Call for applications

Fast-Track Call for Applications of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences (All Departments)

With the Fast-Track Program, Universität Hamburg offers outstanding students the opportunity to begin doctoral studies after their bachelor’s degree program. The master’s degree program is integrated into the doctoral studies.^[1] Excellent academic achievements and a compelling doctoral dissertation proposal are required to qualify, along with an interest in working in academia. The program lasts 4 years in total.^[2] The Fast-Track Program is part of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskarriere (Hanseatic academic career) at Universität Hamburg, which is aimed at recognizing talented academics early in their development. The program is funded by the Excellence Strategy, a funding program financed by the federal and state governments.

Who can apply for a doctoral scholarship?

Outstanding graduates of a bachelor’s degree program who have been admitted by the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at Universität Hamburg to a master’s degree program in European and European legal studies, integrated climate system sciences, Latin American studies, Eastern European studies, or business mathematics beginning in Winter Semester 2023/24 or Winter Semester 2024/25. The master’s degree program must be relevant to your doctoral dissertation project.

Funding duration:

If you begin your master’s degree program in Winter Semester 2024/25, you will receive funding for 2 years. If you began your master’s degree program in Winter Semester 2023/24, you will receive funding for one year.

Funding start:

1 November 2024

Application deadline:

The application deadline is 31 August 2024. Applicants must submit application documents in full (detailed under “Phase one”) electronically via Docata-WiSo and on paper to the front office of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School.

Scholarship amount:

The scholarship amounts to €1,468 per month and consists of a monthly base payment of €1,365 plus another €103 monthly for materials. It also includes an extensive program of career development and networking opportunities from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences and the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA). During your scholarship phase, the HRA provides you with a travel expense subsidy of €500 per year for participation in conferences and other relevant travel within the scope of your doctoral studies.

Prerequisites and conditions:

• Pursuant to Section 3 subsection 5 of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences doctoral degree regulations (2017 version amended on 7 December 2022), applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree in a business, economics, or social science subject relevant to their doctoral studies with an overall grade of “excellent.”
• Admission to the Fast-Track Program (see “Phase one” below) can occur only following assessment by at least 2 faculty members who have completed an Habilitation or who are full-time university teachers in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences—one of which must be a professor from a discipline central to the doctoral dissertation project (see Section 3 subsection 5 Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences doctoral degree regulations, 2022).
• The Fast-Track Program involves a 2-person supervisory committee for the doctoral project. As a rule, the committee consists of university teachers from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences or faculty members with an Habilitation. At least one member of the supervisory commission must be a full-time university teacher from the faculty or faculty member with an Habilitation (see Section 5 subsection 2, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences doctoral degree regulations, 2022). The candidates themselves are responsible for finding a supervisory committee.
• The Fast-Track Program requires that, for the master’s degree program beginning in Winter Semester 2024/25, 60 ECTS credits of the respective master’s degree program will have been successfully completed by the end of the first year of funding and that the master’s degree will be successfully completed by the end of the second year of funding. For master’s degree programs beginning in Winter Semester 2023/24, you must complete your master’s degree program in the first year following the start of funding.
• After you successfully complete the Fast-Track Program, you can apply for a 24-month fixed-term E13 position. Steps toward employment will already be taken during your doctoral studies.
• Written confirmation is required from a member of the supervisory committee guaranteeing that an E13 position will be created following the end of your funding (50 percent position for 2 years), for which you can apply to complete your doctoral studies.
  
  

Application guide:

• Phase one: Admission to doctoral studies
   Applicants apply through Docata-WiSo for admission to the Fast-Track Program and send the application documents (listed below) by 31 August 2024 both electronically and on paper to the front office of the Faculty of Busniess, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School. First, the applicants register in Docata and complete the online application for admission to the doctoral procedure; when doing so, they create a PDF application file titled “Antrag auf Zulassung zum Promotionsverfahren”, upload the remaining application documents (see below), and send the application via Docata. They also need to submit their signed application on paper to the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School’s front office.
• Submit the following application documents:  
  
  • signed request for admission to the doctoral procedure
  • certified copies of bachelor’s degree certificates and transcripts or originals: degree certificate, transcript of records, diploma supplement (where available)^[3]
  • completed and signed supervisory commitment (use only the form provided on the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School website)

  • research proposal for your dissertation, which must include:

