The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) is a joint project by Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO). The BGSMCS supports doctoral candidates who develop academically well-founded and relevant answers to questions arising in various research areas under the thematical umbrella of Muslim cultures and societies. The BGSMCS also provides its fellows with access to a broad academic network. The program is ideal for highly qualified and socially engaged junior scholars with a global outlook. For further information, see: https://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de. world.

For admission in October 2025, the BGSMCS will award two scholarships from the Gerda Henkel Foundation to projects with a historical focus. These scholarships include a monthly stipend for living expenses, as well as travel and research funds. Additionally, the BGSMCS will select eight candidates who will be guaranteed a place at the graduate school on the condition that they raise their own external funding (private funding is not permitted). A place at the graduate school will be guaranteed for two years according to the following schedule: 

• To join the cohort 2025 that begins on 1 October 2025, external funding must be confirmed by 31 January 2026 at the latest. 
• To join the cohort 2026 that begins on 1 October 2026, external funding must be confirmed by 31 January 2027 at the latest. 

The selected candidates will be supported by the BGSMCS in applying for external funding, for example from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Avicenna-Studienwerk, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, or the Elsa Neumann Foundation.

 Application Requirements

Applications must contain the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV / Resume) and motivation letter 
• Supervisors and disciplines
• An outline of the dissertation project., incl. time table
• One letter of recommendation 
• Proof of relevant language skills 
• Original and certified copies of degrees

The application deadline is 1 November 2024, 12:00 noon (CET). The application package, complete with all documents, needs to be submitted via the application platform: https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de. 

The platform only accepts PDF documents as uploads. The documents must not be in read-only format.

The attached guidelines will help you to prepare your application. If you have further questions that are not addressed in the guideline or in the FAQ.on our website, please contact us under this Email address: application@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de.

Call for Applications & Guidelines

Prospective applicants are invited to join our live Q&A session
on October 08, 2024, at 2-3 pm CET 
Link to the Webinar
Password: graduate