For the fall 2025 intake, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) is accepting applications for its esteemed PhD Scholarship Program. The initiative is intended to assist early-career scientists who are committed to furthering research on nature conservation and environmental protection.
Benefits of the DBU PhD Scholarship
The DBU PhD Scholarship provides highly motivated PhD students conducting cutting-edge environmental research with both financial and professional support.
- Financial Benefits:
- Monthly Stipend: €1,600
- Material Allowance: €210 per month, with additional contributions possible in exceptional cases.
- Child Supplement: Extra financial support for scholars with children.
- Professional and Networking Opportunities:
- Personal supervision by DBU consultants.
- Opportunities to present research results and engage in interdisciplinary exchanges at DBU scholarship seminars.
- Participation in annual events such as the Summer Academy and Environmental Award Ceremony.
- Access to a vibrant alumni network via the Stipnet communication platform.
- Encouragement for temporary research stays abroad.
- Duration of Funding:
The scholarship is awarded for a maximum of 36 months (three years).
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Hold an above-average degree (minimum grade: “good” or “very good”; for law graduates, at least “fully satisfactory”).
- The doctoral project must be conducted predominantly at a German higher education institution and must not have started. Projects where the applicant has been working on the topic for more than a year post-graduation are ineligible.
- The research topic should address pressing environmental protection or nature conservation issues and offer sustainable solutions, with a focus on Germany or global challenges relevant to Germany.
Proficiency in the German language is required, as all application documents must be submitted in German.
Applications are welcome from all academic disciplines, including natural
sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, and law. Interdisciplinary research is highly encouraged.
Target Group
The initiative focuses on highly skilled junior researchers who are working on doctoral theses that tackle important environmental issues. The study should support sustainable development and be in accordance with the DBU’s objectives of building a cross-disciplinary network of environmental specialists.
Number of Scholarships: Up to 50 scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding candidates.
Application Process
- Applications must be submitted via the DBU’s online platform https://www.dbu.de/en/promotion/doctoral-scholarships/.
- Complete applications, written in German, must include all required documents.
- Only one application per scientific supervisor or working group is allowed per round.
Application Deadline
The DBU PhD Scholarship Program application deadline for the 2025 fall intake is June 15, 2025.