BMS Phase II funding is awarded by the BMS Committee. The BMS scholarships/ positions are awarded based on the criteria listed below and the rules and regulations of the DFG, which includes the criteria of excellence and diversity. The BMS Committee will also evaluate the student’s chances to secure alternative funding for the dissertation project at a later stage.
Approximately 20% of Phase II students will receive BMS PhD Funding. Funding for all other Phase II students will come from Certified Units, from third-party funding available to individual professors or from the departments’ budgets. All Phase II students should take advantage of the many opportunities offered by the mathematics research environment in Berlin, which includes:
• (International) Research Training Groups (RTG)
• two International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS)
• DFG Collaborative Research Centers (CRC / SFB)
• ECMath
• Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB)
• Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS).
A complete list can be found here: www.math-berlin.de/about-bms/people-a-organization/units
The BMS integrates the above projects and institutions, as well as many others, as Certified Units, Associated Units, Cooperating Research Centers and Research Institutes. They guarantee PhD supervisors and suitable research environments for all Phase II students.
Gap Funding
Phase I students may apply for gap funding if they have completed their master's degree and Phase I studies but their PhD funding cannot start right away. The BMS Gap Funding is meant to bridge the gap between for example a Phase I scholarship ending in September and a PhD position offered by the supervisor starting in April. Gap Funding may be granted for a maximum duration of six months AFTER you have passed your QE (grade requirement better than 2.5).
Gap Funding is not limited to Phase I students with a BMS scholarship and may be applied for at any point.
Gap Funding is limited to students not receiving BMS PhD funding.
To apply for gap funding, you must submit the following to the BMS Office:
1. Application form
2. BMS Transcript or QE application form
3. Application letter (report on your Phase I studies and details on your PhD project)
4. Letter of support by your future Phase II supervisor (incl. information on your PhD funding)
To receive a template for the application form, please contact your Liaison officer. To receive your BMS transcript of records, please send a list of your courses and proof of your grades to your Liaison officer. Please allow a few days to issue the transcript.
All funding decisions are made by the BMS Committee.
BMS PhD Funding
The BMS Phase II Scholarship is 1,600€ per month (tax-free). Starting in 2025, the BMS will offer project-based PhD positions (75% TVL 13, 3-year contract).
You can find more information on PhD positions and the TVL contract here: https://www.math-berlin.de/students/faq-university/information-about-phd-employment-contracts
Students who complete the BMS Phase I program and successfully pass the BMS Qualifying Exam (QE) must meet the following criteria to apply for a BMS Phase II Funding:
1. An average of better than 1.5 for the required Phase I courses.
2. A grade of better than 1.5 in the Qualifying Exam.
3. Regular attendance of BMS events, such as MATH+ Fridays.
Students who are planning their QE for the semester break, may apply for the Phase II scholarship before taking the QE and may be awarded a Phase II scholarship on the condition that they pass their QE with a grade better than 1.5 by a certain date.
BMS Phase I students, who meet the criteria mentioned above, should contact the BMS liaison officer as soon as possible. After a consultation the complete application should be sent via email to the BMS as soon as possible. The application should include the following documents:
1. Application form
2. BMS Transcript or QE application form
3. Application letter (report on your Phase I studies and motivation)
4. Description of PhD project
5. Letter of support by your future Phase II supervisor (incl. an explanation as to why no alternative funding is available/ if alternative funding has been applied for)
To receive a template for the application form, please contact your Liaison officer. To receive your BMS transcript of records, please send a list of your courses and proof of your grades to your Liaison officer. Please allow a few days to issue the transcript.
All funding decisions are made by the BMS Committee.
There is no fixed deadline for this application.
Phase II scholarships are awarded for two years with the possibility to extend the scholarship for a third year. The BMS cannot extend any scholarships beyond three years.
All Phase II scholarship recipients must be enrolled as PhD students at one the participating universities (FU, HU, TU).
Phase II Scholarship Extension for the 3rd year
To apply for an extension of your Phase II scholarship for a third year, please contact your BMS liaison officer 2 months before the end of your scholarship contract. Your application should be sent via email and usually contains:
1. Application form (please ask your BMS liaison officer for the form)
2. Application letter detailing the research and dissertation progress made and a work plan for the third year
3. A letter of support from the PhD supervisor describing the following:
a. progress on dissertation and research project
b. realisitic outlook on the completion of the dissertation in the third year
c. possible additional funding sources, if the student will not complete their doctorate in the third year
The extensions for the regular third year can be decoded by the BMS Chair
