FAQ
Please send your complete application preferable as a single PDF-file to grk3096@vetmed.fu-berlin.de.
The application deadline is January 19, 2026.
Please make sure that you have included the following information/material:
- CV
- Contact details (postal address, city, country, e-mail address, phone number)
- Education history, including a short summary of your thesis and skills you learned (e.g. wet lab methods, statistical programs...depending on the project you apply for)
- Professional working history, if applicable (including the tasks you did and the scientific methods you used)
- Letter of motivation
- maximum 2 A4 pages
- should adress the following questions: Why do you want to do your PhD in one of the projects? Why do you think you are suitable for this project? Why do you want to join the doctoral program Research Training Group 3096? What are your future plans?
- Two letters of recommendation
- Relevant certificates of your graduations (e.g. Master, Bachelor...)
Applicants must hold a Master degree or an equivalent degree in life science, social science or other related subjects. It is NOT necessary to hold the degree at the time of your application, but you will need it when you begin to work with us (April 1, 2026).
If you fulfil these criteria, you are eligible to apply.
Candidates who have already completed a PhD track (graduated as PhD or equivalent) are unfortunately not eligible for this program.
Please note, selected candidates will reside in Kenya (Nairobi - project supervisor Doris Njomo or Kilifi - project supervisor Francis Ndung'u). Business travel will take you about once a year to German for several days up to 3 weeks.
No, Research Training Group 3096 is an international doctoral program. We happily accept applications from any country in the world. However, please try to help us understand your education / academic achievements / your country’s grading system.
Also, please note that you will reside in Kenya for most of the time in the 4 years of your scholarships.
We will try to keep you up to date about the application process via our webpage.
The doctoral program Research Training Group 3096 is an international program with English as the main teaching language. All courses of the RTG 3096 curriculum are taught in English language.
Therefore, applicants for the PhD scholarships need to be fluent in English.
To speak German is not required.
If you accept the offer, you will start on April 1, 2026, with your project either in Nairobi at ESACIPAC or in Kilifi at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Kenya.
Please note, you have to be enroled at the Freie Universität Berlin as PhD students. So, you will graduate from this University. When you were selected, you need to do a lot of paperwork immediately. Of course we will help you with that.
We offer two 4-year PhD scholarships that are funded by the Freie Universität Berlin. However, the selected candidates will mainly reside in Kenya
The scholarship will be 1000 € per month for 4 years and should cover all living expenses in Kenya.
Travel expenses and housing related to business trips to Germany will be covered by funds of the Research Training Group 3096.
If you accept the offer you will start on April 1, 2026 with your project.
For this, you need to be in Kenya and will do all your research on site, either in KEMRI - ESACIPAC (Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control) with Dr. Doris Njomo or in KEMRI - Wellcome Trust with Prof. Francis Ndung'u.
However, you will be associated to the doctoral program Research Training Group 3096, follow its curriculum and be able to join seminars, lectures and courses virtually. Once a year you will come to Germany for up to three weeks and e.g. meet the other Doctoral Researchers and PIs of the program during the RTG 3096 retreat.