€2,100–€2,975/month net — the TV-L E13 PhD contract is a salary, not a scholarship
Most STEM PhD students in Germany are employed on a 75% TV-L E13 contract: €2,126–€2,975/month net, full health insurance, pension contributions, 30 days annual leave. Here's how the contract route compares to a scholarship and how to land one in 2026.
€2,100–€2,975/month — the TV-L E13 PhD contract
Most STEM PhD students at German universities are not on a scholarship. They are employed as Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter on a 75% TV-L E13 contract — with a real salary, pension contributions, public health insurance, and 30 days of annual leave. Here's exactly what that looks like in 2026.
TV-L E13 75% net salary
€2,126–€2,975/mo
Gross €3,200–€3,987/month on a 75% TV-L E13 contract (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter, Steuerklasse I single). Add full GKV health insurance, statutory pension contributions, 30 days annual leave, Krankengeld eligibility from week 7 of illness, and a research-residence permit under §18d AufenthG. This is a job, not a stipend.
What TV-L E13 actually means
TV-L = Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst der Länder, the federal-states collective bargaining agreement that sets pay for public-sector employees at universities and research institutes. E13 is the pay group for academic staff who hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) and perform independent scientific work — which is the legal description of a PhD candidate at most German universities.
Most STEM and social-science PhDs are hired as Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter (research staff) on a 75% TV-L E13 contract. Humanities and Geisteswissenschaften often use 50%. A small number of well-funded chairs offer 100%. The percentage refers to working-time fraction; the gross monthly figure scales linearly.
The headline numbers
€2,975/mo
Top net at 75% E13
Stufe 3, single, Steuerklasse I
75%
Most common workload
STEM + social sciences
30 days
Annual paid leave
On top of public holidays
§18d
Research residence permit
Fast-track visa route
How 50% vs 75% vs 100% compare in 2026
| Provider | Workload | Gross at Stufe 1 | Net (single, StKl I) | Typical field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50% TV-L E13 Common in Geisteswissenschaften — the assumption is you spend the other 50% on independent research. | €2,133/mo | ~€1,510/mo | Humanities, some social sciences | |
75% TV-L E13 Best Default for most German PhDs. Best trade-off between salary and dissertation time. | €3,200/mo | ~€2,126/mo (entry) → €2,360 (Stufe 3) | STEM, engineering, life sciences | |
100% TV-L E13 Higher salary but expect heavier teaching/admin load (often 4 SWS per semester). | €4,267/mo | ~€2,720/mo (entry) → €2,975 (Stufe 3) | Industry-funded or senior project roles |
Common in Geisteswissenschaften — the assumption is you spend the other 50% on independent research.
- Workload
- €2,133/mo
- Gross at Stufe 1
- ~€1,510/mo
- Net (single, StKl I)
- Humanities, some social sciences
- Typical field
Default for most German PhDs. Best trade-off between salary and dissertation time.
- Workload
- €3,200/mo
- Gross at Stufe 1
- ~€2,126/mo (entry) → €2,360 (Stufe 3)
- Net (single, StKl I)
- STEM, engineering, life sciences
- Typical field
Higher salary but expect heavier teaching/admin load (often 4 SWS per semester).
- Workload
- €4,267/mo
- Gross at Stufe 1
- ~€2,720/mo (entry) → €2,975 (Stufe 3)
- Net (single, StKl I)
- Industry-funded or senior project roles
- Typical field
What it includes besides salary
- GKV health insuranceFull statutory cover
- Pension contributionsCounts toward German Rente
- 30 days annual leaveStatutory, on top of holidays
- Krankengeld from week 778 weeks safety net
- §18d AufenthG visaFast research permit
- Elterngeld eligibilityIf you become a parent during the PhD
TV-L contract vs DAAD scholarship — which wins?
| Provider | Dimension | TV-L E13 contract | DAAD / IMPRS scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
Headline pay | €2,126–€2,975 net at 75% | €1,200–€1,365/mo (tax-free) | |
Health insurance | Full GKV included | €120/mo allowance to buy own cover | |
Pension credit | Counts toward German Rente | Zero pension contribution | |
Annual leave | 30 days statutory | Programme-dependent, often 28 days | |
Sick-pay safety net | 78 weeks Krankengeld from week 7 | Programme top-up, usually shorter | |
Teaching obligation | Up to ~4 SWS/semester | Usually none | |
Renewal cycle | Multi-year contract, single signature | Annual reapplication for some scholarships | |
Side jobs | Allowed within Nebentätigkeit rules | Usually heavily restricted | |
Best for Best | STEM, life sciences, engineering | Humanities + applicants with no funded project yet |
- Dimension
- €2,126–€2,975 net at 75%
- TV-L E13 contract
- €1,200–€1,365/mo (tax-free)
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- Full GKV included
- TV-L E13 contract
- €120/mo allowance to buy own cover
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- Counts toward German Rente
- TV-L E13 contract
- Zero pension contribution
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- 30 days statutory
- TV-L E13 contract
- Programme-dependent, often 28 days
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- 78 weeks Krankengeld from week 7
- TV-L E13 contract
- Programme top-up, usually shorter
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- Up to ~4 SWS/semester
- TV-L E13 contract
- Usually none
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- Multi-year contract, single signature
- TV-L E13 contract
- Annual reapplication for some scholarships
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- Allowed within Nebentätigkeit rules
- TV-L E13 contract
- Usually heavily restricted
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
- Dimension
- STEM, life sciences, engineering
- TV-L E13 contract
- Humanities + applicants with no funded project yet
- DAAD / IMPRS scholarship
The 6-step path to a TV-L E13 PhD contract
Identify your topic and target supervisor
4–8 weeksStart from a paper you love. Find the professor behind it. Check whether their group has open positions on EURAXESS, MyScience, the chair's own page, or the institute's job board.
