Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Germany for African Women 2025: BIGSAS–DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Programme

The Bayreuth International Graduate School for African Studies (BIGSAS) on the University of Bayreuth in Germany is providing an distinctive alternative for African girls students to hitch its prestigious analysis group. Through the Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP) by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), BIGSAS goals to help early-career students in African Studies by offering them with the sources and tutorial community to advance their analysis and contribute to the sphere of African Studies.

BIGSAS is part of the University of Bayreuth’s broader dedication to African Studies. It hosts a various group of students targeted on interdisciplinary analysis throughout Africa’s historic, social, cultural, and political landscapes. By becoming a member of BIGSAS, students develop into part of a global tutorial community that fosters trade, collaborative analysis, and a multidisciplinary strategy to understanding Africa’s complexities.

Award: Two scholarships can be found via the DAAD’s Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP). These scholarships are designed to help excellent African girls researchers primarily based on the African continent, offering them with the sources wanted to pursue superior tutorial analysis.

Scholarship Duration: Up to 4 years, starting in October 2025. The scholarship time period additionally features a German language course throughout the summer season of 2025 for these or requiring it.

Application Deadline:  04 January 2026

This scholarship is particularly for African girls students who meet the next necessities:

• Academic Qualification: Must maintain a Master’s or equal diploma, accomplished throughout the previous six years, demonstrating tutorial excellence in their discipline.
• Residency: Candidates mustn’t have been resident in Germany for over 15 months previous to the beginning of the scholarship.
• Language Proficiency: Proficiency in English, German, or French is required, although the first working language is English.

To apply, candidates might want to present:

1. Academic Credentials: Documentation of an excellent Master’s or equal diploma.
2. Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of advice from tutorial referees who can attest to the candidate’s {qualifications} and potential for success in this system.
3. Proof of Language Proficiency: Evidence of proficiency in English, German, or French, relying on the language chosen for the analysis.

Selected students will obtain:

• Financial Support: Full funding for as much as 4 years to help their analysis and tutorial work.
• Language Course: An alternative to take part in a German language course in the summer season of 2025, enriching their expertise and enabling them to interact extra deeply with the educational surroundings.
• Academic Resources: Access to BIGSAS’s huge community, analysis help, and a collaborative tutorial group on the University of Bayreuth.

For additional particulars on the application course of, eligibility, and required paperwork, please go to the official BIGSAS application web page

Step-by-Step Guide to Application

Step 1 – Check in the event you fulfill the fundamental application necessities

You could apply to BIGSAS in the event you…

• maintain a Master’s diploma or an equal diploma, and
• plan a doctoral analysis challenge in an space per the analysis pursuits/tutorial disciplines coated by the Members of BIGSAS.

Step 2 – Find a supervisor for your doctoral analysis challenge at BIGSAS

If you fullfill the fundamental application necessities, the very very first thing you must do is to get in contact with one or a number of of our Members and focus on your deliberate analysis challenge with them. Due to our Member’s excessive workload, please permit them a while to reply your request. You do not need to be afraid of application deadlines, as application and admission at BIGSAS are attainable all through the entire yr.

Once you agree on a analysis challenge with one among our Members, you will have to arrange a supervision settlement. You can obtain the English type HERE or the German type HERE (each DOCX). Make certain all packing containers are stuffed in. Otherwise, the supervision settlement is taken into account incomplete.

Step 3 – Complete your application

The precise application is carried out via the BayDOC portal: LINK

In addition to filling in the net type, you may be requested to connect supportive paperwork (in English, French or German; please present certificates and so forth. as licensed copies). Required supportive paperwork are:

1) The supervision settlement talked about underneath Step 2

2) A challenge proposal of most 10 pages which strains out the goals of your dissertation challenge in addition to an in depth work and time schedule. Please embrace your title, the web page quantity and the title of the proposal on every web page. The proposal also needs to embrace a one-page abstract of the proposal in English.

3) A one-page letter of motivation in which you clarify why you apply to BIGSAS

4) A mushy copy of your written and graded Master’s or equal thesis

5) Two letters of advice personally signed by the authors (the authors must be from the your tutorial background and talked about with title and college/institute)

6) A Curriculum Vitae (CV) displaying your tutorial progress and your {qualifications} in element

7) A self-declaration that you haven’t been accepted for a doctorate at one other college or are enrolled at one other college or college of utilized sciences

8) A Secondary School Graduation Certificate / Higher Education Entrance Certificate

9) A Bachelor’s Degree or equal diploma certificates together with full pages of the transcript of data (e.g. Licence ou Maîtrise, an authorized copy is requested)

10) A Master’s Degree or equal diploma certificates, together with full pages of the transcript of data (e.g. DEA or DESS, an authorized copy is requested)

11) A record of educational publications (if out there)

Why Apply?

