PhD and Research in Germany

Germany offers excellent research opportunities for EU/international PhD students and researchers. Universities and other higher education institutions as well as public- and private-sector non-university research institutions and large research funding organisations support international researchers with postdoctoral jobs and fellowships. Interesting development opportunities for international researchers also exist in research-intensive industry and with small and medium-sized enterprises. Many companies also work closely with universities and research institutions in application-oriented research and development.

International researchers work in the laboratory with test tubes.

Doing a PhD in Germany

Information for PhD Students

Read more about the different ways of doing a PhD in Germany, your funding opportunities and some practical advice to prepare for your doctoral visit.

More at research-in-germany.org

Research

Information for Junior Researchers

Germany offers many opportunities for Postdocs: You can become eligible for appointment to a professorship by completing the habilitation process, work as a junior professor or lead a junior research group. Industry also offers alternative career opportunities.

More at research-in-germany.org

Three researchers view content on a laptop in the test lab.

International Experience

Information for Senior Researchers

Germany offers international researchers a diverse research-oriented higher education landscape, globally recognised research institutions and a research-intensive industry that leads the world in many areas.

More at research-in-germany.de

Researcher tests investigative device at the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne.

Finding the Right Institute

Research Institutes

Find out about Germany’s different types of research institutions: universities, universities of applied sciences, non-university research institutes, companies and federal as well as state (Länder) institutions. Profiles of each type of research organisation can be found here.

More at research-in-germany.org

Financing

Research Funding

Research funding in Germany is provided by government bodies, various organisations, including many of the large non-university research institutions, and industry. Here you find a wide selection of funding programmes for international PhD students and researchers.

More at research-in-germany.org

DAAD VISITING LECTURER PROGRAMME

Assoc. Prof. Edwards’ guest lectureship at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences

Changes in perspective help us to gain new insights and promote the exchange of knowledge. This was also the experience of Assoc. Prof. Niki Edwards, a DAAD Visiting Professor from the University of Southern Queensland. Prof. Edwards is a lecturer and researcher in the field of social work, health, and well-being and came to teach at Fulda University of Applied Sciences in the winter semester of 2022/23. Prof Edwards’ guest lectureship also opened opportunities to stimulate and initiate collaborations between researchers and universities. “I return to the University of Southern Queensland with innovative approaches to curriculum design, teaching, and innovations in pedagogy. There are research partnerships that are being explored and that will be activated.” Her teaching visit was funded by the DAAD Visiting Lecturer Programme. (Photo: Assoc. Prof. Niki Edwards and Prof. Karim Khakzar, President Fulda University of Applied Sciences)