  • the line of inquiry you plan to pursue

  • an outline of your research project and approach

  • project plan and timetable

  • written approval/statement from your primary doctoral supervisor

  • tabular CV
  • where applicable, a statement that you have previously applied for admission to doctoral studies at another higher education institution, in another faculty at Universität Hamburg, or in another department of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at Universität Hamburg (with full details)
  • written assurance from a member of the supervisory committee that an E13 position will be created to fund the last 2 years of the Fast-Track Program (with at least 50 percent of the regular weekly hours) for which fast-track doctoral researchers can apply after successfully finishing their first 2 years of study (see above)— steps toward employment will already be taken during your doctoral studies
  • acceptance letter for a master’s degree program in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at Universität Hamburg related to the dissertation project and beginning in Winter Semester 2023/24 or Winter Semester 2024/25.

In phase one, the assessment process outlined above will be conducted pursuant to Section 3 subsection 5 of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences doctoral degree regulations 2022.

The successful candidates will receive an acceptance letter from the subject doctoral committee. They then enter phase two of the application process (see below). The Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School will send you an acceptance letter along with information that you have successfully completed phase one of the application process and that your application documents are being forwarded to the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) to decide on whether to award the scholarship. The supervisory committee will inform you about its deployment and the positive outcome of phase one via the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School.

Candidates who are not admitted to the Fast-Track Program will be sent a rejection letter. They will not continue through to phase two and will be withdrawn from the process at this stage. The supervisory committee will provide information about the outcome of phase one via the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School.

• Phase two: Decision on granting a doctoral scholarship
  Once you have been admitted to the Fast-Track Program, the doctoral committee responsible electronically forwards the documents below to the HRA via the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School: 
  • the candidate’s acceptance letter, which lists the conditions for admission (including the condition that the candidate must obtain a master’s degree in a subject relevant to the dissertation)
  • a ranking list (if multiple candidates have been admitted)
  • the submitted application documents

After taking a decision on the granting of the doctoral scholarship, the HRA will inform the following parties (in electronic form) of the outcome:

• the candidates who have been admitted to the Fast-Track Program (with a request to confirm acceptance of the doctoral scholarship in the case of success)
• the supervisory committee appointed by the doctoral committee responsible
• the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School’s decision on the application
  
  

If you have questions about the Fast-Track Program (phase one), contact the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Graduate School.  For questions about the call for applications, the application procedure (phase two), and general qualifications, contact Dr. Lea Pöhls(lea.eileen.poehls"AT"hra-hamburg.de).

Find further information on the Fast-Track Program website.

Applicants are responsible for the full and timely submission of their application. We ask for your understanding that late applications will be rejected for reasons of form.

Footnotes:

[1] Admission to the Fast-Track Program pursuant to the doctoral degree regulations of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at Universität Hamburg dated 18 January 2018 as amended on 7 December 2022 is granted on the condition that the applicant obtains a master’s degree in a program material to the dissertation proposal during the doctoral procedure.

[2] If you start a master’s degree program in Winter Semester 2023/24, the program runs for 3 years.

[3] If the transcripts, certificates, and diplomas are in a language other than German or English, the candidate must submit a certified translation (in German or English). Where available, the diploma, transcript of records, and diploma supplement must be submitted (the latter 2 are required for degrees obtained outside Germany).

Fast-Track Call for Applications of the Faculty of Education (all departments)

With the Fast-Track Program, Universität Hamburg offers early career researchers the opportunity to begin doctoral studies after their bachelor’s degree program. The separate master’s degree, which is usually required prior to commencing a doctoral degree, is instead integrated into the doctoral studies. Excellent academic achievements and a compelling doctoral dissertation proposal are required to qualify, along with an interest in working in academia. The program lasts 4 years in total. The Fast-Track Program is part of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskarriere (Hanseatic academic career) at Universität Hamburg, which is aimed at recognizing talented academics early in their development. The program is funded by the Excellence Strategy, a funding program financed by the federal and state governments.

Two-year scholarships will be awarded to outstanding graduates of bachelor’s degree programs with the funding period beginning on 1 November 2024.

For the Fast-Track Program, written confirmation is required from a member of the supervisory committee guaranteeing that an E13 position will be created following the end of your funding (50 percent position for 2 years), for which you can apply to complete your doctoral studies.

The application deadline is 31 August 2024. Applicants must submit their application documents in full (detailed under "Phase one") via email to graduateschool.ew"AT"uni-hamburg.de and in paper format by post to the Faculty of Education Graduate School. The application deadline can be moved back if a suitable candidate applies. The duration of the scholarship would then be shortened accordingly.

