Call for Applications: Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral and Experienced Researchers Worldwide in Germany

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Closing Date: Varying

Call for Applications: Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral and Experienced Researchers Worldwide in Germany

The Humboldt Research Fellowship is for researchers of all nationalities and research areas. It supports fellows with research in Germany. Through the Humboldt Fellowship, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation sponsors researchers with above-average qualifications from across the globe. As a fellow, you will benefit from individual support from the Humboldt Foundation and its diverse sponsorship portfolio.

Benefits

The Humboldt Research Fellowship enables you to conduct your own research at various stages of your career in collaboration with a host at a German research institution of your choice. Hosts may apply for a subsidy towards research costs.

Postdocs:

Benefit from research sponsorship in Germany at the beginning of your academic career. The Research Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers enables you to conduct research in Germany. The monthly fellowship amount is €2,670. Fellowships may last from 6 to 24 months.

Experienced researchers:

You can still apply for research sponsorship in Germany even if you are already well advanced in your academic career. The Humboldt Fellowship for experienced researchers enables you to conduct research in Germany. The fellowship amount is €3,170. Fellowships may last from 6 to 18 months and can be divided into up to three stays within three years.

General conditions

In addition to the fellowship amount, you will also receive personal support throughout your sponsorship. You are flexible in determining when you would like to start your fellowship. Prior to your research fellowship, you and your marital partner will be able to attend an intensive language course. Further financial support, including family benefits for children and marital partners, subsidies for private full health insurance and allowances for travel expenses, is also available.

Selection Criteria

The decision to award research fellowships is taken by a selection committee consisting of 60–70 researchers from various fields. The committee’s decision is usually based on two independent peer reviews that evaluate your personal academic credentials. The assessment is based on the following selection criteria, depending on your career level:

academic career and academic record to date (mobility, determination, thematic scope, academic productivity)
quality of the key publications named in the application (originality, innovativeness, evaluation of your own contributions to publications involving several authors)
originality and innovative potential of your proposed research (significance for the further development of the subject area, convincing selection of scientific methods, potential for scientific development, clear focus and feasibility within the requested sponsorship period, viability at the host institute)

your future potential (academic potential, personal development, career prospects, e.g. professorial appointment)
your independent research profile (for experienced researchers)

Timeline

The Selection Committee responsible for reviewing applications to this programme meets every March, July and November. Please send your completed application form, including any additional documents required, well in advance of the desired selection date. Applications are usually processed within four to eight months. Incomplete or inaccurate applications take longer to process and often have to be postponed to a later Selection Committee meeting.

The deadline for meeting certain formal conditions in particular those relating to limitations on career stages and previous stays in Germany is the date on which the foundation receive your application.If your application is successful, you may begin your fellowship between two and twelve months after being selected.