The University of Rostock aims to ensure that obtaining an academic qualification is compatible with family responsibilities and to break down structural barriers for doctoral and post-doctoral students with family responsibilities. To achieve these goals and support young academics with family responsibilities (those bringing up children, caring for relatives, etc.), the University of Rostock is announcing the grant programme for young academics. The bridging grants and course completion grants are designed to compensate for the multiple stresses and burdens caused by extensive family obligations that result in interruptions to the process of obtaining a qualification and extensions of the time required to obtain a qualification.

Funding will be awarded to young academics who are members of the University of Rostock. Applications are open to doctoral and post-doctoral students who are outside the funding period of their previous grant or the contractual period of their qualification position because of extensive family responsibilities (pregnancy, extended parental leave, childcare, care of family members etc.) and who have no other means of extension or bridging finance. Applicants are only entitled to funding until they submit their doctoral/post-doctoral thesis. Grants are awarded for one to six months. Grants may be extended until the end of the full funding period of six months. Applications may be submitted at any time. The period between the application and decision or notification is approximately six to eight weeks. Applications for an extension must be submitted at least two weeks before the end of the grant period.

The funding levels for the grants are as follows:

• Doctoral students: €1000 per month
• Post-doctoral students: €1300 per month
• Child supplement: €150 per month (first child) or €100 per month (each additional child)

Here you can find the tender documents:

• Scholarship announcement
• Application form