Research in Germany

„Research in Germany “
Webinar-Series
24 - 27 June, 2019

Questions & Answers

Monday, 24 June 2019, 14:00 – 15:00 CEST

The German Research Landscape

Who does research in Germany?
General information about the webinar
Who hosted the webinar? Dr. Katja Lasch, German Academic Exchange Service
(DAAD), Head of International Research Marketing
Contact: research-in-germany@daad.de
www.daad.de / www.research-in-germany.org
Who were the Panelists?
Helmholtz Association:
Julia Eberhardt, Promotion of young and early-stage
researchers Contact: julia.eberhardt@helmholtz.de
Daniel Riesenberg, Strategy and organisational
development Contact: daniel.riesenberg@helmholtz.de

Links:
www.helmholtz.de/clp
https://www.helmholtz.de/en/

University of Stuttgart
Dr. Wolfgang Holtkamp, Senior Advisor International
Affairs (SAIA) Contact: international@uni-stuttgart.de

Links:
www.uni-stuttgart.de/en

Infineon Technologies AG
Bernd Waschneck Machine Learning Expert Contact:
Bernd.Waschneck@infineon.com
Rainer Schmidt-Rudloff, Senior University Relations
Manager Contact: Rainer.Schmidt-Rudloff@infineon.com

Links:
https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/
https://www.infineon.com/cms/de/careers/
Opportunities
Key facts about the Science and research in Germany are characterised by an
German research system excellent infrastructure, a wide variety of disciplines, well-
equipped research facilities and competent staff. There are
1,000 public and publicly funded institutions for science,
research and development. German higher education
institutions maintain Bilateral, European and multilateral
cooperation with more than 155 countries. The gross domestic
expenditure on R&D was 92 billion euros in 2016 with
657,000 people working in the R&D sector (www.bmbf.de).
Where can I do research There are different types of research institutions: universities,
in Germany? 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 at
https://www.research-in-germany.org/en/research-
landscape/research-organisations.html

Where to find a good The “Research Map” offered by the German Rectors'
university in Germany? Conference (HRK) allows you to search for German universities
where your field of interest is available:
www.hrk.de/activities/research-map-key-research-priorities

The CHE University Ranking enables you to search for

universities by subject or by city:
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/ranking/en/

Opportunities for Our colleagues of 'Study in Germany' can give you the best
undergraduates and advice about bachelor's and master's programmes in
graduates: Germany. They are happy to help you to find information about
degree courses in your field of study, how to choose a German
university, admission requirements, how to apply for
scholarships, as well as information on (student) life in
Germany.
You can contact them via their website at www.study-in-
germany.de or on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Study.in.Germany
Where do I find a PhD Search here for PhD programmes and positions in Germany:
position? www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-
programs/en/
http://www.hochschulkompass.de/en/doctoral-
studies/search-for-doctoral-study-opportunities.html
www.phdgermany.de
www.gerit.org
How to do my PhD in There are three basic approaches. You can:
Germany ? 1. Apply for a structured PhD programme
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/internati
onal-programs/en/
2. Search for PhD job offers at German universities
www.phdgermany.de
3. Send a speculative application to a professor or
research institute. If you intend to apply directly to an
institute then find those workgroups where research in
your field of interest is carried out in the online database
'German Research Institutions’: www.gerit.org
What are the criteria for Your chances for getting into a PhD programme depend on
being accepted in a PhD many factors. The most promising applicants have a good or
Programme? very good master's degree (or equivalent). Other important
factors often include your work experience, motivation, and
naturally the number and qualification of the other applicants
you're competing with.

Open PhD positions will often attract many applicants;

therefore, the application process can be highly competitive.

The description of each programme usually gives you a

detailed impression of what is expected of the applicants.
How to find a supervisor? These two databases can help you find a supervisor:
- The “Research Map” database, operated by the German
Rectors' Conference (HRK) allows you to search the
'institutional research priorities' of German universities:
www.hrk.de/activities/research-map-key-research-priorities/