The scholarship amounts to €1,468 per month starting in Winter Semester 2024/25 and consists of a monthly base payment of €1,365 plus another €103 monthly for materials; it also includes an extensive program of career development and networking opportunities from the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA).

Application requirements and conditions

• With reference to Section 3 subsection 2 of the doctoral degree regulations of 10 October 2014, applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree in a program material to their doctoral studies with an overall grade of "excellent."
• Admission to the fast-track doctoral procedure (see phase one below) can occur only following assessment by at least 2 faculty members who have completed a Habilitation or full-time university teachers, one of whom must be a professor from a degree program central to the doctoral project (see Section 3 subsection 2 of the doctoral degree regulations).
• The Fast-Track Program requires that 60 ECTS credits of the respective master’s degree program will have been successfully completed by the end of the first year of funding and that the master’s degree will be successfully completed by the end of the second year of funding.
• After the successful completion of the fast-track scholarship program, the candidates may apply for a 24-month fixed term E13 position. Contractual employment during your doctoral studies is desirable.

Submitting the request

• Phase one: Admission to the doctoral procedure
  Applicants apply through the graduate school or doctoral committee for admission to the Fast-Track Program and send the application documents (listed below) by 31 August 2024 both electronically as a PDF file to graduateschool.ew@uni-hamburg.de and on paper to the front office of the graduate school.
  
  • signed printout of the application for admission to the doctoral procedure
  • certified copies of degree certificate(s) (bachelor’s degree): degree certificate, transcript of records, diploma supplement (where available)^[1]
  • supervisory commitments from the supervisors
  • uncertified copy of your higher education entrance eligibility
  • research proposal^[2]
  • work plan and timetable
  • copy of your identification document (e.g., ID card, passport, visa)
  • tabular CV
  • where applicable, a statement that you have previously applied for admission to doctoral studies at another higher education institution or in another faculty at Universität Hamburg (with full details)
  • informal assurance from a member of the supervisory committee or the relevant head of department that an E13 position can be created to fund the last 2 years of the fast-track doctoral studies (with at least 50 percent of the regular weekly hours) for which fast-track doctoral candidates can apply after successfully finishing their first 2 years of study (see above). Contractual employment during your doctoral studies is desirable.

In phase one, the assessment process outlined above will be conducted pursuant to Section 3 subsection 2 GW Faculty Doctoral Degree Regulations.

The successful candidates will receive an acceptance letter from the Faculty of Education Doctoral Committee. They then enter phase two of the application process (see below). The graduate school or the doctoral committee will send you an acceptance letter along with information that you have successfully completed phase one of the application process and that your application documents are being forwarded to the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) to decide on whether to award the scholarship. The supervisory committee will inform you about its deployment and the positive outcome of phase one via the graduate school or the doctoral committee.

Candidates who are not admitted to the Fast-Track Program will be sent a rejection letter. They will not continue through to phase two and will be withdrawn from the process at this stage. The supervisory committee will provide information about the outcome of phase one via the doctoral studies office for the Department of Humanities.

• Phase two: Decision on granting a doctoral scholarship
  Once you have been admitted to the Fast-Track Program, the doctoral committee electronically forwards the documents below to the HRA via the graduate school:
  
  • the candidate’s acceptance letter, which lists the conditions for admission (including the condition that the candidate must obtain a master’s degree in a humanities degree program relevant to the dissertation)
  • a ranking list (if multiple candidates have been admitted)
  • the submitted application documents

After taking a decision on the granting of the doctoral scholarship, the HRA will inform the following parties (in electronic form) of the outcome:

• the candidates who have been admitted to the Fast-Track Program (with a request to confirm acceptance of the doctoral scholarship in the case of success)
• the supervisory committee appointed by the Faculty of Education Doctoral Committee, and  
• the Faculty of Education Graduate School’s decision on the application.

Contact the graduate school for any questions about the Fast-Track Program (phase one).

For questions about the call for applications, the application procedure (phase two), and general qualifications, contact Dr. Lea Pöhls at lea.eileen.poehls"AT"hra-hamburg.de.

Find further information on the Fast-Track Program website.

Applicants are responsible for the full and timely submission of their application. We ask for your understanding that late applications will be rejected for reasons of form.

