The phrase has no fixed definition
“Fully funded” is marketing language, not a standard. Two awards described the same way can differ by thousands of euros a year. Before you apply, break the offer into its parts and check each one on the official page.
The four parts of a funding package
Tuition. Either waived, paid on your behalf, or partially covered. Public universities in Germany and Norway charge little or no tuition to anyone, so a “scholarship” there may be a living stipend only — which is still what you need.
Living stipend. The monthly or annual amount you receive to live on. This decides whether the award is usable. Compare it with the local cost of living, not with costs at home: a stipend that looks large can be modest in Zurich, Copenhagen or London.
Mobility and settling costs. International airfare, visa fees, a relocation allowance and health insurance. These are most often missing from a “fully funded” claim, and they hurt most at the start.
Research and academic costs. Bench fees, conference travel, fieldwork, thesis printing. Doctoral funding often includes a research allowance; scholarships for taught degrees rarely do.
Salaried positions versus scholarships
In much of Europe a PhD is a job. In Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland, doctoral researchers are frequently employed on a contract with a salary, social insurance and pension contributions. German adverts usually quote a pay scale — for example TV-L E13, often at a percentage such as 65% — rather than a scholarship value. That is not a smaller offer; it is a different structure, usually with employment rights a scholarship does not provide.
A scholarship is a grant. It is often tax-free, but may not include social insurance, pension or employment protection. Neither is better in the abstract. Read which one you are being offered.
Taxes and deductions
Ask what arrives in your account, not what is written in the advert. European employment contracts carry deductions for income tax, health insurance and pension, so a gross figure can be 25–40% higher than the net amount. Scholarships are often untaxed but may carry conditions on working hours or other income.
Six questions to answer before you accept
- Is tuition covered, and for how many years?
- What is the monthly amount, and is it gross or net?
- Is health insurance included, and does it cover dependants?
- Is travel paid once, twice, or not at all?
- What happens in year four if the degree takes longer than the funding?
- Is the award conditional on grades, progress reports or teaching duties?
If the official page does not answer these, ask the provider by email before accepting. A provider that will not answer in writing is telling you something.