After the doctorate, many researchers face the most difficult stage of fixed-term employment. The planned reform of the German Act on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in Academia (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG) would affect postdocs in particular, with regard to the minimum term of the first contract and the maximum period after the doctorate. This guide explains what applies today and what the government bill provides.
Short answer: Under current law, a qualification-based fixed term after the doctorate may last up to six years (Section 2 (1) WissZeitVG). The government bill (Bundestag printed paper 21/8281) provides for a minimum term of two years for the first contract after the doctorate. The bill is in the legislative process and has not been adopted. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- Under current law, qualification-based fixed terms after the doctorate may last up to six years.
- The bill sets a minimum term of two years for the first contract after the doctorate, which should not be undercut.
- The special medical rule of nine years would be abolished, so a single limit would apply.
- The bill extends the rules on family-related absences to third-party funded fixed terms.
- For doctoral graduates already on fixed terms before entry into force, the previous duration remains decisive for new contracts.
How long may a postdoc position be fixed-term?
The maximum period after the doctorate is set in Section 2 (1), second sentence, WissZeitVG. Up to six years are permitted after the doctorate, as far as earlier periods and doctoral periods together amount to less than six years. The bill keeps the same limit but withdraws the special exception for medicine, as the explanatory memorandum notes.
| Situation | Current law | Government bill (not adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum period after the doctorate | six years, medicine nine years so far | six years for all fields |
| Minimum term of the first contract after the doctorate | no comparable rule in the statute | two years, should not be undercut |
| Minimum term of the first contract before the doctorate | no comparable rule in the statute | three years, should not be undercut |
| Share of working time for a qualification-based fixed term | no comparable requirement | at least one quarter of regular working time |
Last updated: November 2026. Figures for current law come from the statutory text, figures for the bill from the Bundesrat printed paper and the Bundestag report. In the end, only the promulgated wording counts.
What does the minimum term mean for postdocs?
The bill aims to prevent posts after the doctorate from being filled with very short contracts. According to the bill, the first contract after the doctorate should run for at least two years. The explanatory memorandum expressly names exceptions, for example where the doctoral project has already largely been completed during a scholarship. A minimum term is therefore not an unconditional guarantee but a rule that must be justified in individual cases.
The Bundesrat asked in its opinion that fixed terms that are too short should be deemed to run for the minimum term. The federal government rejects this in its counter-statement. For postdocs, this question decides whether a term that is too short counts as a contract for the full minimum period in a dispute.
How do family-related absences work?
Under current law, a fixed term is extended if the employee agrees to it and certain periods occur, for example childcare, parental leave or maternity protection. Under Section 2 (5) WissZeitVG, these periods do not count towards the permitted duration. The bill would extend this rule to third-party funded fixed terms, which have so far not been covered in the same way.
For postdocs with children this is important, because many positions are financed from third-party funds. Whether the extension applies in your case depends on the contract and on the timing. It is best to work out the calculation with the personnel department before you apply.
What does third-party funding mean?
Third-party funds are money that does not come from the regular budget of the university, for example from research grants, projects or foundations. A post financed this way often ends with the project. Until now the rules on family-related extensions did not apply to such posts in the same way. The bill would change that.
A worked example on the minimum term
Assumption: after your doctorate you receive a post with a contract for twelve months, and none of the exceptions named in the bill applies. Under the bill, the first contract after the doctorate should not be shorter than two years. A twelve-month contract would then conflict with this requirement. The difference between twelve months and two years shows why the minimum term is so important in practice.
The example is a calculation and not a statement about a real contract. If you have doubts, have your contract checked against the final version of the law.
Does the reform already apply to my contract?
That depends on when the contract was concluded. According to the bill, employment contracts concluded at universities or research institutions before entry into force remain under the previous version of Section 2. For doctoral graduates who were already on fixed terms before entry into force, the previous duration under Section 2 (1), second sentence, remains decisive for new fixed-term contracts.
The bill does not yet state a date for entry into force. It would apply from the first day of the sixth calendar month after promulgation. As long as the law has not been promulgated, the current legal position remains in force.
Frequently asked questions
How long may I be employed on fixed terms after the doctorate?
Under current law, up to six years. The maximum applies to qualification-based fixed terms under Section 2 WissZeitVG, and statutory extensions come on top. Outside medicine, the bill does not change the six-year limit, but it removes the longer medical limit.
What is a minimum term?
It is a period that an employment contract should not fall below. In the bill, this applies to the first contract: two years after the doctorate and three years before it. Whether the rule works as a binding obligation or as a recommended standard depends on the final wording.
Does my fixed term extend if I take parental leave?
Under current law, a fixed term can be extended for certain family periods, for parental leave and maternity protection under Section 2 (5). The bill would make this extension available for third-party funded posts too. Discuss the specific application with the personnel department.
Do I need to do anything because of the reform?
No, there is no obligation and no application procedure. It is sensible to list your earlier fixed-term periods and to watch the contract duration when a contract is extended. It also helps to read the personnel regulations of your own university, which often contain internal rules that go beyond the statute or specify it.
What does a fixed term without an objective reason mean for postdocs?
Some postdoc positions are not based on the WissZeitVG but on a fixed term without an objective reason under the TzBfG. That fixed term runs for at most two years and may be extended three times at most. A prior employment relationship with the same employer can exclude it.
What you can do now
- Check your current contract for duration, reason for the fixed term and extension rules.
- Put together all fixed-term periods before and after your doctorate.
- Clarify with the personnel department which extensions may apply to you.
- Follow the bill through the Bundestag before you take long-term decisions.
Related guides
- Academic careers: contracts, collective agreements and fixed terms overview
- Minimum contract terms for doctoral candidates: what the reform plans
- Tenure track after the doctorate: the path to a permanent post
- What is the WissZeitVG? Fixed terms in academia explained
- WissZeitVG reform: what the bill plans for student assistants
Sources: Bundestag, hib 771/2026: government bill on reform of fixed-term rules in academia (05.10.2026), Bundesrat printed paper 456/26, with explanatory memorandum and transitional rules (14.08.2026), WissZeitVG Section 2, version in force (gesetze-im-internet.de), Act on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in Academia, full text (gesetze-im-internet.de), Section 14 TzBfG, version in force (gesetze-im-internet.de).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
