© Universität Bielefeld
Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund
A substantial part of the research at a university is carried out by young academics, these being doctoral students and postdocs. Twice a year, the Rectorate of Bielefeld University grants financial awards from the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund in order to support the work of young, highly qualified academics. The Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund is committed to the following objectives:
I) Supporting bridge periods between academic career stages
II) Supporting the self-dependence of young academics
III) Promoting funding acquisition by young academics
IV) Recruiting young academics both domestically and abroad
Students preparing for their doctoral phase, doctoral students in their final phase and postdocs can apply for the different measures from the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund. For this purpose, the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund is separated into two different funding lines with a total of five different measures.
Information for all Funding Lines
- With regard to the current situation
With regard to the current situation, we would like to draw attention to the following:
Applications no longer need to be signed personally by the supervisors and representatives of the respective faculty. Instead, applicants are requested to send the signed application electronically to their supervisors and faculties (head of administration, dean). The supervisors and the faculties are then asked to forward this mail to nachwuchsfonds@uni-bielefeld.de and to confirm their support of the application in this mail.
- General information for all Funding Lines
For further details on the eligibility for filing an application, on funding levels and start of the funding period, on the application procedure and award procedure please refer to the information sheets for applicants at the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund as well as the directives from Bielefeld University on awarding scholarships for doctoral studies from the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund.
Please use the application form (see download section below) if you want to apply and send your application in one PDF to nachwuchsfonds@uni-bielefeld.de. The deadlines for applications are April or October. The exact deadline can be found in the current call for applications (see Download section below).
Applicants, who have to take care of children, should also submit the "Statement of parenthood".
Contact: nachwuchsfonds@uni-bielefeld.de
Funding Line PhD Students
- Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
You can apply for the career bridge Master - Doctorate if you are in the final phase of studying on a course which would entitle you to continue with doctoral studies at the time of the application or if you have already finished your studies. Your grades and study performance must be above average.
The career bridge Master - Doctorate is awarded for a period of 6 months with a monthly scholarship of EUR 1.000. The career bridge Master - Doctorate should be used to establish your idea for a doctorate in order to increase your chances of successfully applying for third-party funded scholarship programmes, doctoral programmes at Bielefeld University and for doctoral positions.
The young academics who receive funding are supported by a comprehensive advisory service as well as PEP-seminars on applying for scholarships for doctoral studies.
The career bridge Master - Doctorate should also be used by the corresponding supervisors to facilitate the reassessment of the qualification of the doctoral student. In addition, the career bridge Master - Doctorate enables supervisors to provide incentives for qualified - in particular female - students with a Master degree to commence their doctoral studies.
For your application to the Bielefeld Young Researchers Fund, Career Bridge Master – Doctorate you are required to have an evaluation (see Download section below). The reviewer needs to send the assessment directly to nachwuchsfonds@uni-bielefeld.de by April or October.
- Doctorate Completion Scholarship
You can apply for a Doctorate Completion Scholarship if you are a doctorate student at Bielefeld University and the temporary financial support of your doctoral project comes to an end, and if you have no other options for financial support. You must demonstrate that you have, thus far, carried out your doctoral project promptly, have almost completed it and that it can be expected to be completed within the funding period of 6 months required by the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund.
The doctorate completion scholarship is awarded for a period of up to 6 months with a monthly scholarship of EUR 1,250. The scholarship can be increased by the faculty/working unit to a maximum amount of EUR 1,750.
For your application to the Bielefeld Young Researchers Fund, Doctorate Completion Scholarship you are required to have an evaluation (see Download section below). The reviewer needs to send the assessment directly to nachwuchsfonds@uni-bielefeld.de by April or October.
Funding Line Postdocs
- Research subsidies and promotion of mobility
The measure Research subsidies and promotion of mobility is intended to fund research subsidies and promotion of mobility for postdocs. The travel funds can be used for research trips (for example in order to visit archives) and for short research trips to an international guest institute. The maximum funding amount is EUR 5,000 for a period of up to 12 months.
- Entry into third-party funded research
This measure is intended to facilitate the preparation for third-party funded applications by young academics. Postdocs can apply for financial support in order to facilitate the entry into third-party funded research.
This could be to cover costs such as assistants, preliminary study materials or travel expenses for visiting cooperation partners or conferences. The applicants must specify the content of the intended application for third-party funds, where and when it must be submitted and how the applied measures of the Bielefeld Young Researchers' Fund will contribute to a successful application. The maximum funding amount is EUR 15,000 for a period of up to 12 months.
In addition to the financial support, applicants are offered a comprehensive advisory service with the aim of preparing the application for third-party funded research and they can take part in PEP-seminars on applying for third-party funds as well as the Peer Review "Third-Party Funding".
- Career Bridge Doctorate - Postdoc
In order to finance the costs of living during the 'transition period' after earning a doctorate, young academics without employment/scholarships can apply for a Career Bridge Doctorate - Postdoc in the amount of 2,000 €/month for a period of up to 12 months. The scholarship amount can be increased by the faculty/working unit to a maximum amount of EUR 2,500.
The Career Bridge Doctorate - Postdoc aims at supporting the application for third party funding of your corresponding existing position or group of junior scientists and therefore, in order to prepare your application for third-party funding, you can also apply for research aid and measures for the promotion of mobility alongside the scholarship.
In addition to the financial support, applicants are offered a comprehensive advisory service with the aim of preparing the application for third-party funded research and they can take part in PEP-seminars on applying for third-party funds as well as the Peer Review "Third Party Funding" in order to increase the quality of the application and therefore the probability of receiving funding.
In addition, the Career Bridge Doctorate - Postdoc can be used for recruiting outstanding external young researchers. External young scientists who have a prospective position at Bielefeld University or who want to apply for third-party funded research for a project which, in the case of it being successful, will be carried out at Bielefeld University may also apply for the career bridge Doctorate – Postdoc.
If your dissertation has been submitted but the procedure has not yet been opened because the committee has not yet met, a short letter from the committee stating that the dissertation has been submitted and that a decision on the opening of the procedure will be made on [DATE] will sufficient. Later the confirmation of the opening of the procedure must be submitted immediately.
Download section for all funding lines
- All funding lines
- Funding Line PhD Students
We recommend downloading the files and opening them with a PDF reader.
Please note that our application forms have changed. Using these new forms, please submit an application form PLUS the form “Personal data”. Applications using our previous forms are also valid and will be treated equally.
Please contact us for accessible forms if required.
Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
- Information sheets Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
- Directives Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
- Application form Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
- Evaluation form Career Bridge Master - Doctorate
- Attachment - Personal Information
Doctorate Completion Scholarship
- Funding Line Postdocs
We recommend downloading the files and opening them with a PDF reader.
Please note that our application forms have changed. Using these new forms, please submit an application form PLUS the form “Personal data”. Applications using our previous forms are also valid and will be treated equally.
Please contact us for accessible forms if required.