Heinrich Böll Stiftung Doctoral scholarship 2025

The Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Scholarship Department awards scholarships to German and foreign PhD students in accordance with the guidelines issued by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt).

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineSeptember 1, 2025
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorHeinrich Böll Stiftung
• City to studyBerlin
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

For Germans/Foreign students educated in Germany and EU nationals/Students not educated in Germany:

• €1550,- per month basic scholarship plus €100 per month research costs allowance*

For Non-EU nationals/Students not educated in Germany:

• €1400 per month, plus € 100 mobility allowance per month, plus various individual allowances

*from October 2025: €1650,- per month basic scholarship

Refugees can apply regardless of their asylum status

Requirements

Requirements for Germans/Foreign students educated in Germany:

• Proof of admission to doctoral studies by a state or staterecognised university, as a rule in Germany, must be included in with the application.

Requirements for EU nationals/Students not educated in Germany:

• Proof of admission to doctoral studies by a state or staterecognised university, as a rule in Germany, must be included with the application.

Requirment for Non-EU nationals/Students not educated in Germany:

• Proof of admission to doctoral studies by a state or staterecognised university, as a rule in Germany, must be included with the application.

The university diploma must be submitted. Preliminary work on the PhD project must have been completed and a valid timetable for completion must be presented.

Interview Dates and Process

The Heinrich Böll Foundation’s selection procedure for scholarship applicants consists of three stages:

• Stage 1: Submission of written application documents. Two staff members from the Studienwerk and from another department of the Heinrich Böll Foundation decide whether the application will be forwarded to the second stage.
• Stage 2: An interview with a liaison lecturer.
• Stage 3: Digital interview with 3 to 4 selection committee members, including 1 to 2 external members, one scholarship holder and one staff member of the Studienwerk. At each stage only a small group is selected for the next stage. You will be informed in writing of the decision reached at each stage of the selection procedure.

At each stage only a small group is selected for the next stage. You will be informed in writing of the decision reached at each stage of the selection procedure.

Application Documents

• Application form
• Copy of your degree certificate or equivalent
  • If document is not available in German / English: Certified translation of the certificates in German or English
• Certification by the university of admission to doctoral studies
• Written proof of good German language skills
  • German (international) Abitur, or proof of at least B2 or DSH1
• Detailed exposé of your research project/PhD thesis
  • Max. 10 pages
• Social commitment reference
• 1st expert report/Academic Reference
• 2nd expert report/Academic Reference

Refugees:

• Document providing information on residence permit (asylum status).

Academic and Social commitment references must be submitted by different experts/entities/individuals.

Note: Please refer to the informations on Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung scholarship webpage for more detailed information on the documents to be submitted.

Please note that only complete applications will be considered during the selection process.

Application Deadline

September 1, 2025

How To Apply

Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to Heinrich Böll Stiftung on stipendium.boell.de to apply

Please look at our FAQ-Page.

Contact:

• Adriell Kopp, Tel.: 0049 30 28534-400
• email: [email protected]
• https://www.boell.de/en/scholarships

For more information,kindly visit Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung scholarship webpage.