Graduate Studies Programs

If you’re seeking funding for a research project (graduate, PhD, or postdoc) in Germany, make sure to explore the full spectrum of available opportunities. Don’t limit your applications to the well-known organisations like DFG, DAAD, or the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation – think beyond the usual options! Germany’s funding landscape is extensive and complex, with a wide range of public and private actors supporting research, including international researchers. Many of these opportunities require some digging to uncover. Who are the key funders in Germany? * State funding organisations: DFG, DAAD, BMBF, and others. * Universities and technical universities: Some offer their own (!) scholarships for undergraduates and postgraduates. * Non-university research organisations: Max Planck, Fraunhofer, and similar organisations often provide research contracts for an international audience with salaries based on public sector agreements. * Private foundations: Numerous foundations, such as VolkswagenStiftung, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, and BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, run thematic calls open to international applicants. * Private companies: Industry is Germany’s largest R&D investor, accounting for the majority of the country’s €129.7 billion R&D spending in 2023. Myriads of large and medium-sized companies offer graduate, PhD, and postdoc programmes open to international researchers. * Government authorities at state and federal levels: These can also be valuable sources of funding. For example, the German Bundestag offers International Parliamentary Scholarships to international graduates, and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) provides fellowships for researchers. One challenge is the lack of comprehensive directories, e.g., for company-funded research, making the search particularly complex. Persistence pays off – you may discover unique opportunities few others have found! For further guidance, consult the "Research in Germany" website, which offers extensive information, consulting services, and a newsletter to help you navigate the landscape.

A few of my PhD students are nearing completion, and I wanted to share a few themes we're focusing on: • Tell a story: It’s not just about raw data. Interpret, engage, and pan out to demonstrate the wider significance of your findings. • Be concise: Lengthy theses aren’t necessary. Focus on clear communication. Edit to remove, say, 10% of the words, whilst aiming to convey the same message. • Abstracts: In 300 words, highlight your findings and methodology—not background info. • Method vs. Methodology: Method explains how, methodology explains why. Be clear about what you did, why you did it, and your approach's limitations. • Use visuals: Diagrams help to explain complex ideas quickly. • Conclusions: Treat them like an extended abstract—state your findings, then zoom out to show their broader impact. You must reflect on what the data tells us, and what it all means. Extrapolate. • Plan for time: Completing the thesis takes longer than expected, so allow for contingencies. Your supervisors might need 3-4 weeks to read and comment on the final draft; the examiners might need 8 weeks before the viva. Before you know it, 3 months have passed - and this is after you've submitted and before any corrections. As always - It’s a privilege to witness the brilliant minds behind these exciting projects and discoveries!

Over the past five years, I’ve been curating numerous resources on GitHub for prospective and current graduate students in Computer Science and related fields. These resources include: ◾️ Graduate school application tips and applicant support programs from prestigious universities in North America https://lnkd.in/eZicRWQP ◾️ A fellowship repository (with 700+ GitHub stars!) that compiles top scholarships, fellowships, and dissertation awards https://lnkd.in/edU3DJmn ◾️ A repository sharing dozens of workshops for pre-doctoral, future faculty, and early-career scholars https://lnkd.in/eHD_u4RH I received some of the listed fellowships and participated in many of these professional development workshops during my studies at Cornell, and strongly recommend that graduate students take advantage of these fully-funded programs to increase your network while on the job market. Feel free to check these resources out, and best of luck! Happy to take questions or receive pull requests to add new resources.

Cross-disciplinary learning works because principles that solve problems in one field often solve similar problems in another. The challenge is recognizing the pattern underneath the different context. If you need better focus, look at surgeons or pilots. Better collaboration? Orchestras or sports teams. Better systems for managing complexity? Look at how air traffic control coordinates multiple moving parts without central command. Pick one book this quarter from an unrelated field. Read with a question in mind: "What principle here could I test in my work?" Talk to someone whose expertise differs completely from yours. Ask what makes something work in their domain. Listen for the underlying principle, not just the surface practice. When something works well elsewhere, ask what makes it effective and test whether that principle addresses your challenge. The solution might already be proven… just not in your field yet.

Students, Want to Land Opportunities Before You Graduate? Start building your network — not your fear of it. Here are 6 underrated but powerful networking tips I wish every student knew: ♠️Say yes to campus activities. That club, fest, or workshop? It’s more than fun — it’s where networks begin. ♣️Show up at events outside your college. Seminars, expos, meetups — your future mentor might be sitting in the front row. ♦️Build your personal brand early. Post your journey. Share what you learn. Your voice is your visibility. ♥️Message alumni (politely). They’ve walked your path. They do want to help. You just have to ask right. ♟️Don’t just connect on LinkedIn — converse. Comment. Message. Add value. A silent network is a forgotten one. 🎮Give before you ask. Recommend a tool. Share a resource. Say thank you. That’s how real networking works. Your network isn’t built in a day — it’s built every day. Which one resonated most with you — or what would you add for today’s students? Let’s crowdsource some career gold. #NetworkingTips #StudentsOnLinkedIn #CareerAdvice #CampusToCorporate #HRInsights #SoftSkillsMatter #JobSearch2025 #LinkedInForStudents #ProfessionalGrowth #linkedIn #power

𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Below is a typical structure for a PhD thesis: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲 • The title of the thesis. • Your name. • The degree to which the thesis is submitted. • The institution and department. • Date of submission. 𝟮. 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 A summary (200–500 words) of the thesis. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 A section where you thank those who helped you during your research. 𝟰. 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 A list of the chapters, subsections, and appendices along with their page numbers. 𝟱. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 A list of figures, tables, and illustrations. 𝟲. 𝗔𝗯𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝘀 A list of abbreviations used throughout the thesis. 𝟳. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: Introduce the research problem, the background, and the motivation. • 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Clearly state the research question or hypothesis. • 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: Outline the aims and objectives of the thesis. • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀: Briefly describe the organization of the chapters. 𝟴. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮: 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 • 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: Discuss the existing research on your topic. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Present the theoretical foundation guiding your research. • 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗽𝘀: Identify gaps that your research aims to address. 𝟵. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯: 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 • 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Discuss the research design. • 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Describe how data was collected. • 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀: Explain how the data was analyzed. • 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Address any ethical issues related to your research. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟰: 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀/𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 • 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮: Present the main results or findings of your research. • 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀: Analyze and interpret the results, but avoid discussing their implications in this chapter. 𝟭𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱: 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Discuss the meaning of the results in relation to the research question. • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Compare your findings with previous research. • 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Explore your findings' theoretical, practical, or policy implications. • 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Address any limitations in your study and how they may affect the results. 𝟭𝟮. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: • 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲: Explain your research's contribution to the field. • 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Suggest areas for further research. 𝟭𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 A comprehensive list of all sources cited in the thesis. 𝟭𝟰. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 Include any additional material.

I recently go asked "what is one thing that no one tells you about networking when you're an international student?" When I came to the U.S. 6 years ago to study Data Science, I had no idea how important networking would be for my career. Coming from Spain, I thought hard work and a good resume would be enough. Spoiler: it wasn’t. As an international student, job hunting comes with extra challenges: visas, sponsorships, and navigating a system that sometimes feels overwhelming. But here’s the truth: networking changed everything for me. Here’s what worked: 1️⃣ Reaching out to alumni: - I was at Suffolk University in Boston, and I used LinkedIn to connect with alumni in Data Science. At first, it felt awkward—what could I possibly say? But I learned this: people love sharing advice when you ask the right questions. Instead of asking for jobs, I asked about their journeys, challenges, and advice. Those conversations didn’t just lead to referrals; they gave me confidence and clarity. 2️⃣ Leveraging LinkedIn: - LinkedIn became more than just a job board. I posted about projects I was working on, shared my thoughts on the industry, and commented on others’ posts. Over time, recruiters and professionals in my field started noticing me. 3️⃣ Attending industry events: - From local meetups to webinars, I treated every event as a learning opportunity. The key wasn’t handing out resumes—it was making meaningful connections. One conversation at a career fair even led to an internship that shaped my path. Looking back, I realized networking isn’t just about getting a job—it’s about building relationships. As an international student, those connections helped me navigate a career system I didn’t grow up in, and they became my biggest advantage. What’s your go-to strategy for networking? Let’s share tips below—I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

I loved what Ian shared in this CNA commentary. Some really pertinent and accurate observations. However, there was one recommended suggestion that I personally struggle with: 'connect with users directly and ask them out for coffee.' ☕ 👩🏫 As someone who teaches final-year grad students (& post-grad students and working adults) about professional networking — covering situational awareness, conversation skills, and follow-up etiquette — I’ve shifted my approach somewhat in the last 18 years. A decade ago, I encouraged 'coffee meetings' as a way to connect. 💡 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐈 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐖𝐡𝐲? 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. My email inbox (both LinkedIn and work) fills weekly with kind coffee invites. If volume equaled consumption, I’d need five cups a day!!!! ❤️ 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫: I deeply value helping others — it’s why I teach, mentor mothers, and run a social enterprise. But like many professionals juggling work, family, and commitments, scheduling 1:1 chats is often unrealistic. 📝 𝐀 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒕. 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈. When reaching out, consider these alternatives: 1️⃣ 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: Explicitly say "I know you’re busy" or "Zero pressure to respond." 2️⃣ 𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜: Vague requests = higher mental load. State exactly what you want (e.g., "15 mins," "2-3 ideas on how to reach out to the sustainability industry"). 3️⃣ 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐭: "If this isn’t a good time, I completely understand!" 4️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞: Offer help, resources, or genuine appreciation 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 5️⃣ 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦: Suggest text/voice/email instead of live chat/ coffee meeting (𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦!!!) ⏳ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭: We’re asking for someone’s time and insight—𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫. How we frame it matters. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖?

