The Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS) is home to five doctoral programs located at the Freie Universität Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Each program includes traditional curricula, while at the same time breaking new ground by placing increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary research. BerGSAS has been awarded the "Einstein Doctoral Programme" prize of the Einstein Foundation Berlin on January 2017.

The Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS) invites applications for:

4 Scholarships (Predoc) in Classical Studies starting 2024 at Freie Universität Berlin

The deadline for applications is 1 November 2023 at 00:00 CET. 

The Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS) is offering 4 Scholarships (Predoc) at Freie Universität Berlin in 2024 in the field of Classical Studies. Funding is available to graduates who have completed their Master's degree (the thesis must be evaluated and graded by 1 November 2023) and are planning to complete a doctorate at the Freie Universität Berlin, within BerGSAS. 

Funding is available from 1 January 2024 onwards at the earliest for 6 months; and from 1 July 2024 onwards at the latest for 6 months. An extension is not possible. The scholarship holders receive a scholarship of EUR 1,000 per month. At the beginning of the scholarship, admission to the doctoral programme and enrollment at the Freie Universität Berlin must be available.

The purpose of the scholarship is to complete a proposal for a doctoral dissertation topic to be sent to potential scholarship providers within the 6-month funding period. It is expected that the dissertation will be written at and submitted to the Freie Universität. The Predoc-Scholarship holders, who successfully apply for external doctoral funding, will be admitted as full members to BerGSAS and participate in the curriculum of our structured doctoral program.

2 Scholarships for Doctoral Studies (October 2024 - September 2028) in the Doctoral Program: "Ancient Languages and Texts"

The deadline for applications is 1 November 2023 at 00:00 CET. 

The Graduate School Scholarship Program (GSSP) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is offering two (2) doctoral scholarships to earn a PhD within the framework of Ancient Languages and Texts doctoral program of the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies.

We welcome applications from highly qualified graduates from the fields of: Ancient History, History of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages; Ancient Oriental Languages; Ancient Philology: Greek (with Byzantine); Latin (Classical Latin, Middle and Modern Latin); Egyptology (with Coptology); Iranian Studies; Jewish Studies; Protestant Theology (with Old Testament, New Testament, Church History), Religious Studies; Roman Law.

Applicants must hold an outstanding Master's degree (MA, MSt, or MSc) or equivalent in one of the aforementioned disciplines or be very close to completion.

The call is open ONLY to applicants who are not German citizens.

Duration of scholarship and funding

The scholarship is available from October 2024 (Winter semester 2024/25) for four years, subject to a satisfactory annual progress review. In accordance with DAAD guidelines, doctoral scholarship holders receive a stipend of 1,200 Euros a month, a travel allowance, a combined health, accident and liability insurance policy, allowances for study and research (rent and family allowances, where applicable), financial support for a pre-sessional German language course. Plus, material resources and supervision allowance of 1,000 Euros per year, managed through the academic supervisor’s institute.

2 Scholarships for Doctoral Studies (October 2024 – September 2028) in the Doctoral Program: "Ancient Philosophy and History of Ancient Science"

The deadline for applications is 1 November 2023 at 00:00 CET. 

The Graduate School Scholarship Program (GSSP) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is offering two (2) doctoral scholarships to earn a PhD within the framework of "Ancient Philosophy and History of Ancient Science" doctoral program of the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies.

We welcome applications from highly qualified graduates from the fields of: Ancient Philosophy, Classics, History of Ancient Science, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Arabic Philosophy and Science, Jewish Philosophy and Aesthetics

Applicants must hold an outstanding Master's degree (MA, MSt, or MSc) or equivalent in one of the aforementioned disciplines or be very close to completion.

The call is open ONLY to applicants who are not German citizens,

The scholarships are available from October 2024 (Winter semester 2024/25) for four years, subject to a satisfactory annual progress review. In accordance with DAAD guidelines, doctoral scholarship holders receive a stipend of 1,200 Euros a month, a travel allowance, a combined health, accident and liability insurance policy, allowances for study and research (rent and family allowances, where applicable); financial support for a pre-sessional German language course. Plus, material resources and supervision allowance of 1,000 Euros per year, managed through the academic supervisor’s institute.

2 Scholarships for Doctoral Studies (October 2024 – September 2028) in the Doctoral Program: "Languages and Cultures of the Silk Road"

The deadline for your application is 1 November, 2023 at 00:00 CET

The Graduate School Scholarship Program (GSSP) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is offering two doctoral scholarships to carry out a doctorate within the framework of "Languages and Cultures of the Silk Road" program.

Applicants must have an outstanding Master's degree (MA, MSt or MSc) in the subject Iranian studies, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, or East Asian Art and Archaeology, or be close to graduation. Doctoral researchers are expected to participate in Digital Humanities training offered as part of BerGSAS curriculum.

The call is only open to applicants who do not have German citizenship. 

The scholarships are available from 1 October 2024 (Winter semester 2024/25) for four years, subject to a satisfactory annual review. In accordance with DAAD guidelines, doctoral scholarship holders receive a stipend of 1,200 EUR a month, a travel allowance, a health, accident and liability insurance policy, allowances for study & research (family allowances, depending on the individual situation and upon request); support for a pre-sessional German language course. Plus, material resources of 1,000 EUR per year, managed through the academic supervisor's institute.

Study places (without funding)

The Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS) accepts applications for both winter and summer admissions for all five doctoral programs. The starting date for doctoral studies in the summer semester is the first of April – for the winter semester, the starting date is the first of October.

If you would like to apply for summer admission, please you submit your application materials by the first of September of the preceding year.

If you wish to apply for winter admission, we request that you submit your application materials by the first of April in the year you wish to start.

Further informations on Application Documents and Application Processes can be found here