Requirements

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 restrictionsfor 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.