heiDOCS Doctoral Initiative – Apply now!
Purpose
Prerequisites for an application
Application deadlines
Amount
Good to know
FAQs/ Guidelines for applying for a grant to support a doctoral initiative
Application Procedure and Forms
- Are you a doctoral candidate at Heidelberg University who would like to plan a scientific/academic event with other doctoral fellows? Would you like to exchange and discuss your research ideas with your fellow young researchers?
- Do you lack opportunities to establish research contacts and build up an academic network in your everyday life? Would you like to gain more experience in academic event management?
If so, why not apply for a grant for a doctoral initiative through the Graduate Academy heiDOCS funding program for doctoral candidates at Heidelberg University!
Purpose
Prerequisites for an application
- you have successfully completed a university degree that entitles you to pursue a doctoral degree (In Germany, this is usually a Diplom, Magister or master's degree)
-
you have been officially admitted to one of the 13 Faculties at Heidelberg University*
-
the application must be submitted by at least two doctoral candidates who have separate supervisors or who are part of two different working groups/research groups.
-
the planned doctoral initiative must take place at Heidelberg University.
Application deadlines
Please note that this also applies if the deadline falls on the weekend or a public holiday.
Important:
- The doctoral initiative should take place within one year after the approval of the grant.
- The grant can only be awarded for events that take place according to the dates and deadlines given above. The grant cannot be approved for events that already took place.
- We will not consider applications submitted after the deadline or incomplete applications. An application is incomplete if documents are missing or if significant information is missing from the application form.
Amount
The following expenses can be covered by through the grant:
- fees, travel expenses and accommodations for external trainers and guest speakers
- rent for event spaces
Please note: In the Käthe Leichter Forum various workstations and event spaces are available for use by doctoral candidates. Since only a limited number of rooms are available, reservations are necessary and it is advisable to make a reservation as early as possible.
- materials (e.g. for posters, brochures, flyers, programs)
- catering (hospitality expenses) in adherence with the budgetary guidelines of Heidelberg University (website is only available in German)
- short-term employment of student assistants (Hiwis) for the doctoral initiative
The grant does not cover:
- hardware, devices or technical equipment
- other infrastructural acquisitions
Good to know
- You are not legally entitled to funding.
- The awards notifications are sent out via postal mail after the entire evaluation process is completed; this process takes about 8 weeks after each application deadline.
- We will not consider applications received after the deadline or incomplete applications.
- If you are unable to carry out the planned initiative, you will automatically forfeit your award.
- Please contact the Graduate Academy as soon as possible if you have to postpone the initiative or if there are other changes. A decision will be made on a case-to-case basis as to whether the grant approval can be upheld in the new situation.
- The organizers are specifically requested to ensure that the planned event is in line with the mission statement and principles of Heidelberg University.
FAQs/ Guidelines for applying for a grant to support a doctoral initiative
GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
When should we apply?
Application deadlines are February 15, June 15 and October 15 of every year. You must submit a complete application by the relevant deadline in order to be considered for funding. Please note that this also applies if the deadline falls on the weekend or a public holiday.
Important:
- You must apply for the grant before the doctoral initiatives takes place. Additionally, a grant can not be approved retroactively for a doctoral initiative that has taken place before the awards decision is made. Therefore, we recommend that you take not of the deadlines and plan accordingly.
- We will not consider applications submitted after the deadline or incomplete applications. An application is incomplete if documents are missing or if significant information in missing from the application form.
What is considered in the selection process and who awards the funding?
The following criteria are decisive for the selection process:
- academic qualification of the applicants
- quality of the research projects
- relevance and necessity of the doctoral initiative for the qualification phase
- mentor's evaluation
The grants will be awarded by a selection committee of the Council for Graduate Studies (CfGS) / a selection committee appointed by the CfGS. If necessary, the faculty will be consulted.
How much is the funding?
A grant will cover the cost of a doctoral initiative up to a maximum of 2,500 Euro. The amount of the grant will be based on the total cost of the initiative that is indicated on the application form.
Can I apply for more than one grant simultaneously?
Yes. If you apply for more than one doctoral initiative grant at the same time, you need to submit a complete and separate application for each initiative.
How do we know if the Graduate Academy has received our application?
Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to automatically notify each applicant that their application has been received. If you want to check on the status of your application, please send an email to: ga-docs@uni-heidelberg.
Please note that we will not consider incomplete applications.
When will we be notified of the decision regarding our application?
The awards notifications are sent out after the entire evaluation process is completed; this process takes about 8 weeks after each application deadline.
It is not possible to inform you about the results of your application before all evaluations are completed.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION FORM
Who is going to read our application?
Your application will be reviewed by evaluators who are both from your research field as well as outside your field. Therefore, it is important to present your project in a way that can be understood by experts who are unfamiliar with your field.
What do we need to consider when filling out the application form?
Please fill out the application form electronically; do not handwrite your application. In order to ensure that the electronic forms work with all versions of the Adobe software, we strongly recommend that you first download and save the empty application form on your computer and then fill the form out and save it again.
Please use an Apple or Windows operating system to fill out the forms. The forms are not compatible with a Linux system.
Please use only the space provided in the existing fields on the application forms. The evaluators will not be able to read any text that extends beyond the existing limits of the fields.
Please do not change the formatting of the fields on the application forms.
