Humboldt Research Fellowship

• Benefits
• Eligibility criteria
• Application process
• Documents required
• Selection process
• Contact details
• FAQ's

The Humboldt Research Fellowship is a prestigious program offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, providing opportunities for highly qualified international researchers to conduct research in Germany. The fellowship offers financial support, networking opportunities, and a flexible research period of 6 to 24 months. It is open to researchers at all career stages and from all disciplines. The selection process involves submitting an application, which is evaluated by an independent panel of experts. Successful fellows receive a monthly stipend, travel allowance, and other benefits to support their research activities in Germany. The program aims to foster international collaboration and promote academic excellence in research.

Benefits

The Humboldt Research Fellowship benefits vary for postdocs and experienced-researcher categories as follows:

• To Postdocs: a monthly grant of 2,670 EUR for 6 - 24 months
• To Experienced researchers: 3,170 EUR for 6 - 18 months, divided into up to 3 stays within 3 years

Eligibility criteria

In order to apply, an applicant must fulfil the below-listed Humboldt Research Fellowship eligibility requirements:

• Be an international citizen
• Have a Ph. D. or relevant academic degree completed within the last 4 years
• Written research place confirmation from the host institution
• Have required language proficiency
• Candidates who have been in Germany for more than 6 months at the time of application are ineligible for the fellowship
• Past beneficiaries can’t apply for the fellowship

Application process

The Humboldt Research Fellowship application process is online and involves a few steps, as listed below:

• Visit the official website of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
• Complete the online application form with accurate and detailed information.
• Provide information about your research project, academic qualifications, and professional experience.
• Secure a host affiliation at a recognized research institution in Germany.
• Submit any required supporting documents, such as a curriculum vitae, research proposal, and letters of recommendation.

Apply here for Humboldt Research Fellowship

Documents required

• The promise of research from the host institution
• Two reference letters
• CV in a table format within 2 pages
• Research project description within 5 pages
• List of publications, with a separate list for key publications
• Pdfs of key publications
• Proof of PhD
• German language certificate, if applicable
• Declarations of acceptance/acknowledgements from publishers if the publications are not in English or Germany

Selection process

The Humboldt Research Fellowship selection process comprises three steps: Examination, Assessment, and Selection of the application.

• Examination: Once submitted, the application undergoes a formal admissibility check, upon which the wrongly structured/ formatted applications are rejected. It takes 4 - 6 weeks for examination.
• Assessment: Typically, two independent experts review and prepare reports. Appraised applications are sent to specialist representatives in the committee, which is followed by a selection session. Assessment usually takes approximately 4 months.
• Selection: In the last stage, the deserving applications are accepted, and others are rejected. Rejected applicants can request the reasons for not being accepted. Usually, the results are out in Feb/Mar, Jun/Jul, or Oct/Nov after 4 weeks of the session.

Contact details

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AvHStiftung

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alexander-von-humboldt-foundation/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AvHStiftung/featured

Disclaimer: The information on this page is taken from the official website of Humboldt Research Fellowship. See the original source for any change in the data provided, like dates, facts, etc.

Frequently asked questions