Open Positions

2

Time Span

01 Oct 2025 for 4 years

Application Deadline

01 Nov 2024

Financing

yes

Areas of study

Archaeology, Egyptology, Ancient, Oriental Studies

Description

The Graduate School Scholarship Program(GSSP) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is offering two (2) doctoral scholarships to earn a PhD within the framework of “Ancient Objects and Visual Studies” doctoral program of the BerGSAS, https://www.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/en/bergsas/index.html

We welcome applications from highly qualified graduates from the fields of: Ancient Oriental Studies, Classical Archaeology, Egyptology and Northeast African Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, or Prehistoric Archaeology. 

Applicants musthold an outstanding master'sdegree (MA, MSt, or MSc) or equivalentin one of the aforementioned disciplines or be very close to completion. 

Objectives of the doctoral program “Ancient Objects and Visual Studies”

The doctoral program, https://www.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/bergsas/programme/aovis/index.html is concerned, among other things, with the effects of images and the mechanisms that make up communication with images. Key questions are: Who produces images and for whom? What message do these images convey? What are the elements of meaning (image ciphers) that make up the semantic field of images? To what extent can images be (or not) precisely determined in their semantic content? Such questions need to be explored by looking at the archaeological or historical object or artifact in its respective cultural context. Starting from the individual object, the general cultural influences on the perception of images should be worked out. Furthermore, the knowledge of the respective functioning of ancient images and artifacts should be combined with the contemporary possibilities of visual presentation. International perspectives are highly welcome here, especially those that question both the European-influenced role of images and the role of the museums.

Who can apply?

• The call is open ONLY to applicants who are not German citizens,
• Applicants must not have completed a PhD previously,
• The MA degree must not have been completed before March 1, 2019
• Applicants must not have resided in Germany continuously before December 1, 2023.

Duration of scholarship and funding

The doctoral scholarship is available from October 2025 (winter semester 2025/26) for four years, subject to a satisfactory annual progress review. In accordance with DAAD guidelines, the scholarship holders receive a stipend of 1,300 Euros a month, a travel allowance, payments towards health, accident and liability insurance cover, allowances for study and research (and, where applicable, rent and family allowances) as well as financial support for a pre-sessional German language course. Plus, material resources and supervision allowance of 1,000 Euros per year, administered by the BerGSAS. 

Application process

Applications must be submitted via the BerGSAS portal by 1 November 2024, 00:00 CEWT, quoting the reference 2025-AOViS-BerGSAS-GSSP. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The application procedure takes place in two stages:

• 1st stage: Please register at the BerGSAS application portal: https://application.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/bergsas 

After you have created a personal account, you can begin to fill in the application form and you can upload your documents. It is possible to save the application form temporarily and continue with the data entry at a later date. Applications must be submitted by 1 November 2024, 00:00 CET.

BerGSAS will invite shortlisted candidates to an online interview within two months of the application deadline.

• 2nd stage: BerGSAS will nominate the candidates selected for a scholarship to the DAAD. The DAAD will make the final decision and will inform you. Please note that admission to doctoral studies and the receipt of a scholarship is subject to assessment by the host university (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin or Freie Universität Berlin) and by the DAAD. 

Application documents

If registered at BerGSAS application portal (https://application.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/bergsas), you will find at the bottom of the form the list documents required. This includes among other things copies of various documents (which do not have to be officially certified!).

• Certificate of a language examination in English e.g., IELTS Academic or TOEFL (at least B2 level). Please note: At the Freie Universität, a C1 certificate is required for admission to doctoral studies.
• Certificates of any academic degree (B.A. and M.A.) or advanced qualifications indicating grades and explaining the grading system of your home university .
• Two letters of reference from university professors are required, one of which must be from a professor at your home university! The letters are confidential documents and should be sent as a PDF file by the university professors directly to: carmen.marcks-jacobs@berliner-antike-kolleg.org 

It is mandatory that the professors use the DAAD template for their letter of recommendation! The template can be found at: 

https://www.daad.de/medien/deutschland/stipendien/formulare/recommendation.doc

Application deadline : The deadline for your application is 1 November 2024 at 00:00 CEWT. The selection committee will not consider incomplete or late applications.  

For further inquiries please contact the coordinator of the doctoral program:

Dr. Regina Attula, regina.attula@berliner-antike-kolleg.org