heiDOCS Funding Scheme
The aim of this funding scheme is to support the faculties in the continuous improvement of the administrative organization and the academic framework conditions in the early qualification phase of young scientists. The scheme is guided by the legal framework for the advancement of young scientists, the university's "Quality Management System heiQUALITY", and specifically the quality standards of the Council for Graduate Studies of November 2013.
The application and the disbursement of the funding contributions are handled by the Graduate Academy. However, the selection and substantive evaluation of applications rest with the faculty ("Commission on Grants and Awards"). There are a total of 4 application deadlines per year in the various funding pillars, each by January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10. All doctoral students who have been accepted at the faculty for at least 6 months at the respective deadline are eligible to apply.
Funding Opportunities
The "Mobility Grant" aims to increase the early scientific independence and visibility of doctoral students. It provides travel grants for participation in conferences, workshops, summer schools, and research stays with external working groups. The maximum grant for the entire doctoral phase per doctoral student is 600€. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate Academy by January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10.
The "Supervision Grant" serves as a quality assurance measure in the review and examination process in the sense of broadening supervision. It provides travel allowances (no remuneration!) for external reviewers who come to Heidelberg for the defense of their thesis. Funding is provided up to a maximum amount of 650€ per review process. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate Academy by January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10.
The "Doctoral Student Initiative" is intended to promote scientific and interdisciplinary networking among the doctoral students of the faculty. It provides financial support, for example, to organize doctoral seminars with out-of-town speakers, "chats by the fireplace", "retreats", and the like. The initiative must be scientifically or academically related, originate from at least two doctoral students of the faculty, and be carried out by them independently (no outsourcing!). Applications must be submitted to the Graduate Academy by January 10 (for initiatives in the summer semester) and July 10 (for initiatives in the winter semester).
The "Graduation Support" provides the faculty's doctoral students with financial support to complete their doctoral degree after their existing funding has expired, provided that the delay is scientifically/academically justified. The "Family Support" also provides financial support for the completion of the PhD, but in this case it is aimed at candidates who have become parents during the course of their doctoral studies (the cut-off date is the date of acceptance as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science) and when this has led to an interruption or reduction in working hours on the PhD. Funding is granted for a maximum period of 6 months (Graduation Support) or a maximum of 12 months (Family Support) for an amount of 1200€/month. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate Academy by January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10. The grant can be initiated at the earliest just under 1 month up to a maximum of 6 months after the respective cut-off dates.
Doctoral Thesis Awards
Once a year, the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science awards two prizes in recognition of the best doctoral thesis completed in that year, one in each of the two fields of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The awards are entitled:
Heidelberger Dissertationspreis für Mathematik
(English:Heidelberg Doctoral Thesis Award in Mathematics
)Heidelberger Dissertationspreis für Informatik
(English:Heidelberg Doctoral Thesis Award in Computer Science
)
Each award is endowed with 500€ and is funded by the faculty's heiDOCS funding scheme. The first award was conferred in the fall of 2020.
The shortlist includes all dissertations that have been
- graded by the examiners with a grade point average of 1.0, and which the examination committee has awarded the grade "Summa Cum Laude" in combination with the defense of the thesis,
- published by September 30 of the current year and as of October 1 of the previous year are in accordance with §13 of the doctoral regulations.
A personal application or nomination is neither possible nor necessary.
The criterion for awarding the prize is scientific excellence, which is determined on the basis of the dissertation, publications related to the dissertation, and expert opinions. The choice is made by the Commission for Scholarships and Prizes in its autumn meeting. The award ceremony takes place in a festive setting, such as the Mathematical Christmas Colloquium.