Footnotes

^[1] If the transcripts, certificates, and diplomas are in a language other than German or English, the candidate must submit a certified translation (in German or English). Where available, the diploma, transcript of records, and diploma supplement must be submitted (the latter 2 are required for degrees obtained outside Germany).

^[2] including the title / working title and summary of the doctoral proposal (max 2 pages)

Fast-Track Call for Applications of the Faculty of Humanities

With the Fast-Track Program, Universität Hamburg offers early career researchers the opportunity to begin doctoral studies after their bachelor’s degree program. The separate master’s degree that is usually required is instead integrated into the doctoral studies^[1]. Excellent academic achievements and a compelling doctoral dissertation proposal are required to qualify, along with an interest in working in academia. The program lasts 4 years in total. The Fast-Track Program is part of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskarriere (Hanseatic academic career) at Universität Hamburg, which is aimed at recognizing talented academics early in their development. The program is funded by the Excellence Strategy, a funding program financed by the federal and state governments.

Two-year scholarships will be awarded to outstanding graduates of bachelor’s degree programs with the funding period beginning on 1 November 2024.

For the Fast-Track Program, written confirmation is required from a member of the supervisory committee guaranteeing that an E13 position will be created following the end of your funding (50 percent position for 2 years), for which you can apply to complete your doctoral studies.

The application deadline is 31 August 2024. Candidates must submit their admission application and all required supporting documents by then via the Docata online tool (admission/Docata).

The scholarship amounts to €1,468 per month, consisting of a monthly base payment of €1,365 plus another €103 monthly for materials. The scholarship also includes an extensive program of career development and networking opportunities from the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science and the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA). During your scholarship phase, the HRA provides you with a travel expense subsidy of €500 per year for participation in conferences and other relevant travel within the scope of your doctoral studies.

Prerequisites and conditions:

• Pursuant to Section 3 subsection 6 of the Faculty of Humanitites' doctoral degree regulations of 2019, applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree in a humanities’ subject material to their doctoral studies with an overall grade of "excellent".
• Admission to the fast-track doctoral procedure (see phase one below) can occur only following assessment by at least two faculty members who have completed a Habilitation or full-time university teachers, one of whom must be a professor from a discipline central to the doctoral project (see Section 3 subsection 6 Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral degree regulations of 2019).
• The Fast-Track Program provides for the planned dissertation to be supervised by a three-member supervisory committee comprised of a chair, a supervisor, and a cosupervisor (see Section 6 subsection 2 Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral degree regulations and the amendment thereto from 12 April 2017 for information on who may be proposed and appointed as supervisor, cosupervisor, or chair). The candidates themselves are responsible for finding a supervisory committee.
• The Fast-Track Program requires that 60 ECTS credits of the respective master’s degree program will have been successfully completed by the end of the first year of funding and that the master’s degree will be successfully completed by the end of the second year of funding.
• After the successful completion of the Fast-Track Program, the candidates may apply for a 24-month fixed-term E13 position. Contractual employment during your doctoral studies is desirable.

Application guide:

• Phase one: Admission to the doctoral procedure
  Candidates submit an admission application to the Fast-Track Program and upload the documents below (as PDF only) in Docata by 31 August 2024:
  
  • certified copies of degree certificate(s) (bachelor’s degree): diploma, letter of reference, diploma supplement (where available) ^[2]
  • supervisory commitments from the supervisors (use only the supervisory commitment form on the website of the Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral studies office)
  • uncertified copy of your higher education entrance eligibility
  • research proposal ^[3]
  • work plan and timetable
  • copy of your identification document (e.g., ID card, passport, visa)
  • tabular CV
  • if applicable, proof of language skills for certain subjects (see Appendix 1 of the doctoral degree regulations)
  • where applicable, a statement that you have previously applied for admission to doctoral studies at another higher education institution or in another faculty at Universität Hamburg (with full details).
  • informal assurance from a member of the supervisory committee or the relevant head of department that an E13 position can be created to fund the last two years of the Fast-Track Program (with at least 50 percent of the regular weekly hours) for which doctoral researchers can apply after successfully finishing their first two years of the program (see above)— contractual employment during your doctoral studies is desirable.
  • acceptance letter for a master’s degree program in the Faculty of Humanities at Universität Hamburg related to doctoral studies.

In phase one, the assessment process outlined above will be conducted pursuant to Section 3 subsection 6 Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral degree regulations (2019).

