How to ‘fill the gap’ between the end of one’s grant and handing in one’s thesis I am a Ph.D. student in Germany. For the past three years I have been paid by a scholarship grant. (The source of this grant and the subject I’m in is not of relevance. Consider it natural sciences.) This grant is now terminating after three years however I still have to write and hand in my thesis. The relevant university requires Ph.D. students to be properly enrolled, thus I qualify as a student.

I need to fill the gap between the end of the grant and having handed in my thesis in some way — I need food and to pay my flat’s rent. I am not entitled to Arbeitslosengeld I (unemployment benefits) because a grant is not considered an employment contract. And today I also heard that apparantly I am not entitled to Arbeitslosengeld II (social welfare benefits) either, because I am still enrolled as a student.

Is that piece of information correct? If that is the case, are there any social welfare benefits I can apply for? Or do I really need to rely on ‘rich parents’/savings?



Side notes:

Technically, my grant can be extended; however, I am unsure whether it will be or not. There is no way I can finish my thesis by the time the original grant ends and my supervisor does not have any spare money to finance me for the remaining time e.g. as a wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft (scientific helper).

I’m still checking with my university whether I actually must remain enrolled or not; please assume compulsory enrolment in your answers/comments.

So far in my life I have never paid into the unemployed insurance. Any student jobs I had gave too little salary.

In case it matters, I am a German national.
This is very normal to happen, you have three choices, which I would recommend the last two: 


Extend and Hope The Supervisor Comes Through: Obviously you are extending your stay at the university, you can stay still and hope that your supervisor can find a funding somewhere, which is laying around, and then give it to you. 
Find a Job and Write Your Thesis: Second choice is to go and find a job (postdoc or industry), since you are a German national, the world is your oyster. You do not need to waste time and energy for visa applications. 

2.1 Benefit: You stack your experience, start earning based on years of education.

2.2. Drawback: You need to balance it out between your future job and writing your thesis. 


A Big Fat Alert: The second option is the tricky one, not everyone can balance it out between a job and writing a thesis; and I know people who did fail their submission because they were too busy earning their living.


Combination of the first two: You can find a job at your university and then write the thesis at the same time. 

Main Benefit: You can still discuss issues with your supervisor and be at the same environment until your submission. 


Conclusion: You need to sit down and think about this very carefully, and then choose your option. Not the best scenario but it happens to many at the end of their third year period.