Graduation scholarships for foreign doctoral candidates in need

Purpose of the scholarship

The completion scholarship is aimed at qualified foreign doctoral candidates in the final phase of their doctorate at KIT who have got into financial difficulties through no fault of their own. The prerequisite is that the successful completion of the doctorate can realistically be expected within the next twelve months. The financial support is intended to enable them to concentrate fully on completing their dissertation.
An assessment of financial need will be carried out before the selection committee makes a decision. Applicants are requested to enclose a detailed description of their financial situation with their application, stating why no support from third parties (e.g. spouse, family, institute) is possible. Bank statements from the last three months must also be enclosed.
The amount of the scholarship will be adjusted to individual needs and depends on the availability of funds. As a rule, the amount of the grant awarded via the final scholarship will not be sufficient to cover living expenses. For this reason, co-financing by the applying institutes will probably be necessary and requested.

Target group

Foreign doctoral candidates at KIT in the final phase of their doctoral project who are expected to successfully complete their doctorate within the next twelve months.

Prerequisites

  • Existence of a doctoral agreement
  • Acceptance as a doctoral candidate by a KIT faculty (also with reservations), at the latest six months after the start of the scholarship
  • Good academic performance and a realistic prognosis of completion within twelve months

Submission of application

  • The application must be submitted by e-mail by the applicant doctoral candidate.
  • For data protection reasons, the letter of support must be submitted directly and in encrypted form by the supervisor (doctoral supervisor).

Documents to be submitted

  • Cover sheet
  • Informal letter of support with:
    • Forecast of successful completion within twelve months
    • Expected completion date (incl. defense)
    • Indication of the desired funding period
  • Letter of motivation with:
    • Description of the personal situation
    • Timetable with remaining milestones until the defense
  • Curriculum vitae of the applicant
  • Official letter of acceptance from the faculty for the doctorate (validity of acceptance until the planned date of the defense).
  • Detailed description of the doctoral candidate's financial situation, stating, among other things, why no support from other sources (e.g. family members/spouse/institute) is possible.
  • Bank statements of the doctoral candidate for a period of the last three months from the date of application.
  • For non-EU nationals: scan of the current residence permit.

The application documents will be treated confidentially and will only be used to process the scholarship award.

Please send the complete documents electronically via e-mail to the International Scholars and Welcome Office (DE INTL) at the following address: oliver.kaas∂kit.edu

Selection procedure

The selection is made with the participation of the Equal Opportunities Officer at DE INTL /IScO. The criteria are

  • Availability of funds
  • Academic qualifications and achievements (determination, breadth of expertise, productivity)
  • Financial need

The decision will be communicated in writing.

Funding amount and duration

  • Duration: up to 6 months, in exceptional cases extendable to a maximum of 12 months (after re-examination)
  • Amount: up to € 1,300 per month, based on comparable funding (e.g. DAAD)
  • The actual amount depends on individual needs and the availability of funds
  • As a rule, co-financing by the supervising institute is required and desired.

At the end of the funding period, a short final report with a photo of the doctoral candidate must be submitted. The report will be published on the website under "Experience reports".

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