Scholarship for doctoral students

Scholarship for doctoral students

Villigst also offers scholarships for PhD students. Graduate students apply on their own initiative. Scholarships are awarded in compliance with the regulations of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Scholars receive financial aid 1.450 Euro a month plus a research allowance of 100 Euro. Scholarships are initially awarded for one year. They can be extended on request, but may not exceed tour and a half years.

Besides providing financial aid, the graduate scholarship of Evangelisches Studienwerk comprises a wide range of academic offers:

  • Summer university
    A broad variety of seminars are held at the Villigst Campus during the summer months. Academics, experts, students and graduates with different academic and professional backgrounds come together to discuss issues in an interdisciplinary atmosphere.
  • Graduates' Convention
    Graduate scholars meet twice a year to discuss and present research. Those who wish can be part of a network of Villigst graduates who offer help and advice to undergraduate students.
  • Democracy
    Villigst is a democratic organization and encourages all students contribute to the institutional life.
  • Local groups
    Scholars meet regularly with other Villigsters from their university in local groups. Group meetings may often take place in pubs, but there is usually some Villigst business to be discussed.

Our scholarship for doctoral students

Every year, the Studienwerk supports around 200 doctoral students from all disciplines with grants and a wide range of educational offers. The scholarships are awarded according to the guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The full scholarship is currently 1.450 Euro per month. In addition, doctoral candidates receive a research allowance sum of 100 Euro.

Applications from doctoral students whose work is already in the final phase cannot be considered for a doctoral scholarship at the Evangelische Studienwerk. Scholarships are initially granted for three years, but can be extended to four and a half years. If children under the age of 14 for whom a doctoral scholarship holder has personal custody live in the household, a childcare allowance can be used and a parenting year can be subsidised.

Note: From the beginning of October 2020 we will open the ONLINE portal for applications for doctoral funding. Please only use this option to submit your application.

Contact persons for the doctoral scholarship selection process Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein. and Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein..

You can also find an overview of important information in our leaflet on doctorates.

Requirements for the application for doctoral scholarship support

The following formal requirements apply to the application:

  • membership of a Protestant church (exceptions in justified cases - see FAQ)
  • quickly completed degree
  • above-average study and examination performance (final grades at least »good«, in law »fully satisfactory«)
  • degree giving entitlement to a doctorate
  • admission to the doctorate by the university
  • students with a foreign degree can apply if they are admitted to a university in the Federal Republic of Germany for a doctorate.

Application for a doctoral scholarship

There are two application deadlines per year (1 December and 1 June). The application is to be completed online via the link »Register for the online application for a doctorate« in the middle of this page and includes various documents and evidence that must be submitted on time.

Application periods

1.9. to 1.12. (midnight)

1.3. to 1.6. (midnight)

Your application must be completed correctly and completely by the end of the period at the latest.

Please note that, unfortunately, we cannot consider applications that deviate from our specifications in terms of scope and formatting.

Application documents

All important information about the required documents can be found in the check list:
Check list [PDF]. You can find more information in our FAQs.

  • 2 reviews from professors or habilitated professors, one of which is from the supervisor of the doctoral thesis (Notes on the reviews [PDF])
  • detailed synopsis
  • separate, one-sided explanation of the research topic in German
  • Structure of the planned dissertation
  • Time schedule
  • CV in tabular form
  • formulated CV
  • Certificates (Baccalatureate certificate (graduation diploma), BA including certificates of achievement, MA including certificates of achievement or equivalent certificates (1st state examination etc.)) with individual grades and overall grade
  • Admission to the doctorate by the doctoral committee of the university or the faculty
  • letter of motivation - please state your interest in the Evangelische Studienwerk and your thoughts on religion and church
  • Certificate for German language skills B2/DSH (for non-German speaking applicants)
  • informal justification if the doctoral project is implemented abroad

Online application

After registering via the link below, you will receive your access data for the online application portal. This allows you to log in at any time during the application period to process your application. You can use the »Check your entries« button to check at any time whether all the necessary entries and mandatory fields have been filled out. Send us your complete application by clicking on »Save and complete application«. After that, processing of the documents is no longer possible. We will automatically confirm receipt of your application by email.

We recommend using a common browser such as Mozilla, Firefox, Chrome or Edge.

Since all communication takes place via email, we ask you to be available via email and to give us new contact details as soon as possible! Please also check your spam folder regularly for misdirected emails. Please also note that your data will be stored and processed electronically for the purpose of the selection process and passed on to the people involved in the process.

Dates and fees

Deadline 1 December: The selection is made on the basis of the written application documents and, in the case of a positive preliminary assessment, a personal interview. The decision will be communicated in April of the following year.

Deadline 1 June: The selection is made on the basis of the written application documents and, in the case of a positive preliminary assessment, a personal interview. A notification of the decision will be made in October.

As a rule, it is not possible to re-apply

Processing fee

We ask for your understanding that we charge a fee of 12 Euro for processing your application. Please transfer this to the following account by the end of the application period at the latest:


Recipient: Ev. Studienwerk. e.V.
BIC: GENODED1DKD (Bank for Church and Diaconia)
IBAN: DE74 3506 0190 2112 5700 15
Purpose: Surname, first name, »Processing fee for doctoral funding«

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the application, please contact:

Research Funding Department
E-Mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.
Phone: 02304 755 206


Evangelisches Studienwerk
Forschungsförderung
Iserlohner Straße 25
58239 Schwerte