The successful candidates will receive an acceptance letter from the Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral committee. They then enter phase two of the application process (see below). The Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral studies office will send you an acceptance letter along with information that you have successfully completed phase one of the application process and that your application documents are being forwarded to the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) to decide on whether to award the scholarship. The supervisory committee will inform you about its deployment and the positive outcome of phase one via the doctoral studies office for the Faculty of Humanities.

Candidates who are not admitted to the Fast-Track Program will be sent a rejection letter. They will not continue through to phase two and will be withdrawn from the process at this stage. The supervisory committee will provide information about the outcome of phase one via the doctoral studies office for the Faculty of Humanities.

• Phase two: Decision regarding granting admission to the doctoral degree program
  After acceptance to the Fast-Track Program has been granted, the Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral committee will forward the following documents to the HRA via the Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral studies office:
  
  • the candidate’s acceptance letter, which lists the conditions for admission (including the condition that the candidate must obtain a master’s degree in a humanities degree program relevant to the dissertation)
  • a ranking list (if multiple candidates have been admitted)
  • the submitted application documents

After taking a decision on the granting of the doctoral scholarship, the HRA will inform the following parties (in electronic form) of the outcome:

• the candidate’s acceptance letter, which lists the conditions for admission (including the condition that the candidate must obtain a master’s degree in a humanities degree program relevant to the dissertation)
• a ranking list (if multiple candidates have been admitted)
• the submitted application documents

If you have questions about the Fast-Track Program (phase one), contact the doctoral studies office.

For questions about the call for applications, the application procedure (phase two), and general qualifications, contact Dr. Lea Eileen Pöhls (lea.eileen.poehls"AT"hra-hamburg.de).

Find further information on the Fast-Track Program website.

Applicants are responsible for the full and timely submission of their application. We ask for your understanding that late applications will be rejected for reasons of form.

Footnotes

^[1] Admission to the fast-track doctoral procedure pursuant to the doctoral degree regulations of the Faculty of Humanities at Universität Hamburg dated 7 July 2010 as amended on 12 April 2017 and especially on 20 November 2019 (Faculty of Humanities doctoral degree regulations, 2019) is granted on the condition that the applicant obtains a master’s degree in a degree program material to the dissertation proposal during the doctoral procedure.

^[2] If the transcripts, certificates, and diplomas are in a language other than German or English, the candidate must submit a certified translation (in German or English). Where available, the diploma, transcript of records, and diploma supplement must be submitted (the latter two are required for degrees obtained outside Germany).

^[3]including the title / working title and summary of the doctoral proposal (max two pages)

Fast-Track Call for Applications of the MIN Faculty (Departments of Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Informatics, Mathematics, and Physics)

With the Fast-Track Program, Universität Hamburg offers early career researchers the opportunity to begin doctoral studies after their bachelor degree. The separate master’s degree that is usually required is instead integrated into the doctoral studies [1]. Excellent
academic achievements and a convincing basis for a doctoral dissertation are required to qualify, along with an interest in working in academia. The program lasts four years in total. The Fast-Track Program is part of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskarriere (Hanseatic academic career) at Universität Hamburg, which is aimed at recognizing talented academics early in their development. The program is funded by the Excellence Strategy, a funding program financed by the federal and state governments.

Duration and height of the stipend

Two-year scholarships will be awarded for candidates starting their master program in winter term 24/25 or summer term 24 at the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN faculty). For candidates who started their master program in
winter term 23/24 at the MIN faculty, the funding duration is shortened to one year. The scholarship amounts to 1,468 EUR consists of a monthly stipend rate of 1,365 EUR plus a lump sum for material costs of 103 EUR. Furthermore, it includes a comprehensive supplementary program with career development and networking opportunities in the MIN faculty and the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA). During the scholarship phase, recipients can apply for a travel allowance of 500 EUR per year through the HRA for participation in conferences, workshops, and other relevant travel related to their doctoral research.

Who can apply for the stipend?

The Fast-Track Program is open to outstanding graduates of bachelor’s degree programs who are admitted to a master’s program at the MIN faculty starting in the winter term of 23/24 or 24/25, or in the summer term of 24, at UHH in a subject materially relevant to the dissertation project.

When does the funding start?

The funding period will begin on 1 November 2024.

Application deadline

The application deadline is 31 August 2024. Candidates must submit all documents listed below in Phase I by this date in electronic form to MIN-Docata.

