Application

Requirements for application:

• University degree graded as above average (Staatsexamen, state board examination, Magister Artium, Diploma, Master of Arts, Maîtrise, Laurea, etc.) in one of the following (didactic-oriented) subjects: English, American Studies, German, Romance Languages and Literatures, Classical Philology, Language Education Research
• The Magister, Master's, Diploma, or thesis required for “Staatsexamen” must be graded “good”
• Good command of European academic languages (at least two, including German; knowledge of a third language is preferred).
• Willingness to actively participate in a structured doctoral program.

The selection is based on the submitted application materials and, for shortlisted candidates, on an academic interview with a selection committee. Criteria for selection include the quality and feasibility of the proposed dissertation project, academic qualifications, discussion and collaboration skills, as well as the willingness and ability to engage with overarching theoretical and methodological questions in line with the doctoral program.

Application deadline:

The next application deadline is April 15, 2026.

As part of the current call for applications, the Doctoral Program of the Class for Language Education (Graduate School Language & Literature, LMU Munich) is offering the following doctoral positions for the winter semester 2026/27:

• one GSSP PhD scholarship (DAAD), for up to four years for international doctoral candidates
• regular non-funded PhD positions

Eligibility for the scholarship requires, among other criteria, that the applicant’s Master’s degree was completed no more than six years ago and that the applicant has not lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the time of taking up the position. Further information can be found here: https://www.daad.de/en/information-services-for-higher-education-institutions/further-information-on-daad-programmes/gssp/

Application procedure:

Applications are submitted online. You can access the application portal here:
https://www.portal.graduatecenter.lmu.de/gc-application/coledu

You will need the following documents for your application:

• Motivation essay (1–2 pages) explaining your reasons for applying to the program. Please indicate the name of the LMU lecturer responsible for supervising your dissertation project in this essay. A prerequisite for application is that applicants contact a potential supervisor by email at least four weeks prior to the application deadline, submit a research proposal, and clarify the possibility of obtaining a supervision commitment.
• Exposé of your dissertation project, including a work plan (10-12 pages). (The reference letter must be uploaded by the professor themselves). If you are applying for a DAAD GSSP scholarship, please ask your referee to use the following DAAD template: https://www.daad.de/medien/deutschland/stipendien/formulare/recommendation.doc
  Please contact the referees at least four weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure that the letters of recommendation are submitted by the deadline.
• Reference letter from a professor assessing your academic potential.
• Curriculum Vitae with a detailed and up-to-date account of your academic milestones.
• Certified copies of all diplomas, certificates, and degrees from schools and universities attended, including the grade of your final theses and your final overall grades.
• A copy of your university (MA) thesis. If the thesis is written in a rarely used language, please provide a 2–3 page abstract in German or English.

We recommend that all applicants start exploring alternative funding options early. In particular, scholarships from various foundations and research funding bodies may be available (for example, through the LMU Graduate Center or BMFTR).

Application Steps

1. Register in the online application portal and follow the instructions.
2. Complete the electronic application form in full and upload all required documents. Don’t forget to save your changes.
3. After the application period has ended, the portal will be closed. You will then receive an email notification informing you whether your application was successful in the first stage and whether you have been invited to an interview.

The interviews will take place in the following weeks. Please note that travel expenses for attending the interview cannot be reimbursed; however, participation via online meeting may be possible. If you wish to take advantage of this option, please inform us as early as possible by email.