AAlexander von Humboldt Foundation
Partially funded
Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral and Experienced Researchers
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany
Scholarship overview
The Humboldt Research Fellowship lets postdoctoral and experienced researchers of all nationalities and research fields carry out their own research project in Germany with a host of their choice at a German university or research institution. It is funded by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space under the Global Minds Initiative Germany, with private partners including the Bayer Foundation and the Carl Friedrich von Siemens Foundation.
There are two tracks. Postdocs hold a doctorate completed within the last 4 years. Experienced researchers hold a doctorate completed within the last 12 years and have an independent research profile.
Applications are open in rolling calls. Each call closes once it reaches 800 applications.
Award Information
- Open to researchers of all nationalities and fields, excluding German nationals.
- Postdocs: doctorate (or equivalent) completed within the last 4 years, or completed before the selection meeting with a written summary of findings.
- Experienced researchers: doctorate within the last 12 years, an extensive publication record including papers as thematic lead, and a leadership role at a corresponding career level (for example assistant professor, lecturer or head of an independent research group). If a doctorate is not possible or uncommon in your field or country, you can apply up to 16 years after your master's or equivalent degree.
- German nationals and educational residents are generally ineligible, unless they have lived and worked abroad for more than 10 years, or more than 5 years with strong ties to their country of residence.
- No more than 90 days in Germany in the 18 months before applying.
- Not eligible: anyone who has previously received direct sponsorship from the Foundation (research fellowship or award). Brazilian researchers may be directed to the CAPES-Humboldt Research Fellowship.
- Language: natural sciences and engineering need good German or English. Humanities, social sciences and medicine need good German only if the research requires it; otherwise good English is enough.
- Host: any researcher at a German university or research institution. Close relatives cannot host. Returning to a previous supervisor or host after a stay of over 12 months generally leads to rejection. Two hosts at different institutes are allowed.
- Postdocs: EUR 3,000 per month, plus additional benefits.
- Experienced researchers: EUR 3,600 per month, plus additional benefits.
- Family allowances if the family accompanies the fellow for more than 3 months.
- Subsidy for private full health insurance.
- Travel expense allowance; return travel is a lump sum if the home institution does not cover it. Family travel is covered only in exceptional cases.
- Host institution allowance: EUR 800 per month (natural sciences and engineering) or EUR 500 per month (humanities and social sciences).
- 2 to 4 months of intensive German before the fellowship, funded separately and outside the fellowship period.
- Duration: postdocs 6 to 24 months; experienced researchers 6 to 18 months; divisible into up to three stays within three years, with a minimum stay of 6 months (may be two 3-month blocks).
- Research outside Germany is allowed under conditions, usually capped at 25% of the funding period. Fellowships cannot be paid retroactively.
Calls are rolling and close at 800 applications. As of the 2026 cycle the current call was full; the next call opens 15 November 2026 (selection meeting July 2027, earliest start September 2027). Earlier calls: 15 March 2026 (selection November 2026, start February 2027) and 15 July 2026 (selection March 2027, start May 2027). Selection meetings are held in February/March, June/July and October/November. The fellowship must begin no less than 2 and no more than 12 months after the selection meeting; from abroad the earliest start is usually 2 months after approval (3 if a visa is needed).
How to apply
- Check eligibility; email [email protected] with eligibility questions before applying.
- Agree a research project with a host in Germany.
- Submit the online application when a call is open. The host then gets access and uploads their documents.
- The application is forwarded to the Foundation only once the host's documents are complete.
- Formal eligibility check (about 4 to 8 weeks), then a completeness check.
- Peer review (usually two reviews) and committee assessment, taking about 3 to 6 months.
- Successful applicants receive grant documents about 4 weeks after the selection meeting.
Official links
Documents you will need
- CV (max. 2 pages)
- Research outline (max. 5 pages)
- Complete publication list
- List of 1 to 3 key publications with explanations, and the key publications as unencrypted PDFs
- Doctoral certificate, or official confirmation of completion before the selection meeting
- German language certificate, if required
- Publisher acceptance or receipt notices, and translations if needed
- Two expert reviews uploaded by the reviewers (postdocs: doctoral supervisor plus one other researcher; experienced researchers: collaborators and other institute researchers, ideally from abroad); no older than 12 months
- Host statement, confirmation of research facilities and mentoring agreement, uploaded by the host
How selection works
- A selection committee of 60 to 70 researchers from various fields decides by majority vote.
- Criteria: academic record, quality of key publications, originality and feasibility of the research outline, future potential, and for experienced researchers an independent research profile.
- Expected success rate: 20 to 25% of applications.
- Parallel applications to other sponsors are allowed if disclosed; applying to several Humboldt programmes at once is not. Decisions cannot be appealed; rejected applicants may request feedback, and unanimous rejections require an 18-month wait before reapplying.
