The Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers offers international researchers the opportunity to conduct an independent research project at a research institution in Germany. The programme is funded and administered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and is open to postdoctoral researchers from all countries and academic disciplines, except applicants who fall under the programme’s Germany-related eligibility restrictions.
The fellowship is designed for researchers at the beginning of their academic careers who have completed their doctorate recently or are about to complete it. Fellows work with an academic host of their choice in Germany and receive financial support, research-related benefits and individual support from the Humboldt Foundation.
For postdoctoral researchers, the fellowship lasts 6 to 24 months. The fellowship can be divided into up to three research stays within three years, with each stay lasting at least three months.
The Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers is intended for:
- Postdoctoral research
- Early-career researchers who have completed a doctorate
- Researchers about to complete their doctorate before the relevant selection meeting
This is a research fellowship rather than a degree scholarship. Applicants are expected to hold, or be close to completing, a doctoral qualification.
Available Subjects
The Humboldt Research Fellowship is open to researchers from all academic disciplines.
Depending on the research area, applicants may work in fields such as:
- Natural Sciences
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Environmental Sciences
- Medicine
- Health Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Economics
- Political Science
- Law
- Humanities
- History
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Arts
The programme is not restricted to a particular research subject. Applicants must, however, demonstrate an appropriate research record and identify a suitable German academic host.
Benefits
Postdoctoral Humboldt Fellows receive substantial financial and professional support, including:
- €3,000 per month fellowship payment
- Mobility allowance of €100 per month
- Usually a subsidy toward medical and liability insurance
- Travel-related support
- Research support through the German host institution
- Possible family benefits for accompanying partners and children
- Support for language courses
- Individual support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
- Access to the international Humboldt network
- Opportunities for continued alumni support after the fellowship
The German host institution can also receive a monthly research-cost subsidy of €500 for humanities and social sciences or €800 for natural sciences and engineering.
Funding and Fellowship Duration
The postdoctoral fellowship provides €3,000 per month and can last between 6 and 24 months.
The fellowship period can be divided into a maximum of three stays within three years, provided that each stay lasts at least three months.
Additional support may be available for travel, health insurance, language training and family-related expenses.
Eligible Nationalities
The Humboldt Research Fellowship is open to researchers from all countries except Germany, subject to the programme’s Germany-related eligibility rules.
Applicants must normally be living and/or working outside Germany when applying. They must also not have spent more than 90 days in Germany during the 18 months before submitting the application.
Researchers who have completed their education or doctorate in Germany may face additional residence requirements. German nationals can also be subject to special eligibility conditions concerning their residence and academic career abroad.
Postdoctoral applicants should generally:
- Hold a doctorate or equivalent academic qualification.
- Have completed the doctorate within the last four years, or be able to complete it before the relevant selection meeting.
- Have an established publication record appropriate to their career stage.
- Propose an independent research project.
- Identify an academic host at a research institution in Germany.
- Obtain the host’s written statement and confirmation that research facilities are available.
- Provide the required expert reviews.
- Meet the applicable language requirements.
- Not have lived in Germany for more than 90 days during the 18 months before applying.
- Not have already received direct sponsorship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through a research fellowship or award.
Applicants who are about to complete their doctorate must already be able to provide a written summary of their findings before the relevant selection meeting.
Academic and Research Requirements
Academic excellence and research potential are central to the Humboldt selection process.
Postdoctoral applicants should demonstrate:
- Strong doctoral research
- Publications in internationally reviewed academic journals or publishing houses
- A coherent and independent research proposal
- Research potential appropriate to the applicant’s career stage
- A suitable German host and research environment
The Foundation specifically asks postdoctoral applicants to provide their doctoral supervisor and another researcher as expert reviewers. The second reviewer should preferably be outside the applicant’s own institution.
Host Researcher Requirement
Applicants must identify a researcher at a German academic or research institution who is willing to host and support the proposed research project.
