PhD Funding Programs | Organizations for the promotion of young talents and Foundations

Begabtenförderungswerke © denisismagilov-stock.adobe.com / GA

Table of contents

    1. General Information
    2. Organizations for the promotion of young talents
    3. Foundations
    4. Grants for the Completion phase of the PhD

General Information

Get an overview of the individual sponsors and check which foundation suits you and your doctoral project. You should also keep the application deadlines in mind. Some foundations award their scholarships only once or twice a year, while others allow you to submit your application at any time. The application documents usually consist of

  •     an exposé of your doctoral project
  •     two letters of recommendation, one of the doctoral supervisor
  •     a curriculum vitae
  •     the last university certificate and other evidence

The following criteria are essential when applying for a doctoral scholarship:

  • an outstanding academic degree
  • a convincing doctoral project (presented in the exposé and supported by the letters of recommendation)
  • if applicable, demonstrable commitment to the objectives of the foundation
  • if applicable, your confession at church foundations
  •  the completeness of your submitted documents

PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING!
Due to the diversity of the funding landscape and the high demands on applicants, plan sufficient time for your scholarship application and prepare yourself for a competitive selection process!
It is recommended to start with your application preparations one year before the planned start of your PhD.

Organizations for the promotion of young talents

The 13 organizations for the promotion of  young talents (Begabtenförderungswerke), supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), contribute to the promotion of highly qualified and responsible personalities with their idealistic and financial support. There you can apply directly for a scholarship for your doctoral project.

The 13 organizations for the promotion of young talents reflect the diversity of German society. They represent the various ideological, religious, political, economic and union-oriented facets of German society. Depending on the focus of the organization / foundation, applicants are expected to show active (verifiable) social and/or civic commitment in addition to above-average academic performance!

The Begabtenförderungswerke have trust lecturers at the various German universities. The following trust lecturers can be contacted at TUD.

Please note: For international applicants, a very good command of German at language level B2 is usually required. Unfortunately, some Begabtenförderungswerke offer their websites in German only.

Financial Funding

The scholarship rate for the promotion of doctoral studies at the Begabtenförderungswerke is usually 1,350 EUR plus other allowances (family allowance, health insurance allowance, research cost allowance and childcare allowance). Doctoral scholarships from the organizations for the promotion of young talents are mainly awarded for two years. Extensions are possible for two six-month periods for professional reasons and up to one year for childcare or disability.

Idealistic Funding

In addition to financial funding, the Begabtenförderungswerke offer idealistic support based on different ideological orientations and objectives, depending on the focus of the foundation. Common to all of these institutions is the individual support of doctoral students, various offers for specialized or non-subject related seminars, conferences and trainings as well as subsidies for research stays at foreign universities.

Overview of the 13 Organizations for the promotion of young talents

Independent Foundation
Party-affiliated Foundations
Foundations supported by Social Partners
Denominational Foundations

Detailed information on the various Begabtenförderungswerke can be found on the website of Stipendium Plus, which is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Foundations

The promotion of science and research by foundations is an integral part of Germany's role as a center of science.
What other foundations offer doctoral scholarships in addition to the Begabtenförderungswerke? Please find some additional foundations listed below. Unfortunately, some websites are in German only.

Foundations for Natural and Environmental Sciences

Foundations for Humanities and Social Sciences 

Foundations for Medicine

Further Foundations

Grants for the Completion phase of the PhD

About this page

Vivien Lippmann
Last modified: May 20, 2026