Scholarships

The BGHS offers its doctoral and postdoctoral fellows an impressive array of financial support measures.

In the late autumn of each year, up to seven three-year grants for doctoral candidates are advertised, which are filled in the next summer semester. Postdocs can apply for two-year grants, which are also advertised each year.

To further its members' international career prospects, the BGHS advertises socalled mobility grants, which make possible a research stay of between three to nine months at a university or research establishment abroad, such as the BGHS' partner university Johns Hopkins in Baltimore/USA.

Foreign doctoral candidates who want to come to Bielefeld for a three- to four-month research stay are offered short-term grants by the BGHS.

All BGHS scholarship holders are given a workstation for the duration of their grant.

Generous financial support

Whether on a grant or not, the BGHS junior scholars are given financial support for trips to archives, conferences and field research.

In addition, the School's doctoral candidates are encouraged to run their own workshops, conferences and meetings at the BGHS. Finally, a number of paid teaching assistantships are available, where doctoral candidates can gain first teaching experiences.

Part-time doctoral studies

The BGHS attaches great importance to a proper work-life balance. Doctoral researchers can apply for part-time status if they look after their child(ren) or a relative, suffer from some medical impairment, have a job etc. which makes full-time study impossible. The regulation three-year doctoral course can be extended to a maximum of five-and-a-half years.

Doctoral Agreement

One of the School's explicit aims is to improve the conditions of study for its doctoral candidates. This is why the School attaches the greatest importance to a doctoral agreement between the young researchers, their supervisors and the School, in which contract are laid down the essential framing conditions of the doctoral course as well as the rights and duties of the parties concerned.

As members of the BGHS, all doctoral candidates are under an obligation to submit at regular intervals a report to the School as well as their supervisors on the progress of their research project. This is to intensify supervision and promote purposeful doctoral studies. At the same time, this provision is meant to enable an early diagnosis of possible problems that might prevent a successful completion of the doctoral programme.

Depending on the topics, methodology and academic backgrounds of the doctoral candidate, the second supervisor can be from a different discipline and/or university, including one abroad.

Mentoring und Career Service

The School's doctoral candidates are also offered strong support in planning their careers. Jointly with the CITEC (Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University), another institution established in the framework of the Excellence Initiative, the "MentScience" programme is offered which is expressly tailored to the needs of young female scholars. This programme aims to develop careers prospects at an early stage and in collaboration with industry executives and senior academics. A second objective is to practise networking, which will later make easier the transition from university to work. The programme is complemented by courses whose purpose is to develop and strengthen students' key competencies.