Information for International Applicants
Due to the discontinuation of the GSSP program, the FSGS is no longer able to offer fully funded scholarships for international doctoral candidates.
We therefore recommend that international applicants secure external funding and apply simultaneously for a doctoral position at the FSGS with with secured external funding. At the time of application, your external funding does not yet need to be confirmed. However, it should already have been applied for, or the application should be submitted shortly thereafter. Funding must be confirmed by May at the latest, as proof of financial support is required for the visa application process.
The following funding opportunities are specifically available to international applicants:
DAAD Scholarships for Doctoral Studies in Germany
https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?detail=57135739
Please note that application deadlines vary depending on your country of residence.
Konrad Adenauer Foundation – International Student and Doctoral Scholarship Programme
https://www.kas.de/en/web/begabtenfoerderung-und-kultur/international-talent-development
This program primarily supports international students and doctoral candidates from non-EU countries who have successfully completed a university degree and intend to pursue a postgraduate degree (Master's or other advanced program), a doctorate, or a research stay of at least four semesters at a German university.
- If you are already in Germany: application deadlines are 15 January and 15 July (12:00 noon).
- If you are applying from outside Germany: the annual application deadline is 15 July (12:00 noon).
Friedrich Ebert Foundation – Doctoral Scholarships for International Applicants
https://www.fes.de/studienfoerderung/information-in-english
This scholarship is intended for international doctoral candidates who have been accepted as doctoral candidates by a public or state-recognized German university at a.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Rosa Luxemburg Foundation – Scholarship Programme for International Doctoral Candidates
https://www.rosalux.de/en/foundation/studienwerk/scholarships/doctoral-scholarship
The next application round opens in mid-August 2026. The application deadline is 1 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. (CEST).
Heinrich Böll Foundation
https://www.boell.de/en/promotion-funding
Although the foundation does not offer a dedicated scholarship program for international applicants, it explicitly encourages applications from international candidates who completed their previous degree(s) in their home country. Priority is given to applicants from DAC countries countries who are still residing in their country of origin at the time of application.
Application periods:
- 15 July – 1 September
- 15 January – 1 March
Applicants Educated in Germany (“Bildungsinländer*innen”)
If you are considered a Bildungsinländer—that is, you completed your university degree in Germany—live in Germany, and/or are enrolled at a German university, you may also apply for the regular doctoral scholarships offered by Germany's organizations for the promotion of gifted students (Begabtenförderungswerke).
