FAQ
How much does the doctoral scholarship amount to?
The doctoral scholarships include a monthly stipend of approximately € 1,468. Scholarship holders with children up to 18 years of age (18th birthday) receive a monthly allowance of € 400 for one child and an additional €100 for each further child.
How does the GCSC deal with underrepresented groups and potential evaluation bias during the application process?
The scholarships and memberships of the centre are awarded to applicants on the basis of the excellence and quality of their application. All applications are treated equally with regard to gender, ability and disability, sexual identity, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, social background, possible care obligations, and any other factors. A member of the Equal Opportunities Committee is involved in all stages of the application process. The Equal Opportunities Committee can be contacted confidentially in advance of or during any application should you have any concerns or questions in respect of equal opportunities.
Which information should the references contain? Should my referees comment on my research proposal?
Formally, references should be submitted on official letterhead paper and contain your referee’s contact details, as well as information on the nature of your relationship. We do not require your references to comment on the project you are proposing. Rather, your references should give us a clear idea of your academic as well as personal skills and standing in class.
Do I need to submit certified copies of all my certificates?
When applying for scholarship or membership, we only ask for non-certified copies.
I will only finish my thesis in summer. Which documents should I submit for stage two of the application process?
Please submit sample chapters and the table of contents of your thesis. In addition, we invite you to submit further pieces of academic writing that you consider representative of your approach and style.
What are the advantages of a GSSP scholarship?
The GSSP scholarship includes a number of financial benefits, e.g. a subsidy for insurance costs and other additional payments as needed, e.g. rent subsidies, family allowance and subsidies for costs related to disabilities or chronic illnesses.
For international applicants who do not yet speak German, it is also an advantage that the GSSP scholarship (in comparison to most other doctoral scholarships) does not require advanced German language skills. The DAAD covers the cost of a German language course, which can be taken before starting the scholarship or during the doctorate.
Questions about the Application Process
Can I apply for both scholarships (GCSC and GSSP) at the same time?
Your application for the GSSP scholarships also counts as an application for the GCSC scholarships. A double submission is not necessary. Please simply mark in the application portal whether you wish to apply additionally for a GSSP scholarship or not. If you do apply for both scholarships, please make sure you also fulfil all necessary requirements for the GSSP programme.
Do I have to submit additional or special documents when applying for the GSSP scholarship?
No additional documents are necessary. Please only make sure that you use the DAAD template for your letters of recommendation. You can download this template here .
How does the selection process for the GSSP scholarships differ from that for the GCSC scholarships?
Initially, all applicants go through the same three-stage GCSC selection process . After the interviews (usually in May), the GCSC nominates up to four successful candidates and invites them to submit their application to the DAAD. Candidates can submit the same documents they originally submitted to the GCSC. The DAAD then makes the final decision on the awarding of up to 2 GSSP scholarships.
My MA thesis was written in a language other than English or German. Am I still eligible to apply?
At stage two of the application process, please provide us with a copy of your original thesis as well as a summary of about two pages written in English or German. This summary should provide information on the major research questions, the methods and models applied, as well as the results achieved. Additionally, we would ask you to provide a translated version of the table of contents.
Can I submit my application in English ?
You may write your application in English or German. If you are called for an interview, you may present your research in either language.
Do I need to sit language exams , such as TOEFL or TestDaF, before applying?
We do not require you to sit foreign language examinations.
Is knowledge of German imperative for participation in the GCSC Research Training Programme?
Courses at the GCSC are taught in English and in German and you should be fluent in either of these languages when you start your PhD at the GCSC. According to the doctoral degree regulations, doctoral students are asked to obtain a German language proficiency certificate by the end of their graduate studies at the GCSC. At JLU, German language courses for doctoral students are offered on a regular basis, which allows you to obtain the certificate within one year. However, we would warmly advise you to acquire a basic knowledge of the German language before coming to Giessen.
Are international postgraduate researchers eligible for scholarships?
Yes! We welcome and encourage applications from around the world. For more specific information see information for international applicants and services for international members.
I took a one-year research-track MA . Am I eligible to apply?
In general, only two-year research-track programmes will be considered equivalent to a German MA degree. f you have completed a one-year Master's programme, you can still apply and may then be required by the Examinations Office to provide further proof of performance before you can be accepted as a doctoral student at JLU. You can nevertheless already start working on your doctoral project at the same time.
I already hold a doctorate , but would like to gain a second PhD. Will the centre accept my application?
German universities do not grant doctorates to candidates already holding a PhD in the same discipline (e.g. the humanities). For this reason, we are unfortunately unable to consider applicants who already hold a doctorate in a humanities, social or cultural science subject when awarding our doctoral scholarships and memberships.
If I want to apply for membership, is it possible to apply first and enrol at Justus-Liebig University later ?
