Travel broadens the mind – particularly so within the research community. To help support their research work, TU Berlin offers its doctoral candidates a number of funding options for stays abroad. We provide information on the most important topics here - additionally we usually organize an event on these topics once a year as part of the International Week at TU Berlin.
The research database ELFI provides you with the opportunity to independently search for travel scholarships tailored to your own requirements.
No matter how good they are, academic findings only achieve impact when published or made public. This includes the presentation of your findings at national and international conferences and workshops. You can apply to the DAAD’s Kongress- und Forschungsreisenprogramm for funding international research trips and participating in conferences abroad. You need to apply at least four months prior to the conference you wish to attend. Details, including options for obtaining funding to present findings abroad and attend international conferences, can be found on the DAAD website.
The DAAD database also provides information about other funding options. You may apply at any time for DAAD funding, but your applications must be received fours months before the start of the conference you wish to attend.
TU Berlin funds trips to attend conferences and congresses. Applications are welcome from all doctoral candidates and (employed) postdocs at TU Berlin. If no budgetary or third-party funds are available in your field at TU Berlin to finance travel, you can apply to the Center for Junior Scholars for grants for active participation in conferences, provided that an active support culture is demonstrated. If you wish to apply for a travel grant, please contact the Center for Junior Scholars as early as possible. There are no fixed application deadlines.
Funding is primarily provided for active participation (e.g. presentation of a poster or paper) at a conference. In special cases, participation without a contribution of one's own can also be supported if it is particularly relevant to the doctorate. The prerequisite is a connection to the topic of the doctorate and proof of a lived culture of supervision in the sense of the doctoral agreement made in advance between the supervisor and the doctoral candidate. These requirements apply similarly to postdocs. There should be a reference to the qualification goal of the postdoctoral employment and evidence of the pursuit of the qualification goal, such as minutes, should be submitted. In addition, it must be assured that no other funds from the department's budget, project funds or funds from Graduate Programmes are available.
The amount of funding is up to 800.00 euros and is calculated on the basis of the reimbursable costs for travel, accommodation and daily allowance according to the guidelines of the Federal Travel Expenses Act or the TU Berlin. Please consult the guidelines for information on maximum limits, etc., and also note that you are now allowed to use the more ecological means of transport (the train) even if this leads to additional costs, e.g. compared to using a plane.
The mere participation can be subsidised up to a maximum of 200.00 euros.
As a rule, travel support is only granted once per person and year.
Before applying, please also inform yourself about further funding, especially within the framework of the DAAD's Lecture Travel and Congress Travel Programme (see above).
We also recommend reading the CJS Guide to International Mobility. (see above)
If you would like to apply for a TU Berlin travel grant,
you need to submit the following documents, initially by email:
The Center for Junior Scholars may also require you to submit a hard copy of your application documents.
Should your funding be approved, you are required to submit a brief report to the Center for Junior Scholars on your participation in the conference (1 page maximum), including details of your own contribution and the conference’s academic benefits for your doctorate or research project.
Nice to know:
Limited funding is also available from the Society of Friends of the TU Berlin for travel to conferences and congresses.
Only for Germans: With funds from the Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office), the DAAD provides funding for lecture trips at the invitation of foreign scientific institutions.
The program is intended to enable scientists to accept written invitations from foreign colleagues to present their own scientific work outside of congresses and conferences.
Short stays abroad for teaching purposes at partner universities of TU Berlin in Europe can be funded through the European Union’s ERASMUS program. Applications can be submitted to the University’s Department of International Affairs (International Projects). For further details, please refer to the "Dozentenmobilität” prospectus.
Please refer to scholarshipportal.eu for scholarship programs in Europe.
A number of institutes offer programs to support long-term study and research stays abroad. Levels of support vary from program to program and different selection procedures, application criteria, and deadlines apply. Depending on the program, the duration of a stay is generally between three and twelve months. Detailed information can be found on the following websites:
A number of partial scholarships funded by the DAAD’s PROMOS program are available to TU Berlin doctoral candidates wishing to attend short courses (subject-related) or language courses abroad.
Applications for scholarships for short courses can be submitted at any time. These courses must include a teaching element and can be funded for periods of at least five days and up to six weeks. Stays abroad can be funded for language courses lasting between three weeks and six months. For both categories, funding is only available for courses at state universities abroad. Online-formats cannot be funded.
Funding can be obtained as a partial scholarship to cover subsistence costs of up to EUR 300-500 per month as well as a lump sum of EUR 500 to cover any course fees. Once an application has been approved by the selection committee, the exact sum will be calculated on the basis of the documents submitted.
Requirements for application
Applications are welcome from doctoral candidates at TU Berlin (either doctoral students or members of staff). Applications can be submitted at any time (provided funding is available). Please contact us before submitting an application.
Application documents
The following documents should be initially submitted by email:
TU Berlin’s central doctoral regulations include the option of completing a binational doctorate via a cotutelle procedure. This refers to the awarding of a joint doctorate obtained by completing a doctoral thesis at two universities. The title of doctor is awarded in the form recognized in each country. For example, the title of Dr.rer.nat is awarded in Germany and a PhD in the United Kingdom.
TU Berlin currently maintains framework agreements for joint doctorates with the following universities:
For general information relating to cotutelle agreements, please refer to the website of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK). If you are interested in doing a joint doctorate, please discuss this with your supervisor and contact the relevant person in your faculty service center.
Support is provided for visiting lecturers at partner universities in Erasmus+ program countries and partner countries. Guest lecturers should strengthen the European dimension of the host university through their stay, complement its teaching offer and impart their expertise to students who do not want to or cannot study abroad. Here you can find all information about the program, it is coordinated by the International Office.
Who can apply?
The program is open to all employees of a university: from trainees to the president.
What is funded?
Recipients receive...
- destination country-dependent, financial subsidies for their stay abroad,
- support in the preparation and implementation of the stay abroad (cultural, linguistic, organizational),
- if necessary, special grants for participants with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Activity formats
- job observations
- job shadowing
- Study visits
- Participation in curriculum development (lecturers)
- Participation in workshops and seminars
- Participation in language courses
The program is coordinated by the Department of International Affairs. For further information see here.