How PhD funding in Germany actually works
The short answer: a PhD on a German TV-L E13 contract pays €4,759.37 a month gross for a full-time post in 2026 — but most PhD contracts are only 50–75% of that, so expect roughly €2,380–3,570 gross. A DAAD scholarship pays €1,300 a month instead, usually tax-free.
Here's how it goes wrong. You see "funded PhD position" on an advert and assume it means a salary. It might. It might also mean a stipend worth well under half as much. The advert often doesn't say which, and which one you get changes your take-home pay, your tax bill, your health insurance and even your visa route.
In short: in Germany you're funded either as an employee on a TV-L E13 contract (50–100% of a full post, taxable, comes with pension and health insurance), or on a stipend from a body like DAAD or a foundation (usually tax-free, but without the same social security cover). Max Planck institutes now use contracts, not stipends. Which one you get depends on the institute and the field, not on how good your application was — so always ask directly rather than assume.
| Type of funding | Monthly amount (gross) | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| TV-L E13, step 1, 100% (a full post) | €4,759.37 | Official TV-L pay table, valid 1 April – 31 December 2026 (TdL) |
| TV-L E13, 75% contract | ≈ €3,569.53 | Our arithmetic from the official table |
| TV-L E13, 65% contract | ≈ €3,093.59 | Our arithmetic from the official table |
| TV-L E13, 50% contract | ≈ €2,379.69 | Our arithmetic from the official table |
| Max Planck funding contract | 65% of TVöD E13 (the federal pay table) | Max Planck Society, in force since 1 January 2021 (MPG) |
| DAAD Research Grant – Doctoral Programmes in Germany | €1,300, plus a research allowance of €460 a year | DAAD scholarship database (DAAD) |
All figures are gross — before tax and social security. We don't give net figures, because take-home pay depends on your tax class, church tax, health insurer and more. "Step 1" is the entry step; you move up steps with experience. Checked on 29 September 2026 — pay tables change most years, so check the source before you sign.
Want a mentor who did a German PhD? Some of our mentors did their own PhD in Germany, so they've read these contracts from the inside. See how our PhD admission mentorship works, or meet the mentors.
- Assuming every "funded PhD position" pays the same as the last one you saw advertised
- Accepting an offer without asking whether it's a 50%, 65%, 75% or 100% TV-L contract
- Relying on old figures — Max Planck stipends, or a DAAD rate from a blog that's years out of date
- Not budgeting for the gap of several weeks before the first payment lands
- Confusing gross and net pay when comparing offers between institutes or countries
- Not checking whether the funding covers the whole PhD or is renewed each year
The DAAD Research Grant for doctoral programmes in Germany pays €1,300 a month plus a research allowance of €460 a year, as listed in the DAAD scholarship database in September 2026. Most German PhDs, though, are paid as employees on a TV-L E13 contract rather than a stipend: €4,759.37 gross a month for a full post in 2026, and roughly €2,380–3,570 gross for the usual 50–75% PhD contract.
Part-time PhD contracts are normal in Germany, and the share usually depends on the field. The German Research Foundation (DFG) suggests about 65% for biology and medicine, 67% for chemistry, up to 75% for physics and mathematics, and up to 100% for computer science and engineering. These are guidelines, and a university can offer more — so ask what percentage the contract is before you accept.
A contract. Since 1 January 2021, Max Planck doctoral researchers are paid on funding contracts at 65% of TVöD pay group 13, the federal public-sector pay table. Older articles that describe tax-free Max Planck stipends are out of date.
Generally yes, especially outside Munich or other high-cost cities — most PhD funding is designed to cover a single person's living costs, though not lavishly. It gets tighter if you're supporting a partner or family on the same income, which is worth factoring in before you commit to a specific city.
Typically no — most stipends of this kind are structured to be tax-free in Germany, unlike a TV-L salary, which is fully taxable. Rules can depend on your home country's tax treaty with Germany, so it's worth a quick check with a tax advisor if you're unsure, especially in your first year.
Yes — nationality doesn't decide which funding type you're offered; the institute and the field do. Engineering, computer science and many natural sciences lean towards employee contracts; some structured programmes and foundations lean towards stipends. Ask directly rather than assuming either way.
Want me or one of our mentors in your exact research field to look at this with you, one on one? The first conversation is always free.