Ph.D. scholars and researchers, are your research papers structured to make an impact? Before submitting, consider: 🔍 Does each section serve its purpose? 🧭 Is your work discoverable, readable, and relevant? 📊 Can others replicate and build on your findings? Let's explore a breakdown of each core section in a research paper covering the what, why, and how. You can use this framework to refine your draft or build a stronger manuscript from scratch. 🔷 1. Title - Your first impression on readers and databases. - Be clear, keyword-rich, and avoid jargon. Stay within 12–15 words. 🔷 2. Abstract - A 150–250 word summary: background, aim, methods, results, conclusion. - Write it last, place it first. Ensure it offers quick relevance to readers. 🔷 3. Keywords - Improve discoverability with 4–6 well-chosen terms beyond the title. - Reflect your study's domain, methods, or variables. 🔷 4. Introduction - Set the stage: context, problem, literature gap, research question. - Start broad, narrow to the objective or hypothesis. 🔷 5. Methods - Detail your approach to ensure reproducibility. - Include design, sampling, tools, and data analysis. 🔷 6. Results - Report findings factually using text, tables, and visuals. - Focus on trends, data patterns, and measurable outcomes. 🔷 7. Discussion - Interpret results, compare them with literature, note limitations, and suggest next steps. - Show the significance of your findings in the broader field. 🔷 8. Conclusion - Summarize your main findings and their implications. -Restate objectives, contributions, and future directions. 🔷 9. References - Back your work with accurate, properly formatted citations. - Match all in-text references with a complete list. 🔷 10. Figures and Tables - Use visuals to enhance clarity and engagement. - Label, make them self-contained, and reference them in the text. 🔷 11. Acknowledgements (Optional) - Recognize non-author contributions. - Promote transparency and academic courtesy. 🔷 12. Author Contributions (Optional) - Define specific author roles using a contributor taxonomy. - Enhances accountability and clarity. 🔷 13. Conflict of Interest / Funding Disclosure - Declare financial support and potential biases. - Uphold transparency and ethical standards. 🎁 Bonus takeaway: Tools like AnswerThis can streamline your literature review and help in your first draft, saving time and improving accuracy. 💬 Comment: Which section is most challenging to write: abstract, methods, or discussion? Let's share our tips and support each other's writing journey 👇 #ResearchMadeEasy #LiteratureReview #PaperPublication #Research #AnswerThis

One mistake I almost made early in my scholarship journey was drowning in too much information. Week Two: How I Stayed Informed, Focused, and Organized, Without Getting Overwhelmed Initially, I joined many scholarship WhatsApp and LinkedIn groups as well as random Telegram channels. I saved dozens of screenshots, Google Docs, YouTube Videos, and Twitter and LinkedIn threads that I never revisited. I was everywhere but nowhere. Many people subconsciously do this. It feels productive, but it is exhausting. You don’t need all the information. You only need the correct information and to act on it. Whether you are applying for a PhD, a Master’s, or an MBA, you need clarity, structure, and a system that works for you! Here’s what helped me move from scattered to strategic: 1. Determine where you want to go: Before you start shortlisting schools, you need to decide where you are going: the U.S., Europe, the UK, Africa, Asia, or other regions. This matters because some scholarships are internal (offered by the school itself), while others are external (e.g., Chevening Awards, Mastercard Foundation, The Fulbright Program, Rhodes, etc). The country also determines the type of documents, essays, and tests you will submit, as well as the visa process. 2. I identified trustworthy sources. Instead of jumping from place to place, I focused on: ✅ University websites (always the best place to start) ✅ Scholarship bodies’ websites ✅ Past recipients and program alums on LinkedIn ✅ Credible organizations ✅ YouTube channels and LinkedIn profiles of people who share reliable advice about that specific scholarship or school 3. I shortlisted schools and scholarships together: I didn’t pick schools first and then search for funding. I looked for programs that were already offering scholarships or had a strong track record of funding international students, or programs accompanied by verified and active external scholarships. 4. I created an Application Tracker: This is an organized spreadsheet with details of schools and scholarships. I took notes so I wouldn’t waste time going back and forth between websites, and it reduced my stress by 80%. It contained: ✅ School names ✅ Programs ✅ Deadlines ✅ Faculty ✅ Requirements (SOPs, Transcripts, GRE, IELTS) ✅ Recommendation letters ✅ Application fee waiver information, etc Example: https://lnkd.in/e4Fv6a6A 5. I applied for application fee waivers: After selecting universities, check if they offer application fee waivers, and ask early. This may be based on financial need, automatic waivers for low-income countries, participation in specific programs, or attending a required info session. If you don’t select universities and programs first, you won’t know which schools to ask, and your information will be scattered. Stop chasing 100 resources. Choose 10 good ones and stay organized. See you next week! #JenniferScholarshipSeries | 2 of 10