Welcome to the University of Passau!
We are glad that you decided upon conducting research at our university and we are happy to welcome you in the city of Passau and on our website. Whether you are
- about to complete your first degree and thinking about obtaining a doctorate
- an international doctoral researcher at the University of Passau already
- about to complete your doctorate thinking about doing postdoctoral research
- an international postdoc at the University of Passau already
we are happy to assist and answer your questions!
The Graduate Centre unites faculty, cross-faculty and cross-university doctoral programmes under one roof along with the individually supervised doctoral and habilitation projects. It is an information centre for all organisational, cross-disciplinary issues that relate to doctorates and habilitations. For this purpose, it advises its target groups in a range of areas, including funding programmes, and offers travel grants and publication subsidies. The Graduate Centre plans and puts together the qualification programme for graduates. It organises related information events for all members of the University of Passau.
Current events
The fixed-term academic employment contracts act (WissZeitVG) governs the duration of fixed-term employment contracts for academic staff. On 8 April, the German federal government proposed an amendment to the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, adding a temporary transitional provision extending the maximum employment duration during the Covid-19 pandemic. This has the effect that employment contracts for qualification purposes that were in effect in the time from 1 March to 30 September 2020 may be extended by an additional six months. In addition, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is authorised to issue a statutory order to further extend the maximum term limit by up to six months if the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
For questions and answers regarding the amendment of the WissZeitVG by the Wissenschafts- und Studierendenunterstützungsgesetz (WissStudUG) visit the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (German page).
For information on its implementation at the University, please read the Covid-19 FAQs. Questions regarding your contract as a graduate research/teaching assistant should be directed to the Human Resources Division.
Coronavirus assistance fund for students and doctoral researchers: finished
The University of Passau has established a financial assistance programme for students and doctoral candidates who are in immediate hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic through no fault of their own. Those affected can apply for support as of July and will then either be referred swiftly to suitable external help services or receive payments from the University Foundation. In this way, the University wishes to enable students and doctoral researchers in financial difficulties to begin or carry on with their studies.
The fund is intended for:
- Those who are enrolled as regular students in summer semester 2020;
- Doctoral students who are engaged in a doctoral research project in summer semester 2020
The amount paid out to students depends on each applicant's situation and requirements:
- subsistence support: one-off payment of up to 900 euros per person
- support for the cost of childcare and/or caring for care-dependent relatives, if this has to be organised privately: one-off payment up to 600 euros per person
- support funds for technical infrastructure and/or work materials: one-off payment of up to 300 euros per person
For details on the coronavirus assistance fund and the application form visit the coronavirus aid for students page.
Interim financial aid from the KfW
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has made it possible for students and doctoral candidates who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the pandemic to apply for an interest-free loan from the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) during the initial phase. The loan will be interest-free until 31 March 2021 and is also open to students and doctoral candidates from abroad. From the beginning of May, the loan of up to EUR 650 per month can be applied for online at KfW.Find out more
Grant for doctoral students experiencing financial hardship (BMBF)
Federal interim assistance for students in pandemic-caused hardship starts up again
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is again providing grants from November 2020 to March 2021 to students who find themselves in acute financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This assistance is distributed via the student services associations. The period has been opened also for the SoSe2021.
Applications for this assistance can only be submitted online from 20 November 2020 onwards. Applications are on a per-month basis. A separate application is required for each month.
All further information on the stopgap assistance can be found on the student services association's website. If you have questions on the stopgap assistance, contact the student services association at 0800 26 23 003 or ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende@bmbf.bund.de.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is making available 100 million euros to help students in immediate hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. This assistance is distributed via the student services associations. According to the formal criteria, enrolled doctoral students experiencing hardship are also entitled to the grant (up to a maximum of 500 euros per month).
Applications are accepted exclusively online via www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de.
Starting out on your doctorate
While doctoral regulations address the formal issues surrounding the doctoral process, they cannot answer the multitude of other questions that arise before, during and after doctoral study. This information event aims to help you gain your bearings, answer basic questions about taking up a doctorate and enable you to find answers to further questions on your own. At the same time, the event would like to support you in proactively planning your career after you graduate – be it within or outside academia.
The event (presentation in German) will take place via Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, 5 July 2021. For details, visit the Stud.IP page for the event, course code 71053. If you are not enrolled at the University of Passau, please contact us to receive the Zoom link.
NEW: peer programme
Did you enjoy research-based learning during your studies? Then why not turn your interest in academic research into a passion and make it your career? Getting started can be challenging at times because there is a lot to organise. But maybe you are still unsure whether you want to pursue a doctorate? Then our programme for starting out with doctoral study is exactly what you need!
Our programme aims to give students at the final stages of their master's degree programme who are thinking about getting a doctorate the best possible start to their doctoral study. We are planning to launch the programme in winter semester 2021–22. Initialdetails on the program schedule and application are already available.
Advanced doctoral students, doctoral candidates or indeed those who have completed their doctorate can already apply now to become a mentor.
Early Career Researchers in the Digital Research Magazine
Our ECRs make an important contribution to excellence in research at the University of Passau. The Digital Research Magazine makes this contribution visible by showcases research projects, particularly those aligned with the central research themes of the University of Passau.
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