DLGS Scholarship Open Topic

If an applicant's research interests align with the DLGS scientific profile and remit but fall outside the scope of the annual call, they may still submit an open-topic application at any time. DLGS follows a rolling admission process, with potential intakes throughout the year. Funding decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and are contingent upon the availability of funds.

To be eligible, proposals must fulfil all formal DLGS selection criteria:

• First Master’s degree obtained in the last 3 years
• Total grade for the Master’s degree "good" or higher (corresponding to German level "gut")
• Proposals must fit one or several IOER research areas
• Applicants have identified suitable supervisors who are professors at the TUD / IOER (it is not necessary to contact potential supervisors at this stage)
• The application form must include all required materials and be submitted online

Applicants are free to design the research proposal according to their particular competencies, experiences, and interests. Interdisciplinary approaches (across academic disciplines) and/ or transdisciplinary work (involving both academic and non-academic actors) are strongly encouraged. In order to ensure feasibility, transdisciplinary proposals must however be linked to ongoing IOER projects in the Dresden/Saxony region (find in IOER research areas). In addition, applicants for transdisciplinary research must demonstrate German language proficiency (C1 level) for working with diverse local stakeholders.

If selected, the candidates will be offered a full-time scholarship for a duration of 3 years. The DLGS scholarship amounts to €1,515 per month in addition to support for travel and research activities.

Candidates may also be self-funded or receive funding from external sources. Applicants seeking external funding should inform us in advance of relevant deadlines and any additional requirements from the funding institutions.

Selected candidates are expected to enrol as PhD students at TUD and participate in all DLGS programme activities. Further information can be found in the Frequently asked questions.

Please note: All materials must be submitted through our online application form. We do not accept applications via email or post. Incomplete applications will not be considered.