If you have almost finished your dissertation but lack funding for the last months, you may come across the term Abschlussstipendium (final-phase scholarship). Unlike a PhD scholarship that supports the whole doctorate, it covers only the completion phase. Using the University of Marburg as an example, this guide shows which conditions are typical and how the final-phase scholarship compares with the scholarship foundations’ PhD support.
Short answer: A final-phase scholarship funds the last months of a German doctorate and is limited in time. The University of Marburg offers it for at most six months until the written dissertation is submitted. Time until the oral defence is not funded (as of October 2026). Other universities and funders set their own rules, which you find in the specific call.
The most important points
- A final-phase scholarship funds the completion of the doctorate, not the whole period.
- The University of Marburg funds for at most six months, and funding ends with the written submission.
- A final report is due within four weeks after the end of funding.
- At Marburg, doctoral candidates aiming for Dr. med. or Dr. dent. are excluded, as are people with another public or private scholarship.
- Calls are time-limited. The current Marburg call runs until 2 November 2026.
What is a final-phase scholarship?
A final-phase scholarship is aimed at doctoral candidates whose work is nearly finished and who need to bridge the last months financially. The funding period is short and clearly limited. This sets it apart from a PhD scholarship that runs over a longer period and is usually awarded after a separate application to a scholarship foundation.
For context on PhD support from the scholarship foundations: according to the Heinrich Böll Foundation, BMFTR-funded PhD scholarships include a basic scholarship of at most 1,750 euros per month, a research costs allowance of 100 euros and a family allowance of 155 euros (as of October 2026). Other foundations use the same BMFTR rates. These amounts apply to that type of scholarship, not to final-phase scholarships.
Final-phase scholarship and foundation support compared
| Feature | Final-phase scholarship (Marburg example) | PhD scholarship of the foundations |
|---|---|---|
| Awarded by | Committee for final-phase scholarships of the university, application to the call | Scholarship foundations with their own selection process |
| Funding period | At most six months, until written submission | Set by the respective foundation |
| Amount | Stated in the call without a date, so not repeated here | Basic scholarship up to 1,750 euros per month (as of October 2026) |
| Exclusions | Dr. med. and Dr. dent., another public or private scholarship, beginners in the doctorate | Rules of the respective foundation |
Sources for the table: Abschlussstipendien, Philipps-Universität Marburg (in German) (retrieved October 2026) and Stipendienhöhen der Begabtenförderung, status 10/2026 (in German).
Who can apply, and who is excluded?
The Marburg call addresses doctoral candidates from all disciplines represented at the university, whose dissertation is submitted to a department. The requirements are admission as a doctoral candidate and registration in the Marvin portal. Selection is made by a committee of the Marburg University Research Academy (MARA). The aim is a split of roughly 50 percent humanities and social sciences to 50 percent life and natural sciences.
Excluded are doctoral candidates in medicine aiming for Dr. med. or Dr. dent., and people who receive another public or private scholarship. Beginners in the doctorate are also excluded, because the format is meant only for completion. Projects that cannot safely be finished within six months do not qualify either.
What applies in Marburg, specifically?
The table summarises the rules of the Marburg call. The information refers to the status of the page in October 2026. The call published for your application period is always decisive.
| Point | Rule in the call (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Funding period | At most six months |
| End of funding | With the written submission to the department. Time until the oral defence is not funded. |
| Final report | At the latest four weeks after the end of funding |
| Academic side job | Up to 10 hours per week on a monthly average |
| Other income | Counted once it exceeds 500 euros on a monthly average |
| Taxes | The funding is generally regarded as tax-free |
The page also gives a monthly amount without a date. We therefore do not repeat that figure. The current amount is stated in the call, which you should check before applying.
Judging the six-month rule realistically
The key question is whether you can safely finish the work within six months. The call requires exactly that. A final-phase scholarship therefore suits best when the research is complete and what remains is writing, revising and submitting. If you still have data to collect or analyses to run, plan differently.
- List all open chapters and any experiments or analyses still missing.
- Estimate realistically how many weeks each item needs, and build in buffers for corrections.
- Discuss the list with your supervisor before you apply.
- Plan the final report too, because it is due within four weeks after the end of funding.
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine a final-phase scholarship with a position?
That depends on the call. In Marburg, academic side work is allowed only up to 10 hours per week on a monthly average. Check the rules for every combination, because a full-time position does not fit easily with that limit.
What if I need more than six months?
The call requires that you can safely finish within six months. The page does not mention a right to an extension. Discuss the realism of your timetable with your supervisor before applying.
Are final-phase scholarships taxable?
The Marburg page describes the funding as generally tax-free. Whether taxes or social security contributions arise in your case depends on other income. The German guide Stipendium steuerpflichtig? Steuern und Sozialversicherung im Überblick (in German) gives an overview.
Can I apply to several funders at the same time?
At Marburg, another public or private scholarship excludes you from this funding. Check how each call handles parallel funding before you apply.
Is there a final-phase scholarship at every university?
No. The offers differ from university to university. Ask your doctoral office or the graduate school of your faculty whether such calls exist, and note the deadlines, because they are usually limited in time.
What to do next
- Check whether your university advertises final-phase scholarships and note the deadlines.
- Judge realistically whether you can submit the dissertation within six months.
- Ask your supervisor whether they support the submission and the final report.
- Compare the conditions with other funding, especially side income and crediting rules.
Related guides
- PhD Funding: Position, Scholarship or Own Savings
- Health Insurance During a PhD in Germany
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Disputation und Rigorosum: Ablauf und Vorbereitung
Sources: Abschlussstipendien, Philipps-Universität Marburg, MARA (in German) (retrieved October 2026, call runs until 2 November 2026); Stipendienhöhe der Begabtenförderung, Heinrich Böll Foundation (in German) (as of October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