Yes, this is possible. Once you are accepted at the GCSC, you will have to apply for admission at the department you wish to be affiliated with and enrol as a PhD student at JLU. The enrolment fee is about € 300 (including the students’ semester ticket for free public transport in Hesse for up to six months).
Can I apply for a scholarship even though I have not yet finished my undergraduate thesis ?
You are eligible to apply provided that you will have finished your degree by October of the respective year at the latest. Please submit sample chapters and the table of contents of your thesis. In addition, we invite you to submit further pieces of academic writing that you consider representative of your approach and style.
I am about to finish my M.A. , but will not have done so by the application deadline. Am I still eligible to apply?
You are eligible to apply provided that you will have finished your degree by October of the respective year at the latest. If you do not yet have a degree certificate at the time of application, we require confirmation from your supervisor/examiner stating that you will receive your degree by 1 October of the respective year. We must receive this letter, together with the other documents for the second round. Please then submit your transcript as soon as possible before 1 October.
Are there age restrictions for GCSC membership and scholarships?
The GCSC welcomes excellent and innovative projects from aspiring PhD researchers from all walks of life. Your proposal should demonstrate a high standard of academic work and your familiarity with current discourses within your chosen field. If you are returning to academia after an absence of several years, we invite you to address in your application why you have decided to pursue a PhD at this point in time.
You are also invited to let us know about periods of parental leave, chronic or severe illness, and periods spent caring for relatives. The GCSC is committed to furthering issues of equality and representation and can offer some support for PhD students who are parents, carers, or disabled and/or chronically ill.
Does the GCSC require me to choose a certain topic for my research project when applying for a scholarship?
In order to benefit from our high-profile interdisciplinary research environment, your research project should contribute to at least one of our research areas. However, we refrain from imposing thematic restrictions on research proposals. Instead, we encourage talented postgraduate students to join the GCSC and thereby to contribute to its diversified research profile and allow their own research to be stimulated by constant exchange with other fellows and senior researchers.
In the application I am asked to specify the 'Academic Discipline of the PhD Thesis' . Due to the transdisciplinary nature of my project, I am not sure which academic discipline to choose.
Since we welcome interdisciplinary projects, you may locate your research project within one or more of our academic subjects and research areas. However, please make sure that your research proposal includes an explanation of how the project fits into the relevant disciplines and the GCSC's research profile.
In the application I am asked to specify the 'Academic Discipline of the Doctoral / PhD Thesis' . Am I eligible for membership at the GCSC if the discipline that I have my degree in is not taught at Justus-Liebig-University ?
The GCSC offers young researchers an interdisciplinary research environment with scholars from the JLU and other national and international institutions. If your research project fits into the GCSC’s research profile, you are very welcome to apply for scholarship or membership. We will be happy to look for the adequate subject available in Giessen where your research can be located and will always try and find individual solutions suited to the candidate’s needs.
At stage two of the application process, I have to submit a research proposal of no more than 10 pages. Which information should this proposal contain?
The research proposal should follow these five academic guidelines:
- Objective: Define what it is you would like to know. Furthermore, clarify why certain aspects of your research are of special interest. Define the key questions for your next step.
- Methods: Describe how you would like to proceed. Also explain how you are going to use prescribed methods of your discipline and why these methods are especially helpful for your dissertation project.
- Theories and Terms: Clarify what principles you’re orienting yourself by. On which general statements from select representatives of your discipline would you like to base your thoughts? When possible, apply current terminology to your explanation.
- Materials/Objects: Describe what material you’ll be analyzing and depicting. Briefly present the texts, dates or sources and clarify why these materials are relevant to your work. Are these sources easily accesed, or do you foresee archival research as a means to reach certain sources?
- Hypothesis: Explain what you hope to find out. Are there already hunches in the research or do you already have presumptions with which you would like to support your work?
I don’t have a supervisor at JLU . May I apply for the scholarship PhD programme?
Yes. PhD supervisors from among the GCSC faculty may be chosen by the applicants before or after their admission. It will be part of the application procedure to verify if your chosen faculty member is willing to supervise your thesis. You do not have to contact potential supervisors beforehand, but are of course free to do so if you want to get in touch before filing your application.
Should I contact potential supervisors in advance?
There is no need for you to discuss your project with a potential supervisor before being admitted here at the GCSC. You also have the option of indicating potential/desired supervisors during the application process on the CampusCore application platform. This will be taken into account when your application is reviewed and approved of. After we have offered you a scholarship or membership, we will put you in touch with the potential supervisors so that you can then clarify the finer details of your future collaboration.
Should the primary supervisor (or both supervisors) be affiliated with the GCSC and Giessen University ? If I already have a supervisor at another university, can I still apply at the GCSC?
Yes, you may choose your second examiner / supervisor from another institution in Germany or abroad. We do, however, require your first supervisor to be based at Gießen University. Remember that there is no need to contact potential supervisors prior to applying at the GCSC, as we'll gladly put you in touch with suitable supervisors once you've been accepted to the programme.