The University of Vechta in Germany is inviting applications for up to three PhD scholarships in a doctoral college focused on the justice dimensions of sustainability-oriented transformation processes in rural areas. Successful scholarship holders will receive a monthly stipend of €1,650, and applications are due by November 2, 2026.
Key facts
- Up to three PhD scholarships are available at the University of Vechta.
- The doctoral college is titled “Justice Dimensions of Sustainability-Oriented Transformation Processes in Rural Areas” and is affiliated with VISTRA.
- The stipend is €1,650 per month, made up of a €1,550 basic stipend and a €100 research cost lump sum.
- The application deadline is November 2, 2026.
- Fellowships are expected to start between June and September 2027 and run for up to three years.
What does this mean for PhD applicants?
The call gives doctoral researchers a funded route into a programme that combines sustainability, social justice and rural development. It is especially relevant for applicants working in human geography, social sciences, applied ethics, economics, sustainability science or psychology, and it explicitly encourages quantitative or mixed-methods projects.
Applicants must show that their project fits the doctoral college’s focus on justice-related dimensions of sustainability transformation in rural areas and submit an exposé of no more than 10 pages.
What are the funding and support details?
Each scholarship pays a monthly stipend of €1,650. The funding package includes a €1,550 basic stipend plus €100 for research costs, with possible additional support for health insurance up to €100 and a family allowance where applicable. The standard funding period can be extended in justified cases.
What kind of research does the doctoral college want?
The programme is built around questions of fairness in sustainability-oriented change, especially in rural areas. The call lists possible topics such as energy transitions, spatial justice, risk and perceived justice, socio-technical transitions, nature and climate protection policies, gender justice, and the role of trade unions in just transformations.
It welcomes proposals from relevant disciplines and says research methods may be qualitative or quantitative, with quantitative and mixed-methods approaches explicitly encouraged.
How and when should applicants apply?
Applications must be submitted through the Hans Böckler Foundation’s online application portal. The deadline is November 2, 2026, and successful recipients are expected to be announced in May 2027. The scholarships are expected to begin between June and September 2027.
The application requires the necessary documents plus a research exposé of no more than 10 pages. The programme also encourages prospective applicants to discuss their project in advance with Prof. Dr. Jana Zscheischler or Prof. Dr. John Oliver Engler.
Frequently asked questions
What language skills are required?
Applicants need good knowledge of both German and English. The call specifies German at B2 level and English at C1 level, and it says the doctoral thesis may be written in English.
Can the scholarship run longer than three years?
The scholarships are awarded for a maximum of three years, although the standard funding period may be extended in justified cases.
