Abroad during the PhD

Similar to undergraduate or graduate students, doctoral candidates can also spend a sponsored stay abroad at one of the partner universities of the Faculty of Social Sciences via the ERASMUS program. All universities, which marked with the addition “PhD“ in the list of our partners, have already existing contracts. If you are interested to new agreements, please contact the Department of International Affairs at the faculty.

In order to go abroad with the ERASMUS doctoral student mobility, you should - for example through already existing personal contacts of your chair - make a corresponding inquiry to your desired partner university. Following an informal invitation or confirmation from the partner university, the nomination is made by the ERASMUS Coordination of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Since the application process for ERASMUS doctoral student mobility is carried out in the same way as for students, please follow these instructions.

Doctoral students also have the opportunity to conduct an Erasmus-funded research stay as an internship in a research institution, university or company. The same conditions apply as for student internships. Doctoral students can also receive a grant as graduates up to one year after the end of the doctoral program (date of exmatriculation).

The Erasmus scholarship is usually not sufficient for a full financing of the stay. You may be eligible for support from the receiving institution (free accommodation, internship fee, etc.). You can also combine the Erasmus scholarship with other scholarships, unless they come from an EU funding scheme.

In addition to funding through the ERASMUS program, there are many other ways to support a stay abroad during the doctoral studies. For example, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers both a one-year scholarship for doctoral students and corresponding short-term fellowships.

The Fulbright Commission promotes 4 to 6-month stays in the USA by young German scientists. In addition to study grants, the Begabtenförderungswerke offer doctoral scholarships, which in many cases also promote stays abroad. Further funding opportunities are offered, for example, by the Deutsch-Französischen Doktorandenkollegs/German-French Doctoral College, the European University Institute or the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

In addition to the examples presented here, there are numerous other funding opportunities for doctoral studies abroad. The Department of International Affairs at the Faculty of Social Sciences will gladly assist you in your selection.