How do doctorate students get funding through German Universities?
German universities provide their own funding in addition to receiving government scholarships and collaborating with research institutes. This can take a variety of forms: Doctoral students who work as research associates (wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) earn a salary in exchange for taking on additional research responsibilities in addition to their PhD. Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) in other countries are similar to academic assistantships (wissenschaftlicher Hilfskraft). Your salary will be increased in exchange for completing additional teaching and demonstration duties, as well as supervising student projects and/or grading exams. Fellowships, like a standard PhD scholarship or studentship, are funding awarded directly for PhD research. Your funding will usually come in the form of a grant or stipend for living expenses, and you will not be required to do anything in return (other than work on your PhD).
