DAAD Funded Doctoral Scholarships in Law & Society

About the scholarship

The DAAD-Funded Doctoral Scholarships in Law & Society at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin are fully funded research awards designed for outstanding international graduates wishing to pursue a PhD in interdisciplinary legal studies. Hosted by the Integrative Research Institute Law & Society in cooperation with the DFG Graduate School DynamInt, the programme encourages research that bridges law with social sciences and addresses contemporary legal and societal challenges. The opportunity is open to non-German citizens who hold a relevant master’s degree and have not lived in Germany for more than 15 months prior to nomination.

Graduate scholars receive a comprehensive support package that includes a generous monthly stipend, travel and health insurance allowances, research funding, and additional benefits such as German language courses and family support. Successful candidates are selected through a two-step process: nomination by the Law & Society doctoral programme followed by final assessment through the DAAD system. The 2026 application deadline is January 31, 2026, with awards typically supporting up to four years of doctoral study in Berlin.

Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be international applicants without German citizenship (i.e., non-German nationals).
  Must hold a relevant Master’s degree in Law, Social Sciences, or a closely related discipline.
  Must submit a strong research proposal aligned with the Law & Society programme’s interdisciplinary themes.
  Must demonstrate excellent academic qualifications relevant to interdisciplinary legal research.
  The last Master’s exam must have been completed within the past six years.
  Must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months before nomination.
  Required documents include CV, motivation letter, research proposal, recommendation letters, transcripts, and language certificates.
  English proficiency is necessary; German language skills may be acquired during the programme.

Additional notes

Applicants must submit all required documents as a single PDF file (max 10 MB) via email with the subject “Application DAAD grant Law & Society” to law-and-society@hu-berlin.de by January 31, 2026. Selected candidates will be nominated by the Law & Society programme. Nominees then complete Step 2 by applying online through the DAAD portal, where the final selection is made by the DAAD committee.