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8 Funded PhD Scholarships in Germany 2027 | University of Bamberg
8 Funded PhD Scholarships at University of Bamberg 2027
5 min read
Updated
NBy Naman Kumar
Page Summary⌄
Eight PhD scholarships are available at the University of Bamberg in labour, inequality and social-science research.
Funding: €1,650/month scholarship + €100/month research allowance, with a possible health-insurance subsidy and family allowances.
Additional position: Each recipient is offered a 10% TV-L E13 university position.
Duration: Three years from November 2027, with extensions possible in justified cases.
Stage 1 deadline: 7 November 2026; final Hans Böckler Foundation application deadline: 2 May 2027.
Table of Contents
The University of Bamberg and Hans Böckler Foundation are offering up to eight funded PhD scholarships for the new doctoral programme Arbeit: Qualität und Machtressourcen (“Work: Quality and Power Resources”) in Germany.
Selected doctoral researchers receive €1,650 per month plus a €100 monthly research allowance, giving total regular scholarship support of €1,750 per month. Each scholarship holder is also offered an additional 10% TV-L E13 position at the University of Bamberg.
Funding starts in November 2027 and normally lasts three years. The first application stage closes on 7 November 2026.
PhD Scholarship at a Glance
Information
Details
Programme
Arbeit: Qualität und Machtressourcen
Scholarships available
Up to 8
University
University of Bamberg
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Naman Kumar has lived in Germany for over eight years and has spent more than five years helping international students navigate German universities, courses, scholarships, and admissions. Having studied in Germany himself and received scholarship support, he combines first-hand experience with practical guidance. He has supported more than 200 students in finding suitable study and funding opportunities in Germany.
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Funding organisation
Hans Böckler Foundation
Location
Bamberg, Germany
Fields
Sociology, economics, economic and social history, labour research
Scholarship
€1,650/month
Research allowance
€100/month
Additional position
10% TV-L E13
Funding duration
3 years
Start
November 2027
Stage 1 deadline
7 November 2026
Final HBS deadline
2 May 2027
The doctoral programme is integrated into the Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences and is funded jointly by the Hans Böckler Foundation and University of Bamberg.
What is the “Arbeit: Qualität und Machtressourcen” PhD programme?
The doctoral programme investigates why people experience different levels of job and work quality and how employees can influence their working conditions.
Research topics include questions around:
- employment and job security - wages and income - training and professional development - working-time autonomy - occupational health - work-life balance - trade unions and employee representation - co-determination - employee power resources - social and economic inequality
The programme examines these issues during major changes in labour markets and society and uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including longitudinal and multilevel approaches.
The programme also cooperates with organisations such as the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories and the DGB Good Work Index.
How much funding does the PhD provide?
Selected doctoral researchers currently receive:
€1,650 per month basic doctoral scholarship , plus €100 per month research allowance
This gives regular scholarship support of €1,750 per month.
Recipients may additionally receive:
- up to €100 per month toward health insurance - family allowances where applicable - a 10% TV-L E13 position at the University of Bamberg.
The standard scholarship period is three years. An extension may be possible in justified cases.
The official page does not state the exact gross salary attached to the 10% TV-L E13 position.
Who can apply?
Applicants should have, or complete before entering the doctoral programme, a relevant Master's degree that qualifies them for doctoral study.
The programme is particularly relevant to graduates from areas such as:
- sociology - economics - labour and industrial relations - economic and social history - political economy - inequality research - related social-science disciplines
The proposed dissertation must fit the research programme on work quality and employee power resources.
Hans Böckler Foundation doctoral funding also requires applicants to demonstrate strong academic ability and trade-union or socio-political engagement. The Foundation states that applications without such engagement are unlikely to succeed.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. For Hans Böckler Foundation doctoral funding, applicants must generally not yet have reached the age of 40 at the relevant application deadline.
Limited exceptions exist for certain trade-union members, but these should not be assumed to apply generally.
Can international students apply?
International applicants are not automatically excluded, but Hans Böckler Foundation rules add important conditions.
Applicants without a German passport can apply for doctoral funding if they: - are admitted to a doctoral programme at a German university, and - have a permanent residence in Germany at the time of application.
The University of Bamberg call itself does not publish a separate nationality restriction. International applicants should therefore verify that they meet the Hans Böckler Foundation's residence and doctoral-admission requirements before completing the final application.
The Foundation also allows research proposals to be submitted in English. However, an English proposal must additionally include a German summary of no more than two A4 pages.
What documents are required?
For Stage 1, applicants must submit:
- CV - degree certificates - academic transcript or grade overview - approximately 2,000-word research proposal.
The proposal should describe the planned doctoral research and clearly explain how it fits the research programme Arbeit: Qualität und Machtressourcen.
Planning further study or research in Germany?
Explore German universities and programmes related to sociology, economics and social sciences.
Applicants selected through this preparatory stage receive support in developing their proposal for the formal Hans Böckler Foundation application.
Stage 2 — Apply through the Hans Böckler Foundation
Candidates progressing from Stage 1 submit the complete doctoral scholarship application through the Hans Böckler Foundation online portal.
The final application deadline is: 2 May 2027
The research proposal is then assessed by external academic reviewers as part of the Foundation's selection process.
Application Timeline
Stage
Date
Stage 1 application
By 7 November 2026
Proposal preparation / pre-selection
2026–27
Final HBS application
By 2 May 2027
Scholarship start
November 2027
Standard funding period
3 years
Applicants should not wait until May 2027 if they want to join this specific doctoral programme. The University of Bamberg's 7 November 2026 Stage 1 deadline is the relevant first step.
How are applicants selected?
The programme evaluates applicants based on their academic profile, proposed research project and fit with the doctoral programme.
Hans Böckler Foundation additionally considers: - academic quality - quality and relevance of the research proposal - socio-political relevance of the research - trade-union or social/political engagement.
For structured doctoral programmes, the Foundation applies the same general selection criteria used for its individual doctoral scholarships.
Important things to know before applying
This is not only a grades-based scholarship. Social or trade-union engagement is an important Hans Böckler Foundation selection criterion.
The application has two deadlines. The first is 7 November 2026 for the University of Bamberg preparatory selection. The 2 May 2027 deadline applies to the subsequent formal Hans Böckler Foundation application.
Funding begins much later. Successful applicants are expected to begin scholarship funding in November 2027.
The additional 10% TV-L E13 position is separate from the scholarship. The exact salary is not published on the programme page.
