Application requirements

Graduates with a first academic degree who have successfully completed a
master’s degree with above average results (final mark 2,5 „good“ or better.)

• Candidates must hold German citizenship or hold an MSc degree from a German university.
• The applicant's master's degree must be from the same field as the host faculty of the PhD candidate. Qualified applicants from related disciplines may be required to take a knowledge assessment after participating selected modules in the respective faculty.
• Applicants must demonstrate at least “good” language skills in the language of the dissertation (English). The form of proof is determined by the doctoral committee. Accepted are e.g. TOEFL (ibt) 90, IELTS (academic) 6,5 or German Abitur (with minimum 6 years of English lesson).
• Candidates must supply at least one academic reference, where possible, one from the potential supervisor.
• Clearly show motivation and strong commitment through a written statement.

Submission of Application

As a first step, all applicants must submit a completed application form, which can be completed here (external link to University of Pretoria).
The following attachments must be uploaded as part of the application:

• A copy of your National Identification Card or, if not applicable, a copy of your passport.
• A completed project proposal form. Download here (University Pretoria) or at the UKUDLA website at Hohenheim University https://ukudla.uni-hohenheim.de/en
• Short CV (2 pages maximum)
• Copies of university degree certificates, including transcripts
• One recent academic recommendation letter, where possible, from the potential supervisor.
• Letter of Support from the partner institution in South Africa or Malawi (optional).
• Letter of admission from the host university (this can be subsequently submitted before the scholarship begins if it is not available at the time of application, the Letter of Award only becomes effective if you are admitted to the selected university).

The application form also requires a motivational statement (250 words each on your
research interest, how the scholarship will impact your career path, what impact it will
have on your community or environment, and a description of your academic and career
journey).

Selection procedure

Applications will go through an administrative review to ensure all qualifying criteria are met. If an application meets the specified criteria and the research topic is relevant to the theme of sustainable, resilient food systems and data science, it will be sent for review by the selection committee. Applications will be peer-reviewed by two selection committee members using a rating rubric. The research proposal will be weighted according to its importance. A shortlist will be produced, and selected candidates will be invited to participate in an online interview.

The successful candidates will be informed before the end of June 2025, to commence their scholarship earliest in July 2025.

Payment of scholarship funds

The award of the scholarship is dependent on acceptance of the student’s registration at the University of Hohenheim as doctoral candidate.

The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the scholarship holder’s account. Further details will be communicated after admission to the scholarship programme in the Letter of Award, Scholarship Agreement and Scholarship Calculation.

Payments cannot be made in advance/prior to the scholarship start date and the commencement of studies at the host institution. Furthermore, no additional benefits other than those listed in this call for applications, such as benefits for family members, can be made.

Expectation

UKUDLA scholarship holders are expected to actively engage in their PhD studies, as demonstrated by the submission of a well-developed PhD proposal and regular progress reports detailing their research. They are also expected to contribute to the academic community by publishing their research findings in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, scholarship holders should actively participate in science communication, disseminating their research to broader audiences.

Duration and continuation of scholarship

Scholarships are awarded for the duration of the standard period of study for the PhD programme, which is 36 months (extension by a maximum of 6 months up to a maximum duration of 42 months possible). After the first and the second year of the project, your academic and research achievements will be assessed for further funding (details will be provided in the scholarship agreement).

Deadline & Contact, Email address for queries

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 01 July 2025 (extended).

Contact, Email address for queries

Application form available here.

For further information see also UKUDLA website at University of Hohenheim: https://ukudla.uni-hohenheim.de/en

Any questions or queries can be directed by e-mail to ukudla@uni-hohenheim.de