Additional Funding
WueLab offers doctoral candidates funding for their own projects with a sustainability focus
The "Stipendiengreifer" (GSH): The Graduate School Humanities (GSH) offers its members information, tips and tricks for scholarshop applications in the humanities.
GSLS MD Excellence Program: The Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS), offers fellowships for current medical students interested in undertaking an experimental or clinical-epidemiological doctoral thesis.
Several German foundations award scholarships for doctoral candidates every year. An overview can be found, for example, on the website PlusStipendium
Are you interested in conducting research in another EU country? In addition to undergraduate students, doctoral candidates may also be eligible for Erasmus funding for research stays abroad. More information is available under Erasmus funding
Research stay worldwide: The PROMOS Program offers opportunities to increase the mobility of students and doctoral candidates outside the Erasmus programme.
International funding programs: The International Office provides information onFunding programs and international partnerships, also specifically for researchers in early career stages.
Study abroad opportunities and partner universities: The University of Würzburg maintains a large number of partnerships around the world, which make research stays abroad possible.
International Fellowship: The JMU Mobility Fellowship offers researchers in early career stages the opportunity to receive funding for a research stay abroad of up to 3 months.
There are numerous ways to finance a stay abroad during doctoral studies or the postdoc phase. A selection can be found here:
Studying and researching abroad with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): In theDAAD scholarship database you can find many ways to finance a stay abroad.
Research and teaching in the USA withFulbright
Fulbright-Schuhman Program: Scholarships for European citizens for research in the USA with a focus on EU affairs/policy or US-EU transatlantic agenda
Funding: up to 4.000€ per month, J-1 visa sponsorship, travel stipend, health benefit plan, program and alumni network
Deadlines: September 15-Dec 1st, for next year
Search for external funding opportunities at Deutsches Stiftungszentrum
Research funding and junior research groups at the Mildred-Scheel-Early-Career-Center: The Mildred-Scheel-Early-Career-Center, MSNZ is a joint center of the University of Würzburg and the University Hospital. The center supports research in the medical field with the aim of understanding driving mechanisms of tumor initiation, development and maintenance, and identifying new approaches for tumor therapy. The cener funds early research projects and junior research groups.
Joachim-Herz-Stiftung: Add-on Fellowships for Interdisciplinary Science and Transfer for doctoral candidates in business administration, economics, life sciences, and material science.
Funding covers travel costs, research stays, conference visits, data gathering measures, etc. Fellows are also members of Fellow and Alumni Networks.
Funding: up to 15.000€ for two years
Deadline: every spring
Deutsche AIDS Stiftung: Stipend for dissertation or habilitation in the field of HIV AIDS or other STDs.
Funding: up to 6.000€
Deadline: twice annually, spring and fall
Deutsche Stiftung für Junge Erwachsene mit Krebs: The Deutsche Stiftung für junge Erwachsene mit Krebs awards stipends for doctoral candidates advancing research in the field cancer in young adults. Funding is open to research in medicine, natual sciences, psychology, sociology, social sciences, cultural studies, communication studies, law, etc.
Funding: 800€ for 12 months
Application open once per year
Stiftung Lebenpur: Stipends for dissertations working on the annual theme. All disciplines welcome.
Funding: 800€ for 12 months
Applications once per year
International PhD Completion Grant
International doctoral candidates in the final phase of their doctorate and in need of financial support can apply for a PhD completion grant. The grant amount is subject to allocation of funds by the DAAD.
The scholarships are granted for up to 4 months and cannot be extended.
The scholarship comprises a monthly stipend of 1050€.
Doctoral projects should be completed within 6 months after receiving the last scholarship grant.
Application Deadline:
September 1st, 2026
Please send the application in ONE PDF FILE to:
jmu-graduate-academy@uni-wuerzburg.de
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Doctoral candidates must hold a foreign nationality and have completed their Master degree or equivalent outside of Germany
- Doctoral candidates must pursue their doctorate full-time at the University of Würzburg and must currently be enrolled
- Doctoral candidates must be in the final completion phase of their doctorate
- Applicants must be in financial need, meaning doctoral candidates applying do not currently hold a work contract other than marginal part-time work (“Minijob”) with a German employer, including with the University of Würzburg, University hospital or adjacent research facilities or receive any other form of scholarship related to their doctoral project
Not eligible:
- German nationals or holding a German university degree (Master or equivalent)
- International doctoral candidates currently residing outside of Germany
- Doctoral candidates visiting Würzburg for a limited research stay or exchange
- Doctoral candidates who will receive their doctoral certification from a university other than University of Würzburg
Application documents:
- Application form
- Full academic CV
- Copy of passport or ID showing foreign nationality
- Copy of Master’s degree or equivalent, received outside of Germany
- Proof of acceptance as doctoral candidate from faculty or graduate school (Annahme als Doktorandin/Doktorand)
- Proof of current enrollment at University of Würzburg as doctoral candidate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung)
- Application letter. Application letter includes: contact details, motivation for application, brief summary of personal situation, detailed description of the state of doctoral project, detailed plan including realistic timeline for completion of the project within the given time frame (max. 2 pages)
- Letter of reference from main supervisor, supporting the application and detailing the need for financial support. Letter of reference should include: contact details of supervisor, brief summary of the (economic) situation of the applicant including past funding source of doctoral candidate, state of project, realistic assessment of project completion timeline that the scholarship should support
- Declaration of Financial Need
- Declaration of Accuracy of Information
Please note that only complete applications will be considered.
Scholarships will be awarded taking into account the quality of the application, the individual financial situation as well as the feasibility of your project completion plans.
You will be informed individually if a scholarship is granted.
Applicants do not have a legal claim to receive a scholarship when applying.
Do not send original documents, application documents will not be sent back but will remain with the Graduate Academy and International Office.