- The “Research Explorer“is a database containing over 22,000

institutes at German universities and non-university research
institutions: www.gerit.org
Tips for getting in contact
with a research group
Tips for getting in contact
with a professor:
Where do I find Postdoc
Positions?
Where do I get
information about open
positions in a specific
research area/subject?
-Check the website of the institute or university where you want
to do your PhD precisely!
-Find a research group in your specific field
-Contact the research group, but be very detailed and specific!
-What value would you bring into the research groupt? Tell
them!
When applying you should provide details about your previous
academic achievements, the topic of your thesis and the subject
area in which you wish to specialise. Your application can
include a well-considered proposal for your dissertation.
If you are interested in your career opportunities in Germany,
please visit www.research-in-germany.org/postdoc-career
On www.research-in-germany.org/jobs you find a list of job
databases where you can search for a Postdoc Position.
The online database www.gerit.org may also help you find an
institution or university where you can carry out your research.
Here you can find information and helpful links for your
research subject
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-
programs/en/
www.phdgermany.de
Living in Germany and language
Language skills (TOEFL, To enrol in a PhD programme you usually need either very
German,..) good English or very good German skills. PhD programmes
in Germany have no standard language requirements.
University Institutes have their own regulations (called
'Promotionsordnung') and they vary from university to
university. If you have a university in mind, we suggest you
contact the administration team directly and ask them what
language requirements they have.
Research groups in Germany are increasingly working in
international teams. Communicating in English is then usually
taken for granted. While in most cases it is no problem to
communicate in English at German research institutes, there
are still plenty of good reasons for at least gaining a basic
knowledge of German. Language is the key to a country’s
culture and people!
Learning German The Goethe Institute is Germany’s leading cultural institution
and offers language courses in many countries around the
world as well as in Germany.
www.goethe.de
Of course, you can also attend a language course in
Germany and broaden your knowledge of German here.
Such courses are offered at universities, language schools
and even some research institutes. Take a look at our
database for language and short courses in Germany:
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/sommerkurs
e/en/
Visa regulations For more information on visa regulations:
www.bamf.de/EN
With respect to visa requirements you should contact the
German diplomatic mission in your home country directly.
They can provide precise information on this. You will find
an overview of the visa regulations, answers to FAQs on
the subject and a table of countries on the website of the
Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-
amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/visabestimmungen-node
Children and Family
What is typical cost of life
in Germany?
A short overview of
everday life costs
In the section "Welcome to Germany" on
www.bamf.de/EN you can find information and tips about
where to find further information that is relevant for your
research stay in Germany. For example, "Learning
German", "Work and career" as well as "Children and
Family".
Living expenses in Germany are slightly above average in
a European context. They are below those of countries
such as Denmark, Luxembourg or Switzerland, but are quite
high compared to countries such as Asia, Africa or Latin
America.
An average student’s monthly budget amounts to 918 euros
(Source:DSW/DZHW). This includes the rent, travel
expenses, costs for food, clothing, learning material, health
insurance, phone, Internet, radio and television fees and
expenses for leisure activities. It does not include the
semester fee, which needs to be paid prior to every
semester as part of re-registration.
1 loaf of bread: EUR 1.20 - 3
1 kilo of potatoes: EUR 1
1 litre milk: EUR 0.60 - 1
1 bottle of mineral water (0.75 litres): EUR 0.30 - 0.80
1 cup of coffee (in a café): EUR 2.50
1 pizza in a restaurant: EUR 4 - 6
1 pair of shoes: EUR 30 – 100
1 T-shirt: EUR 7 - 50
1 pair of trousers: EUR 30 - 100
1 theatre ticket (student discount): EUR 6 - 30
Funding
Who offers research Research funding for international scientists in Germany is
funding for international provided by government bodies and various organisations,
scientists? as well as the industry. On our website we have an
overview of the most significant German funding
organisations for international researchers:
https://www.research-in-germany.org/en/research-
funding/funding-organisations.html

Other issues
I would like to get some If you would like to stay in Germany for just a few months
information about a short to work on a certain topic, you have two options:
research stay in Germany
1. You can find short course at German universities in the
International Programmes Database:
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international
-programs/en/

2. You can also try to contact a German professor directly

and ask him or her if you can join his workgroup for a short
stay. In that case, you should have a research proposal
ready that you could work on during your stay.

For funding, please take a look at these short-term grants:

