The glass-walled European Parliament Paul Henri-Spaak building facade in Brussels.

Germany Rolling — individual positions are advertised year-round on institute and Leibniz job portals as projects are funded

Leibniz Association Funded PhD Positions

The Leibniz Association is a network of 96 independent research institutes across Germany spanning the sciences, humanities, economics, and environmental research. Like most German doctorates, a Leibniz PhD is an employee position — not a tuition scholarship — so we frame it honestly: you are hired on a salaried doctoral contract (commonly a 65-75% TV-L E13 public-sector salary) while you complete your doctorate, usually awarded by a partner university. For Sri Lankan Master's graduates this is one of the best-paid research routes into Germany: you earn a real German salary, accrue social security, and pay no tuition. Positions are advertised individually on each institute's careers page and the Leibniz job portal.

Leibniz Association (96 research institutes across Germany)

External Organization-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Pay

Salaried (~TV-L E13, 65-75% typical)

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Duration

3-4 years (project-linked contract)

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Type

Employment contract (social security included)

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Fields

Sciences, humanities, economics, environment

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Relevant Master's Degree

A strong Master's (or equivalent) in a field matching the advertised project. Sri Lankan applicants with a research-oriented Master's and a solid thesis are competitive for science and social-science posts.

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Fit to a Funded Project

Unlike open scholarships, you apply to a specific advertised PhD position tied to a funded research project. Your background must match the project's methods and topic.

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English (often sufficient)

Many Leibniz institutes work in English, especially in the natural sciences. Each advert states its language requirement; some humanities posts expect German.

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Application Package

CV, motivation letter, transcripts, Master's thesis or writing sample, and references — submitted directly to the hiring institute, not through a central scholarship body.

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Open to Internationals

Positions are open to applicants worldwide, including Sri Lankans. The hiring institute supports your research-visa application once you accept the contract.

account_tree Application Process

Find an advertised PhD position

Search the Leibniz Association job portal and individual institute careers pages for doctoral vacancies in your field. Each post lists the project, supervisor, salary band, and deadline.

Tailor your application

Write a motivation letter explaining your fit to that specific project, attach your CV, transcripts, thesis abstract, and arrange references. Generic applications are screened out quickly.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates are interviewed (usually online for international applicants) by the supervisor and project team. Be ready to discuss methods and your Master's research in depth.

Contract and relocation

On selection you sign an employment contract and the institute's HR team supports your German research-visa and relocation. There is no separate tuition fee to fund.

About the Leibniz Association

The Leibniz Association brings together 96 research institutes employing over 20,000 people, addressing questions of societal relevance from quantum physics to economics. A Leibniz doctorate combines institute-grade research infrastructure with a university degree and a German public-sector salary — a strong, honestly-paid alternative to scholarship-only routes.