Prerequisites and conditions

• Exceptional grades for a bachelor degree in accordance with Section 4 subsection 3 sentence 1 of the MIN Faculty Doctoral Degree Regulations (2018) are required.
  • The candidate must have completed the bachelor’s exam in a subject that is materially relevant to the dissertation project.
  • For the Department of Biology, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a final grade of 1.3^[2] or better, with no module scoring below 1.7.
  • For the Department of Chemistry, candidates must be among the top 15 percent of their bachelor’s degree cohort.
  • For the Department of Earth Sciences, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a final grade of 1.3 or better. Their bachelor’s thesis must have been graded 1.0.
  • For the Department of Informatics, candidates must be among the top 10 percent of their field of study and their bachelor’s degree cohort. Their bachelor’s thesis must have been graded as “very good” (at least 1.3).
  • For the Department of Mathematics, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a final grade of 1.0, with no module scoring below 1.3. Their bachelor’s thesis must have been graded 1.0. Candidates must be among the top 3 percent of their field of study and their bachelor’s degree cohort.
  • For the Department of Physics, candidates must be among the top 3 percent of their field of study and their bachelor’s degree cohort. Their bachelor’s thesis must have been graded “very good.”
• Admission to the Fast-Track doctoral procedure (see Phase I below) can only occur following assessment by at least two faculty members who have completed a Habilitation or full-time university teachers, one of which must be a professor from a discipline central to the doctoral dissertation project (see Section 4 subsection 3 MIN Doctoral Degree Regulations [2018]).
• The fast-track scholarship program provides for the planned dissertation to be supervised by a three-member supervisory commission panel comprised of a chair, a supervisor, and a co-supervisor (see Section 7 subsection 3 MIN Faculty Doctoral Degree Regulations [2018] for information on who may be proposed and appointed as supervisor, co-supervisor, and chair). The candidates themselves are responsible for finding a supervisory commission panel.
• The fast-track scholarship program requires that 60 ECTS credits of the appropriate master’s degree program will have been successfully completed by the end of the first year of funding and that the master’s degree will have been successfully completed by the end of the second year of funding.
• It is possible to apply during the first and second term while being admitted in an appropriate master’s degree program at the MIN faculty. The terms and conditions have to be fulfilled. During the first year of the masterprogram the candidate has to fulfill 60 ECTS. The successful completion of 60 ECTS will be conditional for admission and has to be provided to the relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics until the 1.11.24. The master’s degree program has to be finished within two years.
• After the successful completion of the fast-track scholarship program, the candidates may apply for a 24-month fixed term E13 position. Employment during the doctoral program is desired.

Application guide

• Phase I: Admission to the doctoral procedure
  The candidates must apply for admission to the (fast-track) doctoral procedure using Docata-MIN and submit the following application documents by 31 August 2024 electronically in two steps as follows. The first step implys the registration in Docata-MIN where the online-application for admission to doctoral procedures has to be filled and a PDF-file named Application for admission to doctoral procedures needs to be created and downloaded.
  In the second step the fully signed PDF application file Application for admission to doctoral procedures together with the below mentioned documents has to be uploaded as ONE merged PDF file (max. size 30 MB) and submitted to Docata-MIN.
  The following documents must be submitted together with the file Application for admission to doctoral procedures:
  • signed printout of the online application for admission to the doctoral procedure
  • uncertified copies of degree certificate(s) (bachelor’s degree): diploma, transcript of records, diploma supplement (where available)^[3]
  • supervision agreement (for this, please only use the form available on the website of the relevant department of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences)
  • uncertified copy of your higher education entrance eligibility
  • research project outline (please only use the following form)
  • copy of your identification document (e.g., ID card, passport, visa)
  • tabular CV
  • where applicable, a statement that you have previously applied for admission to doctoral studies at another higher education institution or in another faculty at Universität Hamburg (with full details)
  • only for applications to the Department of Biology for candidates who have completed their degree in a country outside of Germany: Foreign Academic Degrees Questionnaire or certificate of equivalence from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)
  • only for applications to the Department of Physics: list of publications (where available)
  • informal assurance from a member of the supervisory commission panel or the relevant head of department that an E13 position can be created to fund the last two years of the fast-track doctoral studies (with at least 50 percent of the regular weekly hours) for which fast-track doctoral candidates can apply after successfully finishing their first two years of study (see above). Employment during the doctoral program is desired.
  • Admission letter for a master program at the MIN faculty at UHH starting summer term 2024 or winter term 2023/24 or 24/25 in a subject that is materially relevant to the dissertation project.
  • letter of motivation

In Phase I, the assessment process outlined above will be conducted pursuant to Section 4 subsection 3 MIN Faculty Doctoral Degree Regulations (2018).

