State Scholarship Program

The procedure starts with the announcement the university will provide information about in due time.

Those persons can apply who:

• Completed university studies that qualify for an admission to doctoral studies,
• Are able to proof far above average study and examination results (specific qualification),
• Have been admitted for doctoral studies at the University of Rostock and plan a scientific project that is expected to make a significant contribution to research

A form must be used for submitting an application. This form and further details on the application are provided in the currently valid scholarship announcement.

Those persons are excluded from the funding who:

• Have already completed a dissertation,

• Have already been awarded public or private subsidies for the same project

• Have already been awarded subsidies from a public institution or a private institute that receives public funding related to another dissertation project,
• Are currently involved into an education course or professional initiation as far as this education course is not interrupted for the purpose and the duration of the project or
• Are employed, unless it is only a small-scale employment that can be combined with the funding.

Properly submitted and complete applications pass a two-level selection procedure. The funding period depends on the current state of work of the dissertation project. Normally, the funding will be granted for three years. After 18 months, the scholarship holder is obligated to submit a report to receive the funding for the rest of the funding period. The scientific supervisor provides a statement concerning the progress report.  As a rule, the dissertation should be completed after three years. In case specific reasons prevented this, one more prolongation of the scholarships for six months can be granted in exceptional cases.

The monthly basic scholarship amounts to 1,500 Euros. In special cases, a family allowance of 150 Euros is granted for the first child, of 100 Euro each for every other child.

In case a longer stay abroad is necessary to implement the dissertation project, the state scholarship programme might be complemented by a DAAD increase scholarship for this purpose. This increase scholarship has to be applied separately.

The following documents are needed for submitting an application:

• Application form (only in German available)
• CV in tabular form
• Certified copy of the university leaving certificate
• Description of the project/ concept with time schedule
• Expertise of the scientific supervisor
• Second opinion issued by a second university lecturer
• admittance as doctural candidate from your faculty
• supervision agreement

Detailed information on the individual points are provided in the „Application guidelines“ (only in German available)

Extension requests have to be sent 8 weeks before the initial funding ends. The application consists of a progress report and an expertise of the scientific supervisor.
If you apply for an extension in exceptional cases (after the regular period of 24 months) an additional second opinion issued by an university lecturer has to be provided.

Guidelines for progress reports:

Number of pages: 5 -10

Generally understandable without reading the description of the project from the first application

Structure of the report:

• cover page with name of the scholarship holder/current private address/ your faculty/working title of your PhD project
• introduction to the topic/ aim of the project (max. 1 page)
• presentation of the achievements of the first year of funding in comparison with the original time schedule and working plan
• justification/ discussion of possible deviations
• working plan and time schedule presented as bar chart (original
  working plan with changes)
• publications

The following kinds of employment is compatible with funding:

• Paid work in research and teaching at the university of up to 10 hours per week or
• gainful employment (outside the university) of up to 5 hours per week in support of the project

To check whether employment for 10 hours per week is possible in individual cases, please contact the Human Resources Department of the University of Rostock in advance.

The university must be notified of any gainful employment in addition to the scholarship. Please send the form for notification of employment* in paper form or by e-mail (scan with signature) to the specified contact.

*The form can be written to and saved after it has been saved.