dr. Hildegard Dinter-Lutz-Stiftung: Research Award 989494[website in German] 
Discipline: Brain tumors 
Age restriction: Up to 36 
Amount: €10,000
 
Eva und Helmer Lehmann-Stiftung: Multiple Sclerosis-Award 999595[website in German] 
Discipline: Multiple sclerosis 
Age restriction: Up to 35 
Amount: €5,000
 
E.W. Baader-Stiftung: E.W. Baader Award 1009696[website in German] 
Discipline: Occupational medicine 
Age restriction: Up to 45 
Amount: €5,000
 
Eppendorf AG: Eppendorf and Science Price for Neurobiology 101
Discipline: Neurobiology 
Age restriction: Up to 35 
Amount: €20,000
 
Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung: Research Award 1029797[website in German]
Discipline: Neurorehabilitation 
Amount: €30,000
 
Heinrich-Stockmeyer-Stiftung: Stockmeyer Science Award 1039898[website in German] 
Discipline: Food research 
Amount: €10,000
 
Illa und Werner Zarnekow-Stiftung: Award 1049999[website in German] 
Discipline: Rehabilitation research 
Amount: €5,000
 
Marie-Luise und Ernst Becker-Stiftung: Award 717171[website in German] 
Discipline: Aging and work 
Amount: €10,000
 
Nestlé: Heinrich Nestlé Science Award 105100100[website in German]
Discipline: Pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology 
Amount: €10,000
 
Neurowind e.V.: Research Award 106101101[website in German]
Discipline: Experimental neurology 
Amount: €20,000
 
Stiftung Leben Pur: Award 107102102[website in German] 
Discipline: Aging 
Amount: €5,000
 
Swiss Dentaprime: Dentaprime Research Award Dentistry 108103103[website in German] 
Discipline: Dental implantology
Amount: €3,000 

Contact

Avatar Radu

Dr. Robert Radu

I am happy to advise you on questions relating to doctoral funding! Schedule an appointment.
Avatar Rübbert

Stefanie Rübbert

Do you have any questions about a doctorate abroad? I would be happy to advise you on your funding options.

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