The scholarships are funded by the State of Saxony-Anhalt.
Call for Applications
Pursuant to the Graduate Funding Act (Grafög) of the State of Saxony-Anhalt (dated July 30, 2001, most recently amended on February 4, 2016), graduates of *Diplom*, State Examination, and Master’s degree programs, as well as master-class students (*Meisterschüler*) from Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, may apply for a graduate scholarship designed to support emerging artistic and academic talent. It is recommended that a period of at least six months elapse between the completion of studies and the submission of the application, and that no more than three years have passed since graduation.
Applications for doctoral studies within the Art Department are also accepted.
Scholarships
Two formats of graduate scholarships are offered: the Graduate Scholarship for Designers (GSD) and the Graduate Scholarship for Artists (GSK). Award decisions are made by the Graduate Commission established for this purpose by the University’s Academic Senate. The base scholarship amount is €1,400 per month, plus a potential childcare allowance.
Graduate Scholarship for Designers
The funding aims specifically to enable the independent development and implementation of a project. This may also take the form of an academic research project (doctoral studies in the Design Department). The proposed project must be described in sufficient detail as part of the application. This requires a project outline (*Exposé*) describing the core idea and the initial situation (level of preparation). The outline must also indicate what preliminary result is expected by the end of the initial funding period (after five months) and include a detailed schedule. The Graduate Scholarship for Artists
For artists, the graduate scholarship offers an opportunity to further develop their artistic identity and give their work a boost—free from financial pressure. Accordingly, the project proposal must outline the applicant's artistic trajectory to date and convincingly demonstrate how the proposed period of intensive support will allow their artistic potential to deepen and mature. The application must also specify the interim results expected by the end of the initial funding period.
Application
Application forms are available on the BURG website.
The digital application form (requiring personal details, a brief summary of your artistic, design, or academic background, and a description of the proposed project) also lists the required attachments (e.g., a copy of your university degree certificate).
The project proposal should describe the project in no more than two pages and include a maximum of four pages of images (no duplicates). Please refer to the criteria listed under "Selection Process." In your CV, please mention any social or civic engagement.
Please submit all documents exclusively in digital format.
Multiple applications are permitted; however, you may not apply with a project proposal that has also been submitted elsewhere.
Applicants who currently have a studio at the Designhaus Halle must choose between the graduate scholarship and the Designhaus space if their scholarship application is successful; otherwise, this would constitute impermissible double funding. However, applying for the scholarship is permitted without restriction at this stage.
References
Applicants must provide a primary reference from a BURG professor and a secondary reference from another faculty member. Commission members should not serve as primary referees, though acting as a mentor is not precluded; in such cases, they may provide the secondary reference. Applicants also have the option of finding a second reviewer from another university. However, continuous supervision (mentorship) must be provided by a professor from BURG. In the case of academic projects, the first reviewer is a member of the Graduate Commission and also supervises the academic work.
The form provided here must be used for the review. One of the reviewers must declare their willingness to serve as the primary mentor and supervise the scholarship recipient throughout the entire funding period. Reviews must be sent directly to the Graduate Commission; they are not to be submitted by the applicant.
Selection Process
Following a preliminary screening, the Graduate Commission shortlists particularly promising applications. These candidates are invited to an interview with the Commission, during which they have the opportunity to present their project and answer questions.
The primary criteria for selecting scholarship recipients are:
Originality
Research approach
Stage of preparation
Element of surprise/openness/development
GRAFÖ-Network
Get involved and benefit: The Grafö Network
The network for scholarship recipients of the Saxony-Anhalt State Graduate Funding program (Grafö Network) is a self-organized representative body. Its primary goals are to foster networking and provide support for scholarship recipients, as well as to improve the material and non-material conditions of the funding program.
Further information: https://blogs.urz.uni-halle.de/netzwerkgraduiertenfoerderung/