The successful candidates will receive an acceptance letter from the subject doctoral committee. They then enter Phase II of the application process (see below). The relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics will send you an acceptance letter along with information that you have successfully completed Phase I of the application process and that your application documents are being forwarded to the HRA to decide on whether to award the scholarship. The relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics will inform the supervisory commission panel of their appointment as such and the successful outcome of Phase I.
Candidates who are not admitted to the fast-track doctoral procedure will be sent a rejection letter. They will not continue through to Phase II and are withdrawn from the process at this stage. The relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics will inform the supervisory commission panel of the outcome of Phase I.

• Phase II: Decision regarding granting of the doctoral scholarship
  After acceptance to the fast-track doctoral procedure has been granted, the relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics will forward the following documents to the HRA:
  • the candidate’s acceptance letter, which lists the conditions for admission (including the condition that the candidate must obtain a master’s degree in a subject relevant to the dissertation)
  • a ranking list (if multiple candidates have been admitted)
  • the submitted application documents

After a decision regarding the granting of the doctoral scholarship, the HRA will inform the following parties (in electronic form) of the outcome:

• the candidates who have been admitted to the fast-track doctoral procedure (with a request to confirm acceptance of the doctoral scholarship in the case of success)
• the supervisory commission panel appointed by the subject doctoral committee
• the relevant Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics

Applicants must submit their applications fully and on time. Late submissions will be rejected for formal reasons.

Find further information on the Fast-Track Program HRA website.

If you have questions about the fast-track doctoral procedure and the application process (Phase I), please contact the responsible Academic Office or the Doctoral Office Physics (see Contact in Docata-MIN).

If you have questions regarding Phase II of the application procedure and general information on qualification requirements, please contact the HRA (Dr. Lea Pöhls(lea.eileen.poehls"AT"hra-hamburg.de)).

Footnotes:

^[1] An admission to the fast-track doctoral procedure according to the provisions of the doctoral degree regulations of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences of the Universität Hamburg from 2 May 2018, as amended on 6 May 2020 (MIN Faculty Doctoral Degree Regulations (2018)) is subject to the condition that the applicant obtains a master’s degree in a subject relevant to the doctoral dissertation project within the framework of the doctoral procedure.

^[2] The grades listed in this call for applications are based on the German grading system, whereby 1.0 is the highest grade.

^[3]If the transcripts, certificates, and diplomas are in a language other than German or English, the candidate must submit a certified translation (in German or English). Where available, the diploma, transcript of records, and diploma supplement must be submitted (the latter two are required for degrees obtained outside of Germany).

Fast-Track Call for Applications for the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science (Institute of Psychology)

The Fast-Track Program at Universität Hamburg offers young researchers an opportunity to begin doctoral studies right after completing their bachelor’s degree. The separate master’s degree, which is usually required prior to commencing a doctoral degree, is instead integrated into the doctoral studies. Excellent academic achievements and a convincing basis for a doctoral dissertation are required to qualify, along with an interest in working in academia. The program lasts 4 years in total. The Fast-Track Program is part of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskarriere (Hanseatic academic career) at Universität Hamburg, which is aimed at recognizing talented academics early in their development. The program is funded by the Excellence Strategy, a funding program financed by the federal and state governments.

Funding duration

Funding for the master’s degree program lasts 2 years (starting in Winter Semester 2024/25). If you already started your master’s degree in Winter Semester 2023/24, funding lasts one year.

For the following 2 years, it is planned that recipients are employed as research associates at Universität Hamburg.

Applying for the doctoral scholarship

Outstanding graduates with a bachelor of science who have received a supervisory commitment from a professor at the Institute of Psychology (Universität Hamburg) are eligible to apply.

Funding start

Funding starts on 1 November 2024

Scholarship amount

The scholarship amounts to €1,468 per month, consisting of a monthly base payment of €1,365 plus another €103 monthly for materials. The scholarship also includes an extensive program of career development and networking opportunities from the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science and the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA). During your scholarship phase, the HRA provides you with a travel expense subsidy of €500 per year for participation in conferences and other relevant travel within the scope of your doctoral studies.

