Funding your PhD

We accept applications throughout the year. The link to the application portal for the 2025 cohort will be published soon.

We accept applications throughout the year if you intend to secure external funding. Please expect a processing time of at least 6-8 weeks after you apply to the Doctoral Programme in Governance. 

If your application is successful, you will receive a conditional offer (dependent on you securing external funding) with which you can apply for external funding. Therefore, please apply for the Doctoral Programme in Governance at least 2 months before the external funding deadline that applies to you. 

Grants for the full duration of a doctoral programme in Germany are offered primarily to applicants from developing and threshold countries (based on the OECD-DAC list). Please check if your country is included in this list. 

As application deadlines vary by country, please check the DAAD website for the deadline applicable to you. Please ensure you apply to the Hertie School at least 2 months before the DAAD deadline for your region to allow enough time for processing your application. In the application form, you will be asked to indicate your external funding deadline.  If your application for the Doctoral Programme in Governance is successful, you will receive a conditional letter of acceptance, which must be submitted as part of your DAAD application.  

The DAAD funds doctoral students for a maximum of four years. Currently, monthly payments of 1300 Euros per month are made to funded doctoral candidates by the DAAD, in addition to payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover, as well as a travel allowance and an annual research allowance.

Scholarship holders who wish to work part-time during the scholarship period require the approval of DAAD. The DAAD will verify that part-time employment does not interfere with the scholarship's purpose. Additional income exceeding EUR 520 gross per month shall be deducted from the monthly scholarship payment.

Each foundation has different application requirements. Please consult the respective foundations' websites to learn more about their eligibility criteria.

All foundations have different application deadlines. Therefore, please apply to the Hertie School at least 2 months before the deadline applicable to you to allow enough time for processing your application. In the application form, you will be asked to indicate your external funding deadline. If your application for the Doctoral Programme in Governance is successful, you will receive a conditional letter of acceptance, which must be submitted as part of your funding application.  

Application deadlines for each foundation:*
_{* As this information could change at any time, please always consult each foundation's website.}

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Application deadline twice yearly, 1 March and 1 September) 
• Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (Application deadline twice yearly, 31 March and 30 September)
• Avicenna Studienwerk (Application deadline twice yearly, April and October)
• Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung (Application period twice yearly, 1-30 April and 1-31 October)
• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (Application deadline twice yearly, May and November) 
• Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung (Application deadline twice yearly, 15 July and 15 January)
• Cusanuswerk e.V. (Application deadline twice yearly, June and November)
• Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V. (Application deadline twice yearly, 1 June and 1 December)
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Application deadline once yearly, 15 July)
• Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (Application deadline twice yearly, mid-Jan and mid-July)
• Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (Application deadline once yearly, 1 October)
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Rolling deadline)
• Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e.V.  (Rolling deadline)

The funding period and amount of funding vary for each foundation. All foundations provide a base scholarship, with each offering additional funding possibilities for research travel, health insurance subsidy or family allowance. Please consult the respective foundations' websites to learn more about the funding they offer. 

Research Associate positions are advertised throughout the year and have fixed application deadlines. Please submit your application by the application deadline of the position you are interested in.