Humboldt University of Berlin (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) offers doctoral researchers several funding opportunities through its research institutes, graduate programmes, and external scholarship partnerships. For international PhD applicants, two particularly relevant university-linked opportunities are the Jameel Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship and the Law & Society Doctoral Scholarships funded by DAAD.
Here are 2 important PhD scholarship opportunities at Humboldt University of Berlin:
- Jameel Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
- Law & Society Doctoral Scholarships – DAAD
1. Jameel Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
The Jameel Fellowship supports doctoral candidates from the Arab world who pursue doctoral research in natural and life sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin. According to HU Berlin’s current research portal, the university awards two scholarships annually in fields including Computer Science, Mathematics, Biology/Biomedicine, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, and Agricultural Science.
Benefits
- €1,450 per month
- Funding for 3 years
- Additional material expenses
- Family support may be available where applicable
- Two scholarships are awarded annually
Eligibility
- Must be a doctoral candidate at Humboldt University of Berlin.
- Must be from the Arab world.
- Must pursue doctoral research in an eligible natural or life science.
- The eligible fields include Computer Science, Mathematics, Biology/Biomedicine, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, and Agricultural Science.
- Must meet the relevant doctoral admission and research requirements of Humboldt University.
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare documents normally required for doctoral admission and scholarship selection, including:
- Academic CV
- Master’s degree certificate
- Academic transcripts
- Research proposal
- Doctoral project information
- Recommendation/support from the prospective supervisor
- Other documents requested by Humboldt University
Duration
The Jameel doctoral scholarship is awarded for three years. HU Berlin lists the current 19th cohort as running from June 2026 to May 2030.
Important Note
This scholarship is not open to all international students. It specifically supports doctoral candidates from the Arab world and is restricted to the listed natural and life science fields.
2. Law & Society Doctoral Scholarships – DAAD
The Law & Society Doctoral Scholarships are offered through Humboldt University’s Integrative Research Institute Law & Society (LSI) in cooperation with the DFG Graduate School DynamInt. The programme is designed for highly qualified international students interested in interdisciplinary legal research.
The most recent published call offered two doctoral scholarships, funded through the DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Programme. The scholarship was advertised for up to four years.
Benefits
- Funding for up to 4 years
- Monthly scholarship allowance
- Funded German-language courses
- Additional scholarship benefits
- International and interdisciplinary research environment
- Doctoral research at Humboldt University of Berlin
Eligibility
- Must be an international doctoral applicant.
- Must hold a Master’s degree in Law, Social Sciences, or a related field.
- Must propose a genuinely interdisciplinary doctoral research project.
- Must meet the admission requirements for doctoral study at Humboldt University.
- Must satisfy the requirements of the DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Programme.
- Applicants are expected to develop working knowledge of German, although the programme courses are taught in English.
- The doctoral thesis can be written in English or German.
Research Areas
The Law & Society programme focuses on interdisciplinary questions concerning the role of law in addressing major challenges facing democratic societies. Research can address areas such as:
- Law and society
- Democracy
- Rule of law
- Climate change
- Populism
- Legal and political institutions
- Interdisciplinary legal research
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare:
- Master’s degree certificate
- Academic transcripts
- CV
- Research proposal
- Motivation letter
- Recommendation letters
- Evidence of academic qualifications
- Other documents specified in the relevant DAAD/HU Berlin call
Deadline
The latest published call had an application deadline of 31 January 2026 for scholarships covering 2026–2030. Therefore, this should not be presented as the confirmed 2027 deadline. Applicants interested in 2027 should wait for the next official call from the Law & Society programme.
How to Apply for a PhD at Humboldt University of Berlin
- Choose your doctoral research field.
- Identify a suitable professor, research group, or doctoral programme at Humboldt University.
- Develop a strong research proposal.
- Check the doctoral admission requirements.
- Contact a potential supervisor where required.
- Prepare your academic and scholarship documents.
- Apply for the relevant doctoral scholarship when the call opens.
- Complete the separate doctoral admission process at Humboldt University.
- If applying for a programme-specific scholarship, follow that programme’s additional requirements.
Important Points
- The Jameel Scholarship is specifically for doctoral candidates from the Arab world.
- Jameel funding is focused on selected natural and life science fields.
- Jameel provides €1,450 per month for three years, plus possible material and family support.
- The Law & Society scholarship is for international candidates interested in interdisciplinary legal research.
- The latest Law & Society call offered two scholarships for up to four years.
- The latest Law & Society deadline was January 31, 2026, so a new 2027 call must be checked before publishing a 2027 deadline.
- PhD scholarship availability can change with each annual call.
Conclusion
The Humboldt University of Berlin PhD Scholarships 2027 provide promising funding routes for international doctoral researchers. The Jameel Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship is particularly relevant to candidates from the Arab world working in natural and life sciences. At the same time, the Law & Society Doctoral Scholarships are suitable for international researchers pursuing interdisciplinary legal and social-science research.
Applicants should begin preparing their research proposal, academic documents, CV, and supervisor contacts well in advance because doctoral scholarship competitions are highly selective and application deadlines can be early.
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