Application requirements and conditions

• Outstanding bachelor’s degree and outstanding higher education entrance eligibility (e.g., Abitur).
• The candidate must have completed the bachelor’s degree in a subject that is materially relevant to the dissertation project.
• The candidate must have a supervisory commitment from the head of the area in which the dissertation will be completed.
• The candidate must apply between 1 June and 15 July for the Master of Science in Psychology or the Master of Science in Psychology with a Focus on Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy and have received an acceptance letter to the program from the Campus Center.

Admission to the Fast-Track Program is possible only after an assessment by the committee for doctoral and early career researchers, the prospective supervisor, and head of the area in which the project will be conducted.

The Fast-Track Program involves a 3-person supervisory committee for the dissertation, consisting of the chair, the supervisor, and a cosupervisor (PDF form for the supervisory committee). Candidates are responsible for finding the supervisory committee members within their first year.

The Fast-Track Program requires that 60 ECTS credits of the respective master’s degree program will have been successfully completed by the end of the first year of funding and that the master’s degree will be successfully completed by the end of the second year of funding.

You can apply at the beginning of the second year of the master’s phase once you have fulfilled the requirements and conditions. This means earning 60 ECTS credits in the first year of your master’s studies, which are granted conditionally upon admission and need to be proven via the doctoral studies office for the Department of Psychology by the time funding starts on 1 November.  In this case, the master’s degree must be completed one year after funding begins.

After candidates successfully complete the Fast-Track Program, they may apply for a 24-month fixed-term doctoral position.

Submitting the request

Application deadline: The application deadline is 31 August 2024.

Applicants should have contacted the head of the area in which they complete their dissertation, sending their CV and a brief statement of motivation to request a supervisory commitment and a pledge for subsequent funding.

The following supporting documents need to be submitted in full by the application deadline:

• signed, informal request for admission to the doctoral procedure
• copies/scans of degree certificates (Abitur, bachelor’s degree) diploma, letter of reference, diploma supplement (where available)^[1]
• completed and signed supervisor commitment(PDF form)
• copy/scan of the higher education entrance eligibility
• completed and signed research proposal (PDF form)
  copy of your ID (e.g., ID card, passport, visa)
• tabular CV
• where applicable, a statement that you have previously applied for admission to doctoral studies at another higher education institution, in another faculty at Universität Hamburg, or in another department of the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science at Universität Hamburg (with full details)
• list of publications (where available),
• informal assurance from a member of the relevant head of the department that a position can be created to fund the last 2 years of the Fast-Track Program (with at least 50 percent of the regular weekly hours) for which candidates can apply after successfully finishing their first 2 years of study (see above)
• letter of motivation.

Applicants are responsible for the full and timely submission of their application. We ask for your understanding that late applications will be rejected for reasons of form.

Once the supervisor commits and the candidate has been accepted to the Fast-Track Program by the department’s doctoral committee, they enter the second phase of the application procedure. The Department of Psychology doctoral studies office will send you an acceptance letter along with information that you have successfully completed phase one of the application process and that your application documents are being forwarded to the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) to decide on whether to award the scholarship. The supervisory committee will inform you about its deployment and the positive outcome of phase one via the doctoral studies office for the Department of Psychology.

Decision

After a decision about offering the doctoral scholarship has been made, the HRA will electronically inform those applicants admitted to the Fast-Track Program (in case of a positive outcome, this will include a request to confirm acceptance), the supervisory committee appointed by the departmental doctoral committee, and the doctoral studies office for the Department of Psychology about the outcome of the application.

Candidates who are not admitted to the Fast-Track Program’s doctoral procedure will be sent a rejection letter. They will not continue through to phase 2 and are withdrawn from the process at this stage. The supervisory committee will provide information about the outcome of phase one via the doctoral studies office for the Department of Psychology.

Contact and further information

For questions about the Fast-Track Program (phase one), contact the doctoral studies office for the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science (promotion.pb@uni-hamburg.de).

For questions about the call and application procedure (phase 2) and general qualifications, contact Dr. Lea Pöhls(lea.eileen.poehls"AT"hra-hamburg.de) at the HRA.

Find further information on the Fast-Track Program website at https://www.hra-hamburg.de/promovierende/fast-track.html

Footnotes

^[1] If the transcripts, certificates, and diplomas are in a language other than German or English, the candidate must submit a certified translation (in German or English). Where available, the diploma, transcript of records, and diploma supplement must be submitted (the latter 2 are required for degrees obtained outside Germany).