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Frequently Asked Questions
DAAD Scholarships

Eligibility
01| Who is eligible for a BAGSS/DAAD Scholarship?
02| I have not yet completed my degree. Can I still apply?

Application Formalities
03| How can I apply?
04| When can I apply?
05| What can I do if I missed the deadline?
06| What are the accepted types of documents?
07| Why do my application documents need to be saved as pdf in the following order?
08| Do I need recommendation letters?
09| Do I need a proof of my English skills?
10| What is the required minimum English test score to be admitted to BAGSS?
11| Do I have to translate all my documents?
12| Do I have to choose one pillar?
13| Do I have to contact a potential supervisor before I apply?

Living and Studying in Bamberg
14| Is there any financial support?
15| Are there any tuition fees at BAGSS?
16| Do I need health insurance?
17| How can I find accommodation in Bamberg?
18| Is there any opportunity to gather experience in academic teaching?
19| Is it possible to complete the doctoral degree entirely in English?

01| Who is eligible for a BAGSS/DAAD Scholarship?

We are looking for candidates with a non-German citizenship who are holding a Master's degree or equivalent in Sociology, Political Sciences, Economics, Statistics, Demography, Empirical Educational Sciences or Psychology. Qualified graduates of related subjects with a strong social science background and with a research proposal fitting into BAGSS’s research profile are also encouraged to apply.

Applicants must have an excellent command of English. If English is not your native tongue, you will need to provide an English language proficiency proof when being shortlisted and invited for an interview.

Candidates should not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months by the start of the membership. Furthermore, the last final examination for the highest university degree (usually the Master's degree) should not have taken place more than six years prior to the start of the membership.

02| I have not yet completed my degree. Can I still apply?

Applicants should be very close to completion of their degree. The degree must be completed by the time of admission to BAGSS. Applicants should submit preliminary transcripts of records.

03| How can I apply?

If you wish to apply for a BAGSS/DAAD Scholarship, then apply online using our electronic form. During the application periods, there is a form available on our homepage, in the section application.

04| When can I apply?

Applications for the DAAD Scholarships (starting October 2025) are accepted from 10 December 2024 until 10 March 2025. 

05| What can I do if I missed the deadline?

Unfortunately, we cannot consider applications for DAAD Scholarships after the deadline.

06| What are the accepted types of documents?

We can only accept applications submitted as a SINGLE PDF document. You can find a free pdf creator on the internet, e.g. the pdfcreator.

07| Why do my application documents need to be saved as pdf in the following order?

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Abstract
4. Research Proposal
5. Work Schedule
6. Scans of school leaving certificate, university transcripts and degree certificates
7. Short self-written statement about your knowledge of the German language
8. Statement of knowledge of social science research methods
9. Privacy Policy Agreement (for download see application materials)

Please stick to the requested ordering so that we can process your application.

Applications not in this order or uncomplete applications will not be accepted.

08| Do I need recommendation letters?

Yes. Two letters of recommendation should be sent to us directly by the recommenders via e-mail to admissions.bagss(at)uni-bamberg.de. These letters should arrive at our institution within the given application deadline.

Please do not include the letters of recommendation in your application file.
 

09| Do I need a proof of my English skills?

Yes. Generally, every applicant has to provide a proof of their English language proficiency.
Exceptions are made for nationals of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America and New Zealand.
For language certificates and minimum test scores accepted by BAGSS, please move on to FAQ 10.

10| What is the required minimum English test score to be admitted to BAGSS?

For the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) and the UNIcert III a pass is sufficient, the TOEFL ibt score should be at least 95, and the IELTS band score should be at least 7.

11| Do I have to translate all my documents?

Only documents not being issued in German or English need to be translated, i.e. documents that were issued in languages other than English or German have to be translated. You can choose whether to translate your documents to German or English. The translation needs to be done by a certified translator.

12| Do I have to choose one pillar?

Yes. Applicants are expected to evaluate their research proposal and determine the pillar which fits their topic. More than one pillar can be chosen if your topic fits into several pillars.

If your topic does not fit into any of our four pillars, then you should review whether BAGSS is the right graduate school for you.

13| Do I have to contact a potential supervisor before I apply?

Please do NOT contact your potential supervisors directly. Rather it will suffice for the applicants to identify a potential supervisor and include the supervisor's name in the application form.

All necessary information to identify a supervisor can found here.

14| Is there any financial support?

A DAAD scholarship can be awarded for up to four years. The scholarships are initially granted for one year, an extension of the grant period will depend on positive evaluation of the progress made in the past year.

The DAAD scholarship comprises a monthly scholarship rate of 1,300 EUR, a travel allowance depending on the country of origin, a combined health, accident and liability insurance, a study and research allowance of 260 EUR/460 EUR per year as well as a rent and/or family allowance if applicable.
 

15| Are there any tuition fees at BAGSS?

No. A small administrative fee has to be paid every semester when being enrolled; it currently amounts to 118.60 EUR and includes free public transport in Bamberg, reduced prices in campus cafeterias, and other student discounts.

16| Do I need health insurance?

No. Successful applicants will receive a combined health, accident and liability insurance with the DAAD Scholarship.

17| How can I find accommodation in Bamberg?

International students arriving in Germany for the first time will be supported by the Welcome Center of the University in Bamberg. The <link en auslandsamt welcome-center-for-internationally-mobile-scholars>Welcome Center will assist with finding suitable accommodation.

18| Is there any opportunity to gather experience in academic teaching?

Scholarship holders who are interested in gaining teaching experience, can discuss - not necessarily paid - teaching oppurtunities with their supervisors.

19| Is it possible to complete the doctoral degree entirely in English?

Yes. At BAGSS, all courses, workshops, guest lectures etc. are offered in the English language. Furthermore, you will have the possibility to write, submit and defend your thesis in English.