Please send the application documents as separate attachments in your email. You do not need to merge the various documents into one PDF-file.
Do we need to submit any additional documents (e.g. publication lists, CV, etc.)?
The application procedure and required application documents are indicated in detail here. Additional documents that are not listed on the website such as publication lists, literature lists, or CVs will not be sent to the evaluators.
We do not know exactly how much the doctoral initiative will cost. Which expenses do we enter on the application form?
If you do not yet know your exact expenses, enter your best estimate on the application form. Please be aware that if you receive the grant for the doctoral initiative, the amount awarded in the grant will be based on these expenses and the maximum funding amount for a doctoral initiative of 2.500 Euro.
It will not be possible to claim more than the amount you enter on the application form.
Why do we have to specify a person or an institute that will handle the financial administration?
For administrative reasons, all applications or contracts that are required in the context of your doctoral initiative (e.g. guest lecture/internship contracts, travel expense applications) will be managed by your institute (e.g. the institute/chair of the mentor of your doctoral initiative).
Therefore, when a grant is approved, the grant amount will be paid out to the institute that has agreed to carry out the budgetary administration of the doctoral initiative. Please clarify in advance who will take over these administrative tasks and who will be the contact person for the Graduate Academy with regard to the financial processes.
Due to the university's budgetary rules, the grant cannot be paid out directly to the applicant.
What is meant by "external funding" and why are we asked about it?
"External funding" refers to funds that you have received from an external funding organization (e.g. Begabtenförderungswerke, other funding organizations) for the planned doctoral initiative. The fact that you have been awarded external funding can be of advantage to you in the evaluation process. For example, the receipt of an external grant will be treated as a prize or distinction on your part.
Who can issue the evaluation form for our application?
The evaluation form for your application must be issued and submitted to the Graduate Academy by the mentor of your planned doctoral initiative. This may or may not be one of your doctoral supervisors. The mentor should be familiar with your academic qualifications and be informed about the content of the planned doctoral initiative.
If it is not possible for your mentor or doctoral supervisor to fill out the evaluation form for you (e.g. due to illness, parental leave etc.), you can ask another professor in your subject area who is familiar with you and your project to evaluate your application and complete the form for you.
Please note that the evaluations are to be treated confidentially and must be sent by your mentor directly to the Graduate Academy: ga-docs@uni-heidelberg.de.
Please be aware that the application deadlines also pertain to the receipt of the evaluation form.
QUESTIONS ON THE PROCEDURE AFTER APPROVAL OF THE DOCTORAL INITIATIVE
How is the grant paid out?
If a grant is approved, the approved amount will be paid directly to the institute that has agreed to take over the budgetary administration of the doctoral initiative (see the online registration form).
The institute will act on behalf of the main applicant for the financial management of the doctoral initiative and, if applicable, will employ any student assistants. The institute will administer the grant funding (e.g. paying travel expenses for external guest speakers, paying for materials, etc.). The use of the grant incurred by a doctoral is governed by the budgetary rules of Heidelberg University and the guidelines of the heiDOCs program.
The institute is required to send the Graduate Academy proof of the total expenses that were covered by the grant (Verwendungsnachweis) no later than 2 months after the doctoral initiative has been completed. If the total expenses come to less than the grant payment, the institute must reimburse the difference to the Graduate Academy. If the actual expenses exceed the maximum grant amount indicated in the awards notification, the difference cannot be covered by the grant or by the heiDOCs funding program.
What happens to our grant if we cannot carry out the initiative?
The grant is not transferable to another person or a different activity or event. Therefore, if you are unable to carry out the planned initiative, you will automatically forfeit your award.
What happens to our grant if we have to postpone the initiative or make other fundamental changes?
In this case you must contact the Graduate Academy as soon as possible in order to notify us of the changes. A decision will be made on a case-to-case basis as to whether the grant approval can be upheld in the new situation.
Application Procedure and Forms
The application deadlines are February 15, June 15 and October 15 of every year. Please complete the following three steps to apply for a grant for a doctoral initiative within the heiDOCS funding program of the Graduate Academy:
1. Fill out and submit the ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM
2. Submit the APPLICATION FORM (PDF) and accompanying documents to the Graduate Academy: ga-docs@uni-heidelberg.de
To be submitted:
- Application form (PDF). The application form must be filled out by both applicants together.
- A copy of the letter of admission as a doctoral candidate to your faculty (Annahme als Doktorand:in) or your enrollment certificate (with the intended degree "Promotion m. Abschlusspfrg.") to Heidelberg University for each applicant.
- A copy of the university degree that qualifies you for your doctoral training (i.e. master's degree) for each applicant. This document must indicate your final grade.
- If applicable, please submit a copy of the approval letter for external funding.
Please attach your documents separately to the email; it is not necessary to combine them into one PDF.
3. Ask your mentor to submit the EVALUATION FORM (PDF)
Your mentor must submit the evaluation form directly to the Graduate Academy via email by the same deadline that applies to your application: ga-docs@uni-heidelberg.de
If it is not possible for your mentor or doctoral supervisor to fill out the evaluation form for you (e.g. due to illness, parental leave etc.), you can ask another professor in your subject area who is familiar with you and your project to evaluate your application and complete the form for you.
Please note: The evaluation is to be treated confidentially by your mentor.
