University of Basel 
Basel, Switzerland Offer Summary
The University of Basel offers two one-year starter scholarships through the Basel Graduate School of History, commencing April 1, 2027. Designed to support the initial phase of doctoral studies, this position provides a salary of CHF 32,000 paid in two tranches. Recipients are expected to prepare a compelling third-party funding application within six months to continue their dissertation. The program targets graduates with a Master's degree in History interested in research areas such as Medieval, Early Modern, or Global History. Applicants must identify a potential faculty supervisor and demonstrate high motivation for independent research. The scholarship includes access to structured graduate programs, workshops, and an interdisciplinary network. Applications require a cover letter, CV, project outline, degree certificate, and text samples, submitted by November 20, 2026.
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Project Description
The Basel Graduate School of History (BGSH) is offering two 1-year starter scholarships (Start date: 1 April 2027).
The selection will respect the guiding principles on diversity and inclusion of the University of Basel, which wants to be a family-friendly, equality-oriented, nondiscriminatory and accessible university promoting diversity in all its dimensions.
Your position
The purpose of the scholarships is to support you during the starting phase of your doctorate. Within the first six months of your scholarship, you will prepare a compelling funding application, which you will submit to the relevant bodies in order to continue your dissertation with third-party funding.
Your profile
The scholarships are intended for graduates who hold a Master's degree or an equivalent qualification in History, and who are interested in carrying out research in one of the following areas: Medieval History, Early Modern History, Modern and Contemporary History, Eastern European History, Jewish History, Global History, African History. A high level of motivation is expected, with the ability to carry out a research project independently over the course of several years as an active member of the BGSH, and to contribute to academic debates both within and outside the Department of History. Applicants must list a member of the BGSH faculty as potential supervisor for their PhD project. For further information on the faculty and their fields of research see: Research areas. We recommend candidates to contact the potential supervisor in advance.
We offer you
The Basel Graduate School of History offers a structured graduate studies programme in history within an intellectually inspiring environment. Doctoral students at the BGSH benefit from a rich scholarly exchange, joint workshops and research seminars, and a vast international and interdisciplinary network. Moreover, the BGSH offers further instruments to pursue your doctoral project and supports the realization of own scholarly events. The 1-year scholarship amounts to CHF 32,000 and is paid in two tranches (with intermediate evaluation).
Application / Contact
Deadline for applications: 20 November 2026
The application is to be submitted electronically on following web page:
Application
In addition, please email the following documents to the coordinator at the Basel Graduate School of History, Mirjam Janett (mirjam.janett@unibas.ch):
1. Covering letter
2. CV (including a list of publications, where applicable)
3. Outline of the dissertation project (max. 3 pages)
4. Degree certificate (including final grade)
5. One or two text samples (incl. master thesis or equivalent)
Please submit the documents in two separate pdf files:
- Documents 1 to 4: one single file with the title ">[surname]-bew.pdf<"
- Text samples: one single file with the title ">[surname]-texte.pdf<"
Applications can be submitted in German, French, or English. The selection interviews will take place during the course of December. Invitations will be sent out in due time to selected applicants. Applicants who are about to complete their studies can apply, provided that they can submit an official graduation certificate no later than 9 February 2027. Applications from doctoral students already enrolled at other institutions will not be considered. Holders of a starter scholarship must enrol as PhD students at the University of Basel.
Contact
For further information, please consult or contact Mirjam Janett at mirjam.janett@unibas.ch / +41 61 207 46 74
