The Marianne-Plehn-Program to support doctoral candidates in Bavaria

The Marianne-Plehn-Program lets Studienstiftung doctoral fellows combine their scholarship with a quarter-time research-and-teaching role at a Bavarian university. The Free State of Bavaria finances the position, while the German Academic Scholarship Foundation selects participants and runs the program.

Recipients join a university workplace and an accompanying excellence program focused on networking, teaching, interdisciplinary skills and research-profile development. The role may be placed at any state, ecclesiastical or state-recognized Bavarian university that agrees to host it.

Benefits & funding

A 25% employment position paid at TV-L E13 and access to Germany’s social-security system.
Position funding for a period tied to the expected duration of the recipient’s doctoral scholarship.
An excellence program covering networking, interdisciplinary competencies, teaching skills, research-profile development and possible postdoctoral planning.
Continued access to the Studienstiftung’s academic support and the Elite Network of Bavaria’s interdisciplinary activities.

Eligibility

Applicants must be accepted for a Studienstiftung doctoral scholarship; they may apply to both programs together or to this program no later than 12 months after starting that scholarship.
The doctorate must be carried out at a Bavarian university, and a department or chair must document its willingness to host the proposed 25% position.
The position must include teaching duties totaling 2 semester hours per year and show clear added value for the dissertation and the applicant’s qualifications in a stimulating academic environment.
Other fellowships or additional positions beyond the Studienstiftung doctoral scholarship are incompatible with this funding; an existing role at the same chair requires a clear separation of new tasks, and project refinancing is not permitted.
The published program materials state no nationality, age, gender or prior work-experience threshold.

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Application process

1
Complete the Marianne-Plehn-Program application form and identify the proposed Bavarian host university, department or chair.
2
Prepare a signed applicant statement of no more than one page covering duties, teaching, added value for the dissertation and qualifications, and the choice of academic environment.
3
Add a tabular CV of no more than two pages and a doctoral-project abstract of no more than 300 words.
4
Obtain the required questionnaire and one-page statement from the professor or eligible research-group leader responsible for the position.
5
Obtain the university’s confirmation that it is willing to host the proposed 25% position.
6
Mail the documents to the Studienstiftung in Bonn; if applying for the doctoral scholarship at the same time, send both applications together.

Program timeline

At the same time as the doctoral-scholarship application
Earliest application route.
No later than 12 months after the doctoral scholarship begins
Personal application deadline.
Four times per year
Selection committee decisions.
Usually 4–6 months after application
Decision expected.
Within 6 months after approval
Position must begin.