Joining BIGSAS gives an unparalleled alternative for African girls students to advance their analysis, collaborate with prime lecturers in the sphere, and develop into part of a globally acknowledged establishment. With its interdisciplinary focus and dedication to African Studies, BIGSAS helps researchers in making a significant impression via their work. This scholarship not solely offers monetary help but additionally gives a supportive tutorial surroundings to foster skilled progress and improvement in African Studies.

Don’t miss this chance to contribute to the sphere of African Studies and develop inside an inspiring worldwide group. Apply by 4 January 2026!

 

Should I contact BIGSAS Members previous to my application?

Yes. You want to supply a supervision settlement as outlined in Step 2 of the application information above.

In which language can I apply?

You could apply in English, French or German. If your Master’s thesis (or equal) is written in every other language, please add an English or French abstract (5 to 10 pages) collectively together with your thesis.

When is the deadline for my application?

Applications are usually not certain to a deadline. You can apply year-round.

Do I would like an authorized copy of my certificates?

Yes. Only licensed copies of your certificates are accepted. You ought to add a scan. After admission, the unique certificates should be supplied in order to enrol on the University of Bayeuth.

By whom ought to the advice letters be written? Do they need to be translated? In which language?

You want two letters of reference by individuals in cost for your tutorial schooling. The letters must be written in English, French or German and embrace title, title, college/institute, division and the signature of the writer

Can I reapply if my application has been rejected?

Yes, you could apply another time.

I have already got a PhD. Can I do a second one right here?

Yes, you could apply though you have already got accomplished a doctoral program elsewhere.

Is Cotutelle attainable inside BIGSAS?

Yes. If you plan to have a supervisor of your home or one other college moreover the University of Bayreuth, please contact the BIGSAS staff. We will discover out whether or not such an association is feasible.

When and for how lengthy do I’ve to be current in Bayreuth throughout the doctoral programme?

BIGSAS has a structured doctoral programme with disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs in addition to colloquia and different tutorial occasions. Our graduate faculty subsists on the participation and contributions of Members and Junior Fellows. Therefore, we anticipate that each one doctoral candidates are current in Bayreuth besides for:

• Semester breaks
• Field analysis
• Attendance of convention(s)

I’ve technical issues whereas utilizing the net application type.

We suggest:

• Using supported internet browsers, e.g. Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge
• Enabling Java Script and accepting pop-up home windows
• Deactivating all internet browser add-ons (e.g. advert blockers)

My query has not been answered but.

Please contact bigsas-application@uni-bayreuth.de. We’d love to listen to from you!

BIGSAS itself doesn’t include any sort of long-term, primary funding. While we will fund particular elements of your analysis (e.g. discipline work and convention participation), in order to maintain your keep right here, you will have to look for exterior funding alternatives. Where to begin trying? Here are some databases and knowledge that may allow you to set up funding:

1) List of funding opportunities by the University of Bayreuth and the University of Bayreuth Scholarship Guide (PDF)

2) Research in Germany Database

3) DAAD Database (German Academic Exchange Service)

4) Euraxess Database

5) BIGSAS overview of German scholarship providers (PDF)

Will I be charged tuition charges for enrolling in the doctoral programme?

No, you’ll not be charged tuition charges. Enrolling on the University of Bayreuth nevertheless will imply that it’s important to pay a semester contribution (presently about 120 Euro/semester). This contribution ensures you and your pursuits as a scholar in Germany are represented politically. A extra instant advantage of the semester contribution: you may be given a semester ticket with which you should use buses and different technique of public transport in Bayreuth freed from cost.

What are the prices of dwelling and learning in Germany?

Germany shouldn’t be overly costly in comparison with different European nations. But in order to efficiently study overseas, you’ll have to estimate the prices and guarantee which you can cowl them. Please check out the excellent overview supplied by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) HERE.

Where can I discover extra info on dwelling, learning and dealing in Germany?

Please check out the web site “Make it in Germany” supplied by the German Federal Government. It gives in depth background info on Germany and on prospects of learning and dealing right here. The web site is complemented by a Youtube Channel. In explicit, their movies about learning in Germany (HERE) and studying the German language (HERE) may be of curiosity for you.

The choice process is a aggressive course of which is organised in 4 main steps:
1.    Formal check of the purposes
2.    Evaluation of proposed initiatives by an professional reviewer
3.    Personal (on-line) interview with the applicant
4.    Final resolution by the Steering Committee (SC)

 

 

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