Organizations for the Promotion of young talents

Bischöfliche Studienförderung Cusanuswerk
The Cusanuswerk, founded in 1956 as the scholarship organization of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, provides funding to gifted Catholic doctoral candidates of all disciplines. The foundation supports its scholarship holders in their readiness to take on responsibility and encourages them to engage in the ongoing dialog between science and faith, society and church. Further information is available here.

Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk
The Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk offers scholarships to gifted Jewish doctoral candidates of all disciplines at state-run and state-recognized higher education institutions. The scholarships are intended to promote the social engagement and personal development of the recipients. For more information, click here.

Evangelisches Studienwerk Haus Villigst
The Evangelische Studienwerk Villigst is the German Protestant Church’s scholarship program for gifted students. The foundation awards funding to doctoral candidates of all disciplines who are members of a Protestant church. Exceptions are possible. More information is available here.

German National Academic Foundation
The German National Academic Foundation is a politically, religiously, and ideologically independent organization which offers funding for PhD students of all fields of study. In order to be eligible for a scholarship, students have to be to be nominated by their dissertation supervisors. More information is available
here.

Hans Böckler Foundation of the German Confederation of Trade Unions The Hans Böckler Foundation provides funding to especially well-qualified doctoral students from all disciplines who are actively involved in a trade union or the promotion of social causes. Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD program at a state-run or state-recognized higher education institution. In exceptional cases, the foundation can award scholarships to students at foreign universities. Further information is available here .

Foundation of German Business (SDW)
The Foundation of German Business (SDW) awards scholarships to academically gifted and socially committed doctoral students from all disciplines and forms of higher education institution who exhibit the potential to take on leadership roles in business and society. For more information, click here.

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is the oldest political foundation in Germany and is dedicated to the fundamental values of social democracy: freedom, justice, and solidarity. The foundation awards doctoral scholarships to students of all fields of study. Applicants must already be enrolled at a German higher education institution at the time of application. In addition, non-German applicants must provide evidence of outstanding academic achievements and excellent German language skills. For more information, click here.

Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation promotes political education and enables political dialog and research on freedom and human rights. The foundation awards scholarships to doctoral students of all disciplines except medicine. Applicants must already be admitted to a postgraduate or PhD program at a German university and be able to communicate fluently in German, both orally and in written form. Further information is available here.

Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung
The aim of the scholarship program of the Hanns Seidel Foundation is to further the education of early stage researchers with high personal and academic qualifications. The foundation awards scholarships to doctoral students of all fields. Further information is available here.

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is affiliated with the German Green Party. It offers scholarships for German and international scholars with the overall objective of enabling them to acquire transdisciplinary qualifications, develop their personalities, and engage in political reflection and participation. The foundation awards scholarships to doctoral students of all disciplines. Follow this link for further information.

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
The goal of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation is to support promising young scholars and future leaders. Applicants are expected to endorse Christian Democratic political and social values. The foundation awards scholarships to students pursuing a doctorate in any discipline except medicine and dentistry. Further information is available here.

Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung
The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation is committed to promoting the democratization of the political decision-making process, social justice, and solidarity as well as overcoming patriarchal, ethnic, and national oppression through political education. German and international PhD students of all disciplines (except medical fields) are eligible to apply for a doctoral scholarship. Applicants are required to be enrolled at a German university. The foundation also requires very good knowledge of the German language. For further information, click here.