FAQ on Applications
The IPP follows the guidelines and statutes of JLU. Please note that the statutes for doctoral programmes at JLU are currently under revision, as they are being adapted to new modular curricula and to international requirements and are thus subject to change.
PhD candidates must have an M.A. or equivalent university degree with a grade well above average and in a field relevant to the dissertation. The degree should meet the international equivalence requirements. Please do not hesitate to contact the IPP-team for further information on the equivalence of your degree.
If the dissertation is to be undertaken in a discipline other than that of your university degree, your qualifications need to fulfil the conditions of equivalence as stated in the statutes for doctoral programmes at JLU. Please note that as of October 2007, membership in the IPP requires enrolment at JLU for the entire period of your doctoral studies (enrolment fee: approximately €230 per semester).
The outline should include a brief abstract summing up your aims and methods, sketch the guiding questions of your project within the context of current academic debates, and indicate how your dissertation will make an original and important contribution to the field. Your research proposal should also outline the source materials that will be used as well as a realistic timetable for the completion of your project and a select bibliography. Find here a chart illustrating the five most important academic guidelines for your research proposal.
No, but it should definitely not exceed 10 pages.
We do not accept electronic applications, so please send a printed copy.
You may write your application in either English or German.
If the thesis is not written in English or German, we will accept the full text copy in the original language plus a summary of the thesis and the table of contents in English or German.
For most disciplinary areas, the language of the dissertation and the dissertation defence is German or English. The PhD Committee may accept the language of your respective discipline (i.e. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese) as well. Find here information on special language requirements in the different disciplines at JLU.
If the language of the dissertation is other than German, sufficient skills in German need to be proven. The IPP offers courses and training in German, English and French. We would warmly advise you, however, to acquire a basic knowledge of German before coming to Giessen.
No, from the winter semester 2007/08 on, participation in the IPP programme requires new participants to find a first supervisor at JLU. However, the IPP encourages you to find a second supervisor at another university, even abroad.
Yes. PhD supervisors may be chosen by the applicants before or after their admission. The IPP team will assist you in finding a supervisor from JLU once you are admitted into the programme.
Yes, it is possible to apply first and enrol at JLU later. If you are accepted in the IPP, you will first have to register as a PhD student at JLU with the PhD Committee (Academic Examination Office) and enrol at JLU later. The enrolment fee is about € 230 per semester. Find here further steps and downloads for enrolment.
If your thesis does not focus on literary and/or cultural studies, the courses offered in the IPP will not be directly relevant to your project and we would therefore not encourage application. The aim of the IPP is to provide courses that suit the research interests of the participating PhD students. We are, of course, happy to help you with any further questions you might have concerning the compatibility of your research project with the IPP programme.
The IPP offers young researchers an interdisciplinary research environment with scholars from the JLU and other national and international institutions. If your research project fits into the IPP’s research profile, you are very welcome to apply for membership. We will be happy to assist you in finding individual solutions suited to your needs.
Please contact IPP staff before the first application deadline to explain the reasons for the delay.
No. Applicants’ 'academic age' (not their biological age) will be considered in the selection process. Thus, any interruption in research activity due to, for example, family responsibilities or child care will be taken into account when evaluating a candidate’s suitability for the programme.
The IPP does not offer scholarships, but the IPP team provides advice on applying for scholarships. There are numerous organisations in Germany that fund and promote research through scholarships, fellowships and prizes. Use the following websites to gain an overview of the opportunities open to you:
Furthermore, the IPP will help you finance research and conference trips within Germany and abroad.
- Workshop: "Wer träumt von elektrischen Schafen?" Science Fiction zwischen Wissenschaft und Pop-Kultur
- CfP: Macht des Vertrauens: Herausforderungen und Perspektiven in Krisenzeiten
- CfP: Playing House: Shifting Paradigms of Family and Kinship
- CfP: German Identity outside Germany after the Second World War
- CfP: International Conference "Cultures of Feelings: Narratives and Contexts", 7-9 November 2012, University of Giessen
