The German Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship is concerned with the issues of causes, history and effects of the dictatorship in the Soviet Occupation Zone in Germany and in the GDR. To this end, eight PhD scholarships are currently awarded each year. The scholarship consists of a monthly promotion of 1.050,00 EUR. The support is initially paid for one year but it can be extended for another year. In exceptional cases, a final extension of 6 additional months is possible.
The application to the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship is open to doctoral students from all disciplines. However, the thesis topic must thematically correspond with the foundation's purpose (history and consequences of the dictatorship in the Soviet Occupation Zone and the GDR as well as the division of Germany). For a successful application, scientific importance and originality of the project as well as the academic qualifications of the applicant are crucial.