German Study Award

The German Study Award of the Körber Foundation annually honors outstanding doctoral theses from all disciplines with a special societal relevance in Hamburg. In three subject groups – social sciences, natural and engineering sciences, as well as humanities and cultural studies – a top prize of €25,000 and two second prizes of €10,000 each are awarded. All finalists also gain access to alumni programs that provide platforms for public exchange, mentoring, and career development. A total of €135,000 is available to support excellent early-career researchers in enhancing their visibility and impact.

Eligible to participate are individuals who have completed their doctorate with magna or summa cum laude at a German university or, as German citizens, at a foreign university in 2025, and who have taken their oral examination between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Applications must include an abstract (max. 1,000 characters), an essay (max. 20,000 characters), the dissertation (with synopsis if cumulative doctorate), at least two expert reviews, doctoral certificate, and a tabular CV in the prescribed template. Evaluation is based on scientific excellence and societal relevance. All documents must be uploaded online by March 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. The German Study Award aims to highlight the societal significance of scientific findings and to strengthen the dialogue between science and the public.