Woman thinking about different scholarship providers

Research scholarships for Postdocs

Scholarships for short-term research projects or for transitional phases
Woman thinking about different scholarship providers
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Research scholarships are recommended for smaller research projects, for the years just after finishing the PhD or for transition periods. The response period for a scholarship application is often shorter than for project funding applications, and there are some special scholarships for working at special libraries or on selected topics. Another good reason for a scholarship is a research stay abroad.

Scholarships are typically tax-free, but also do not include any sort of social insurance – you must arrange health and pension insurance yourself and do not earn the right to receive unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld I). For these reasons, a scholarship cannot be the regular type of funding for the postdoc phase.

You can search for scholarship announcements in the databases.

Scholarship for female Postdocs

As part of equal opportunity measures of the state of Thuringia, a scholarship programme for female postdocs is created by Friedrich Schiller University. The university awards these scholarships once every year. The scholarships can be used i.e. for preparing an own grant application for a research project, for bridging a funding gap or for finishing a habilitation project.

Scientific careers may sometimes include transitional phases that are afflicted by funding shortfalls. This may be the case if the researcher's qualification process is affected by structural obstacles as, for example, by part-time employments and family-related interruptions. Women are disproportionately more affected by those difficulties than men.

The scholarship scheme aims at supporting female researchers with an outstanding doctorate during such transitional stages by providing them with project-related scholarships. Eligible for a scholarship are all those activities that contribute to expanding or sharpening your scientific profile in order to gain further qualifications or to improve your suitability for future appointments. The aim of your project should thus be to advance your academic career with targeted measures.

The scholarship scheme is part of the Thuringian Scheme for Young Female Researchers and Young Female Artists (2021 – 2025) funded by the Free State of Thuringia.

Please find more information about the scholarship for female Postdocs here.