Short term grants

I would like to go and This career path can be followed through the so called
perform some part of my “sandwich programme”. model” programmes. The aim of this
PhD research in Germany, programme is to promote doctoral degrees at the home
being enrolled in my university with integrated research phases in Germany. The
doctoral degrees are supervised both by a university teacher at
home country?
the home university and an academic adviser at the host institute
in Germany. The doctorate is completed in the home country
under the supervision of the German academic adviser.
What if expected results
are not achieved by the
end of PhD?
Is it mandatory to finish
Master with thesis in order
to begin Ph.D. or it is also
possible to do Ph.D. after
a non-thesis Master track?
Can we use DAAD grants
or Humboldt programmes
to apply for industrial
research positions or it is
dedicated only for
institutes and universities ?
In order to apply to
postdoc should we
propose a project or
apply to specific project?
Is there any age restriction No. There is no age restriction. What is more important is
to study a PhD?
Is it that only a few
universities can be
approached for individual
doctoral degrees?
Normally you start with a hypothesis and if the expected
results are not being achieved, this is also a result of the
research. There are of course different procedures within
the subject areas. In natural sciences, you will research in
the laboratory and in humanities f.e. you depend on the
available sources. If the sources, you have expected to find
don’t exist – then the topic should be modified or the
research should be cancelled. In any case, you will receive
guidance by your academic supervisor how to proceed if
you are stuck in a blind alley.
This depends on the politics of each university or research
institution and on the professor, you choose as supervisor. If
you can convince through your research proposal and win
a supervisor, this is possible. More and more universities in
Germany are also offering combined master and PhD
degree programmes, which are very competitive.
The grants are meant for research at universities or research
institutes. The research positions at companies are in most
cases paid positions.
Both ways are possible.
how long have you been out of academia, if you haven’t
continued with your academic career right after your
master’s degree. There is no rule regarding the position
itself. Every professor decides who he or she wants to offer
the PhD position. Regarding scholarships there are rules,
which should be checked on the websites of the funding
organisations. At DAAD applications for a PhD scholarship
will be rejected for “formal” reasons, if the last degree
(master’s degree) was achieved longer than 6 years ago.
Normally all universities can be approached for PhD,
except the universities of applied sciences. They do not
offer PhD programmes in all areas. You will find the
appropriate information on each university’s website.
How do you differentiate
between basic and
applied research?
For Phd students, is part
time work allowed to fund
the studies?
Do you recognize
distance learning degree?
Do one have a job
perspective after a PhD?
Which are the
institutes/organization
involved in Industrial PhD?
Is it possible to take skype
interview for DAAD
schlorship?
Is the DAAD scholarship
incompatible with the
funding offered by
german universities?
Basic Research refers to the study that is aimed at
expanding the existing base of scientific knowledge.
Applied Research is the research that is designed to solve
specific practical problems or answer certain questions.
It depends on the visa regulation for your country. You
have to check with the Germany embassy in your home
country first. Sometimes you have a limit of working days
per year with a student visa. Taking up a job next to your
PhD studies should also be approved by your supervisor at
the host university. In most cases professors would advise
you to rather look for funding.
Theoretically: yes. Once you find a host institution, where
you want to carry out your PhD, you should contact the
international office and check back, as all institutions
decide for themselves. But what can be said in general is,
that if you apply for a PhD position the proposal is very
important. Once you convince a professor of your research
idea, other requirements can most of the be discussed.
germany
The DAAD has country specific application processes which
can be found in the DAAD’s funding-guide here: Funding
Guide. Please select your home country and go to section
application procedure. The best consultant for the
application procedure is the DAAD branch in your home
country. The contact details can also be found following the
path described above.
As a rule, it is not possible to receive two “German”
scholarships. You will have to choose between the two.
Where do Supervisors
publish open Phd
positions?
Are there Postdoc Funding There is a variety of possibilities to fund a PostDoc. with an
Opportunities available individual fellowship. F.e. universities and research
for people who want to institutions offer paid positions. Depending on the time you
apply when they are in have already passed in Germany you can also apply for
Germany and not in their the funding schemes of DAAD and AvH (the limit differs
home countries? from 6-15 months residency in Germany). The other options
is the European “Marie Curie” scholarship:
https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/actions/individ
ual-fellowships_en

