Scholarships of Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School

Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School (FSGS) has been funded by the Excellence Initiative(DFG) since 2007. Admission to the structured doctorate program is connected with 3- to 4-year full scholarships. Every year, approximately 10 doctorate scholarships and admissions are granted.

Besides, FSGS grants up to two postdoc scholarships every year. These run for two years. There are no teaching obligations, however an important eligibility criterion is the candidate’s motivation to participate actively in the school’s everyday life and to work closely with the doctoral candidates.

International doctoral candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Doctorate candidates with upbringing duties have the opportunity to take up 12 additional scholarship months, be it as prolongation of their scholarship, be it as a refund of day care. A combination of both models is possible as well.

Advertisement and Procedure

Advertisements are issued once a year on our website, in DIE ZEIT, on academics.de and further European online services. The advertisement is announced in October. Application deadline is 31st December. The online application platform is activated. Please note that the application platform and form are available in German only.

Following the review of the applications in January you will get notified in case your application cannot be considered on formal grounds.

Every formally accepted application enters an internal assessment procedure in January. InMarch, the admission committee chooses approximately 30 applicants based on the internal votes who are invited for the selection interviews in April (presumably 21st/22nd April 2016). In case you have not been chosen, you will be notified promptly.

The selection interviews take place in April. Every applicant gets the opportunity to present his or her project orally in 5 - 10 minutes. A discussion of about 10 - 15 minutes follows. The supervisors mentioned in your applications are invited to this interview. You do not need to bring your application documents with you.

In any case, you will be notified promptly after the selection interviews. If you are offered ascholarship and accept it, it starts on 1st October.

An application does not lead to a legal claim. Reasons for denial will not be given.

Requirements

Applicants for a scholarship place in the structured doctorate program “Literaturwissenschaftliche Studien – Literary Studies” should:

• have a University Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the humanities, ideally in the field ofliterary studies;

  • if more than two years have elapsed since graduation, be able to prove continuous academic activity in a field relevant for their doctoral project;
  • if applicable, have study, practical or work experience relevant for their doctoral project, preferably abroad;

• be able to demonstrate a very good command of German and English;

  • if applicable, be able to prove command in the scientific language relevant for their doctoral project;

• be of an age that provides a well-founded perspective to advance scientifically and professionally as young academics at universities, non-academic or other research institutions;

  • the Career-Stage Model modelled on the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Foundation is relevant;

• not receive or have received other funding for their current doctoral project from public sources or foundations;

• be able to submit a proposal showing that their doctoral project is innovative, elaborated and well-grounded in theory;

• find a supervisor matching their scientific area in our PI-list and contact them if applicable;

• make a conscious and well-founded decision for a structured doctorate program.

Please contact our administration team to address further questions.