This page provides a list of what your application should encompass.

Please note that the program commences on 1st September 2010.

All deadlines refer to the date of receipt of the application, not the mailing date.

To apply for the program, please contact our Admissions Officer at

admissions_officer@bigsss-bremen.de for further details.

Those interesed in becoming an affiliated fellow are advised to hand in their application packet before the end of June in order to be considered for starting in autumn. In a simplified, expedited admissions process, candidates are asked to submit the following appli­cation ma­te­rials

1. Personal information

(Electronic Application Filename): SURNAME-text.pdf

Including the following documents:

1.1 Personal Information Form

Please download and fill in our Personal Information Form. This file can be viewed with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

1.2 Statement of Skills and Experience with Methods of Empirical Social Research

Please provide information on your knowledge of research methods (including methods courses taken). Applicants from disciplines with little or no standard methods training should provide other pertinent information on relevant research skills. Statements can be from one or two sentences to a maximum of one page long.

1.3 Curriculum Vitae

This should include information on your educational and work history, publications, language abilities and extracurricular interests.

2. Preliminary Dissertation Proposal

(Electronic Application Filename): SURNAME-pdp.pdf

Your 5-10 page preliminary dissertation proposal includes State of Research, Objectives, Methods and Work Plan.

Please note: by submitting your application, you consent to have your dissertation proposal checked for plagiarism.

3. Certificates

3.1 Statement of Consent

(Electronic Application Filename): SURNAME-soc.pdf

Statement of consent by project director to the researcher's meeting all curricular and related academic demands of affiliated fellow status in BIGSSS

3.2 Master’s Degree Certificate

(Electronic Application Filename): SURNAME-cer.pdf

Please provide a notarized (or officially certified) photocopy of your Master’s degree certificate (or equivalent). If a transcript is not issued in English or German, please provide an officially certified German or English translation.

ELECTRONIC: Applicants submitting electronic applications will have to send in a notarized (or officially certified) photocopy if shortlisted.

3.3 English Language Skills

Applicants are also asked to demonstrate English skills equivalent to a 100/250/600 score on the TOEFL. These skills are assessed informally at BIGSSS.