If you’re an international PhD student and you’ve been dreaming of doing part of your doctorate inside Germany’s research ecosystem—this is the kind of opportunity you bookmark, share, and act on early. The Hans Böckler Foundation (linked to the German Trade Union Confederation, DGB) is offering this Hans Böckler Foundation international PhD scholarships that fund a research stay in Germany for outstanding doctoral candidates who combine strong academics with real engagement in social, cultural, and political life.
Two dedicated routes are open right now—one for Economics and one for the Social Sciences & Humanities—and both lead to a structured, funded stay at a German university or research institute (and in one route, even a foundation or archive too).
What You’ll Get: Funding Package & Support?
These scholarships are designed to cover your real-life research stay costs in Germany—monthly living support plus travel support, so you can focus on research instead of survival-mode budgeting.
Dieter Schumacher International PhD Scholarship (Economics)
- Monthly stipend: €1,550 (living expenses)
- Travel allowance: €1,400 per year
- Duration options: 12 or 24 months (research stay in Germany)
Ute and György Széll International PhD Scholarship (Social Sciences & Humanities)
- Monthly stipend: €1,450 (living expenses)
- Travel allowance: €1,300 per year
- Duration: 6 months
- Extra advantage: stay can include a foundation or archive (not just a university/research institute).
Quick Eligibility Check for this Scholarship
These Hans Böckler Foundation PhD scholarships are looking for strong doctoral researchers who also show a genuine interest in the foundation’s values—especially work-related research, society, and engagement beyond the classroom.
Dieter Schumacher International PhD Scholarship (Economics)
- You must be an international PhD student in Economics
- Your research should relate to areas like: fiscal/monetary policy, labour markets, income distribution, financial markets, or other topics relevant from an employee perspective
- You must have an invitation letter from a host PhD supervisor in Germany (key requirement)
- You should be politically, culturally, and socially engaged with active interest in the foundation’s core values
- Age limit: under 30
Ute and György Széll International PhD Scholarship (Social Sciences & Humanities)
- You must be enrolled in a PhD programme in Social Sciences or Humanities
- You must have an invitation letter from a host PhD supervisor in Germany (key requirement)
- You should be politically, culturally, and socially engaged with active interest in the foundation’s core values
- No age limit.
How to Apply?
Start by securing your German host supervisor invitation letter—this is the application’s backbone and the part that usually takes the most time. Then prepare your research materials (project description + research paper) and gather institutional support documents (home supervisor recommendation/assessment). Once your package is complete, submit it with the official application form and required attachments in one clean, well-organized submission.
Required documents typically include:
- Doctoral project description / research plan (3 pages)
- Research paper for your Germany stay (topic, questions, methodology, goals) (3 pages)
- Invitation letter from your German host PhD supervisor
- Recommendation/assessment from your home institution PhD supervisor
- CV (table format)
- Diploma qualifying you for doctoral studies.
The last date to apply for the Dieter Schumacher International PhD Scholarship and the Ute and György Széll International PhD Scholarship offered by the Hans Böckler Foundation is February 28, 2026.