Funding

The Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience is not offering scholarships for doctoral students. To be admitted to the doctoral program, applicants need to prove reliable, long-term funding either through a doctoral position provided by their prospective lab/supervisor or by a doctoral scholarship provided by a third party (e.g. DAAD).

Applying for a doctoral position

Doctoral candidates can secure funding for their living expenses by applying for open positions at the University of Tübingen, the University Clinics or other participating research institutes in Tübingen (e.g., MPI, Hertie, DZNE) to research, teach, or do a combination of the two. In fact, German universities often advertise open slots for doctoral candidates as “job announcements.”
Salaried positions are generally between 20 to 30 hours per week (50%–70%) and pay is based on federal salary structures for doctoral students, named “TV-L 13.” Doctoral Candidates get a least 20 days and up to 30 days of vacation per year.
The exact salary will be based on whether the doctoral candidate is married or has children, and other factors. In general, the salary will be between EUR 1,100 and EUR 1,450 per month (after taxes), including health insurance.

Stipends

Many institutes and research groups also offer stipends of around EUR 1,000 to EUR 1,350. Stipends are tax-free and commonly also provided for three years. However, they do not include a health insurance, which has to be paid for separately. Stipends do not come with any research or teaching duties, although a doctoral candidate will be expected to uphold certain standards and participate in certain activities.

Scholarships and Grants

Various organizations also offer scholarships and grants to help cover living costs for doctoral students. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in particular, offers a large number of scholarships for highly qualified doctoral candidates from outside Germany. To find resources for research scholarships for doctoral studies, please visit the Research in Germany websites  www.research-in-germany.de