Further you should check the DFG website for project

related funding, where you would not only receive funding
for your own position, but for the project itself. More
information can be found here:
http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/faq/faq_emmy
_noether/index.html
Do you offer any training Most of the universities have implemented the so called
programs or workshops in “career centres” for such a purpose. You should find more
order to strengthen their information on the universities’ websites regarding this topic.
research abilities before
getting admitted into
university?
Can I get a funding both Yes, foreign scholarships are treated like additional income,
from DAAD and my which you are generally allowed to have up to a limit of
country? 450 Euros per month, without consequences to the DAAD
scholarship. If your home country scholarship exceeds
450,00 Euros per month, the DAAD scholarship has to be
reduced by the amount, that exceeds the limit. (EU funding
schemes have to be checked separately (!), as Germany is
part of the EU and is therefore one of the sponsors of these
scholarships. Check back with your DAAD scholarship
advisor asap).
How about the research
support after postdoc in
Germany if you want to
stay in acedemia?
Is a contract system better
than stipend for a PhD.
student?
Is it common partnerships
between universities and
industry?
Is there any preference
within the universities
between the doctorate
programs structured and
those that are developed
with a tutor?
What about postdoc,
especially for nationalities
under threat such as
Libyans, Syrians etc.?
Detailed information can be found here:
http://www.research-in-germany.org/en/jobs-and-
careers/info-for-postdocs-and-junior-researchers.html
http://www.research-in-germany.org/en/jobs-and-
careers/info-for-postdocs-and-junior-researchers/career-
paths/path-to-professorship.html
There is no “yes” or “no” answer to that, as in the end
“financially speaking” you get a similar net amount out of
both arrangements. The scholarship is tax free- Along with
most scholarships you get the health-care insurance for free
and additional allowances like rent subsidies and so on. If
you have a work contract you have to pay all costs from
the gross income and pay the federal tax. It may though
have an effect for a later residency.
Absolutely Especially if you conduct a PhD at a company,
you will have one supervisor at the company and one at a
partner university, as the degree will be awarded by the
university. There are also many collaborations in applied
sciences between universities and companies. You see also
many start-ups arising originally from university research.
Also, big companies are sponsoring professorships at
universities, like for example the Vodafone chair for Mobile
Communications Systems at TU Dresden. Here you can see
how the job offers look for PhD and Postdocs in this
example: https://mns.ifn.et.tu-
dresden.de/Chair/Pages/Jobs.aspx
No, there is no preference, but not all research institutes
within the universities offer structured programmes.
Please check the information on our website:
https://www.daad.de/der-daad/fluechtlinge/en/
https://www.daad.de/der-
daad/fluechtlinge/infos/en/46510-hopes-higher-and-
further-education-opportunities-and-perspectives-for-syrians/
Whats the expected 3-4 years
duration of a PhD project?
What are the universities
better to be apply for life
sciences?
Already doing Ph.D
research on your own in
Germany, can this help with
the application for a
scholarship or get in the
way?
How easy is to change
pillars, for example if you
did a PhD in a Uni is easy
to change to a Fraunhofer
institute?
There is no such ranking available, because there is no
need for it. All universities meet the requirements and
standards for high quality research. For an applicant it is
more important to find an institution, that offers research in
your specific area.
No. All applications will be reviewed the same way using
the same criteria by the selection committee. There is no
advantage.
It is possible to change pillars if you find a supervisor who
would support your project.
Try to find a counterpart in Fraunhofer (concerning your
research field) and get in contact with him/her. You can
find conjoint funding opportunities together with the
Fraunhofer partner.

I am DAAD student in Yes, there is funding available for all nationalities. Check
Benin (Africa). Just want to the funding schemes here:
know if it possible to have
mobility grant in
Germany?
I am a Libyan who did Most of the funding schemes are open to all disciplines.
Master and PhD in
France, My specialisation
is interdiscipline, I
defended my thesis in
Feburary 2018. My
question is what type of
fund for Postdoc in the
field of Substation
communication (smart
Grid)?
I am currently undergoing No. The funding is meant for carrying out your research in
my masters by dissertation Germany.
on health policy and
integration of rehabilitation
services. Can I get
funding from Germany for
my study here in
Johannesburg, South
Africa?
In such field as medicine Yes. But, not only to be able to read primary documents.
German language might Maybe you will have to speak with patients also during
be needed? - In order to your research and not all patients have English skills.
be able to deal with
primary documents?
Is Postdoctoral Please check the requirements and options here and
Researchers International contact the colleagues in charge:
Mobility Experience
(P.R.I.M.E.) only for post- https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenban
docs currently in Germany k/en/37547-prime-faqs/
who want to spend some
time abroad, or can a
post-doc say in the US
apply to it to spend a
year doing research in
Germany?
When do PhD's typically At most universities the academic year starts in October. At
start in Germany, September some universities like f.e. at University of Mannheim, the
or January? academic year starts in September. This is relevant if you
want to apply for funding with the funding organisations.
They require you to start with the academic year. For the
universities, this is not so relevant. You can start upon
agreement with your supervisor.
Would I be refused visa No, you wouldn’t.
because I do not
understand the German
language?
Can I continue to work
and live in Switzerland
and find a
supervisor/university in
Germany to start a PhD
fully online, or blended
(with occassional visits
through the year) in
Germany?
Are there opportunities for
people with Bachelor
degree?
If I have not published the
academic paper yet, will
it be a barrier for me to
apply the doctoral
position in Germany
Depends on your German supervisor, if he or she agrees,
there should be no problem. It is different if you seek
funding from German organisations. Then you need to
reside in the town, where the host university is situated and
ask for permission if you want to leave for longer than one
week (in case of DAAD scholarships).
Sometimes professors admit students to a “fast track” PhD
programme. Generally, a master’s degree is required to be
admitted to a PhD programme in Germany.
No, it won’t. Publications are not expected at this early
stage of your academic career.
Useful Links:

Philipp Schwartz Initiative: https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/philipp-schwartz-initiative-en.html