nav-btn

Application

MSc Career Exploration Scholarship (JST)

Call for applications is open! Please send your application (at least 6 weeks before the planned start of the scholarship) in English in one pdf file to Beatrice Breuer or Sabine Baumgartner at jst@atsaf.de. If you have any questions or need help with the application procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us at jst@atsaf.de.

Requirements for applications/applicants:

Research projects aiming at the preparation of a PhD dissertation cannot be supported.

Note that applications for the JST program can be submitted

Please send your application in English in one pdf file and at least 6 weeks before the planned start of the scholarship to Sabine Baumgartner at jst@atsaf.de

Applications must include:

  1. Application form (please click here to download)
  2. Letter of Motivation (LoM) max 1 page
  3. CV
  4. Outline of the master thesis concept of about 3 to 4 pages, including the planned research topic and a time schedule with a month-by-month work plan. The planned research should preferrable be connected to an ATSAF Academy PhD project or to a ongoing CGIAR++ research activity. Your time at the CGIAR++ center or the German research institute is exclusively for research, not for thesis writing. Keep this in mind when drafting the work plan. Please include the date of the planned departure or the start of work abroad.
  5. Enrolment certificate of the German or national university
  6. Letter of Confirmation (LoC):
    • For students enrolled at a German university; career exploration stay at CGIAR++:
      • LoC from the CGIAR++ center, confirming:
        • to host and supervise the student at the respective CGIAR++ center
        • the title and thematic link to the hosting CGIAR++ research project
        • if applicable, the ATSAF Academy PhD project that the student will contribute to
        • the research focus of the Junior Scientist, and
        • the research focus of the envisaged tandem partner (second Junior Scientist)
    • For students enrolled a national university of an OECD-DAC partner country, career exploration stay at a German research institution:
      • LoC from the German research institute, confirming:
        • to host and supervise the student at the German research institute, and
      • LoC from the CGIAR++ center, stating:
        • the title and thematic link to the hosting CGIAR++ research project
        • if applicable, the ATSAF Academy PhD project that the student will contribute to
        • the research focus of the Junior Scientist (can also be included in the LoC from the German research institution), and
        • the research focus of the envisaged tandem partner (second Junior Scientist, can also be included in the LoC from the German university).
  7. Letter of supervision Confirmation (LoSC):
    • For students enrolled at a German university; career exploration stay at CGIAR++:
      • LoSC from the German university supervisor, stating that she/he will accept and supervise the research concept as MSc thesis.
    • For students enrolled a national university of an OECD-DAC partner country, career exploration stay at a German research institution:
      • LoSC from the national university supervisor, stating that she/he will accept and supervise the research concept as MSc Thesis.
  8. Letter of Recommendation (LoR) from a university lecturer or the German or national university supervisor, respectively. If the LoR is from the German or national university supervisor, respectively, it may be included in the Letter of supervision Confirmation.

Once you have been accepted, the scholarship contract, that will be concluded with ATSAF e.V., ATSAF Academy will provide a lump sum for travel and cost of living. For the duration of the stay abroad, you must conclude an international health insurance incl. medically necessary home transport and an international liability insurance before you go. After your stay abroad it is mandatory to fill out an evaluation form that will be provided by ATSAF Academy.

Contract

The scholarship is intended to contribute to expenditures during the career exploration stay and will be 5.000€ for students enrolled at a German university and going to a CGIAR++, and 7.000€ for students of national universities of OECD-DAC partner countries going to a German research institution.

The scholarship will be paid out in two payments. Payment 1 (4500€ / 6.500€) will be transferred to your account at the beginning and payment 2 (500€ / 500€) will be transferred to you at the end of you stay, once you have sent us a report about your stay.

Following are conditions that must be met before you receive the first payment:

  1. Scholarship contract:
    • We will send you the scholarship contract, which you have to fill in all the missing information (your bank details, etc.) and send it back to us.
  2. The Letter of Agreement (LoA)
    • For students enrolled at a German university; career exploration stay at CGIAR++:
      • The LoA between ATSAF e.V. and the research center has to be signed by the representative of the center and the signed scanned copy sent back to us. We will send the LoA to your supervisor at the center with the request of letting it be signed from the responsible person.
    • For students enrolled a national university of an OECD-DAC partner country, career exploration stay at a German research institution:
      • The LoA between ATSAF e.V. and German research institution has to be signed by the representative of the German research institution and the signed scanned copy sent back to us. We will send the LoA to your supervisor at the German research institution with the request of letting it be signed from the responsible person.

Because of security issues, there are a number of countries which cannot be traveled to, please consult the country recommendations of the German Foreign Office for advice. The first information about this can be found on the website of the German Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/reise-und-sicherheitshinweise. Be aware, that the list is regularly updated, and countries might be added according to changing security situations. In case you are in doubt about your target country, please contact us in time.

Please address any communication regarding the logistic questions (on arrival, possible pick-up, accommodation, etc.) directly to your supervisor at the research center or the German research institution.

Please note, that you are responsible for organizing your own visa. Your visa must respond to the entry regulations of the research center or the German research institution. The research center or the German research institution are responsible to assist in visa issues. Please contact your supervisor as soon as possible for the necessary invitation or other required documents.

If you have any questions or need help with the application procedure, please contact Beatrice Breuer or Sabine Baumgartner (jst@atsaf.de).