Cold-email the professor
1–2 days to draft, 2–6 weeks for replyShort, specific email: who you are, why their work, your concrete research idea, one-page CV attached. Avoid generic "I want to do a PhD in your group" letters.
Interview + research talk
30–90 min, often onlineExpect a research presentation, deep technical questions, and a fit conversation. Many groups also include a second-round chat with senior postdocs.
Offer letter + contract negotiation
2–4 weeksHR sends a TV-L E13 contract draft. Negotiate workload percentage, start date, conference budget, and computing resources. Stufe 1 is non-negotiable for first PhDs.
Apply for §18d AufenthG research visa
4–8 weeks at German embassyWith the signed contract you qualify for the research residence permit. APS clearance still required for Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi applicants — start it in parallel.
Anmeldung + first paycheck
2 weeks after arrivalRegister at the Bürgeramt within 14 days, sign up for GKV, get tax ID. First salary lands at end of the month — backdated to your start date if Anmeldung is fast.
Where to find open positions
- EURAXESS GermanyOfficial EU research job board
- MyScience.deGerman academic jobs portal
- University chair pagesMost positions posted there first
- Helmholtz / Leibniz / FraunhoferResearch association portals
- Cold-emailMany roles never get posted — ask directly
The 5 common failure patterns
What wins TV-L PhD offers
- Concrete research idea connected to a recent paper from the target group — not a vague "I want to do PhD" pitch
- Master thesis or publication record demonstrating you can finish independent work
- Specific budget ask aligned with the chair's typical funding (DFG, BMBF, ERC) — shows you've done your homework
- Cold-email sent to 5–10 chairs in parallel, with each note tailored — broadcast emails get filtered
- References from supervisors who can actually speak to research independence, not just course grades
What blocks the contract
- Applying to a chair without checking if the project funding still has runway (some PIs lose grants mid-PhD)
- Treating Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter as a 9-to-5 job — German chairs expect dissertation focus on your "own time"
- Ignoring the teaching workload — 4 SWS at 100% TV-L can eat half your week
- Missing APS clearance lead time — Indian and Pakistani applicants need 4–8 weeks before the visa appointment
- Negotiating Stufe 2 on your first contract — universities will not move on Stufe for first-time PhDs
What can go wrong mid-contract
The biggest TV-L risk is fund expiry. Most PhD contracts are tied to a specific grant (DFG project, BMBF programme, EU Horizon project) with a defined end date. If your PI does not renew funding before your contract ends, you might face a non-renewal even if your dissertation is not done. Mitigations:
- Ask before signing: "What's the funding source and runway? What's the renewal plan?"
- Build a second project on the side, eligible for a different funding stream.
- Keep an eye on TV-L's WissZeitVG limit — academic fixed-term employment is capped at 6 years pre-PhD and 6 years post-PhD.
TV-L E13 is a fixed-term contract governed by the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (WissZeitVG). Most universities issue 3-year initial contracts, often extendable to 4–5 years. The total fixed-term clock cannot exceed 6 years before the PhD — plan accordingly.
What to do this week
- List 10 chairs working on a topic adjacent to your Master thesis. Use Google Scholar, then trace each paper back to the corresponding research group.
- Read each chair's last 3 papers and write down one specific extension you could pursue as a PhD.
- Draft a cold-email template (200 words) and customise the project-idea paragraph for each chair.
- Open EURAXESS Germany and filter by "PhD" + your field — note the salary band each posting quotes.
- Start APS clearance in parallel if you are an Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi applicant — 6–8 weeks lead time.
Related scholarship guides
- All scholarships for studying in Germany — landing page with funding-stack comparisons.
- IMPRS Max Planck PhD fellowships — €3,186/month structured doctoral programme alternative.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks — multi-country PhD with EU mobility allowance.
- DAAD PhD Research Grant — €1,365/month scholarship route compared.
Source: Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder — TV-L tables, myscience.de, EURAXESS Germany, 2026 TV-L Stufe rates.
Last updated: 2026-05-17