The host provides:
- A mentoring agreement
- Written confirmation that the required research facilities are available
- A detailed statement or review supporting the applicant’s project
The host is an important part of the application because the fellowship is intended to be carried out in collaboration with researchers in Germany.
Language Requirements
- Language requirements depend on the research discipline.
- For natural sciences and engineering, applicants must have a good knowledge of German or English.
- For humanities, social sciences, and medicine, applicants generally need good German if German is necessary for conducting the research. Otherwise, good English is sufficient.
- The Foundation does not specify one universal IELTS or TOEFL score for all applicants.
Required Documents
Applicants must submit the required materials through the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s online application system.
The current requirements include:
- Curriculum vitae, maximum two pages
- Research outline, maximum five pages
- Complete publication list
- List of selected key publications
- Key publications
- Doctoral certificate or proof of completed doctorate
- Evidence of doctorate completion before the relevant selection meeting, where applicable
- German-language certificate where required
- Publisher acceptance notifications where applicable
- Summaries or translations of key publications where required
- Two expert reviews
- Detailed statement from the German host
- Confirmation that research facilities are available
The application cannot be submitted until the required host and expert-review documents have been uploaded.
How Winners Are Selected
The Humboldt Research Fellowship selection process evaluates the applicant’s academic and research profile as well as the proposed project.
Important considerations include:
- Academic qualifications
- Quality and originality of the research proposal
- Publication record
- Research potential
- Suitability of the German host
- Availability of appropriate research facilities
- Expert reviews
- Overall academic profile
The Foundation states that applications are reviewed through a multi-stage process involving formal verification, external peer review, and selection committee assessment.
Application Procedure
Step 1: Check Eligibility
- Confirm that your doctoral qualification, publication record, residence status, and research profile meet the postdoctoral fellowship requirements.
Step 2: Develop a Research Project
- Prepare an independent research project that can realistically be carried out at a German research institution.
Step 3: Find a German Host
- Identify a researcher whose expertise and research facilities match your proposed project.
- Contact the potential host and obtain their agreement to support your fellowship application.
Step 4: Prepare Your Documents
- Prepare your CV, research outline, publication lists, key publications, doctoral documents, and any required language evidence.
Step 5: Arrange Expert Reviews
- Ask your doctoral supervisor and another appropriate researcher to provide the required expert reviews.
Step 6: Complete the Online Application
- Submit the application through the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s online application system.
- The application can only be submitted after the required documents from the host and expert reviewers have been uploaded.
Step 7: Selection
- Completed applications undergo a formal eligibility and completeness check before being assessed by external peer reviewers and the relevant selection committee.
Important Dates
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has introduced three application calls each year.
The current schedule for applications includes:
- 15 March call → selection meeting in November → earliest fellowship start in February of the following year
- 15 July call → selection meeting in March of the following year → earliest fellowship start in May
- 15 November call → selection meeting in July of the following year → earliest fellowship start in September
For the 2027 cycle, the next application call opens on 15 November 2026. The Foundation states that the November call is associated with the July 2027 selection meeting and an earliest possible fellowship start in September 2027.
The Foundation can close a call earlier if it reaches the current maximum of 800 applications.
Important Points
- This is a postdoctoral research fellowship, not a degree scholarship.
- It is open to researchers from all countries except Germany, subject to the programme’s residence rules.
- Postdoctoral applicants generally must have completed their doctorate within the previous four years.
- The fellowship lasts 6–24 months.
- The fellowship amount is €3,000 per month for postdoctoral researchers.
- A mobility allowance of €100 per month is provided in addition to the fellowship payment.
- Additional health insurance, travel, and family benefits may be available.
- Applicants must identify a suitable German academic host.
- A host statement and confirmation of research facilities are required.
- Two expert reviews are required.
- Natural sciences and engineering applicants need good German or English.
- Humanities, social sciences and medicine applicants may need German depending on their research.
- The research outline can be a maximum of five pages.
- The CV can be a maximum of two pages.
- The next application call opens on 15 November 2026.
- Application calls can close early after reaching the maximum number of applications.
- Applicants should not wait until the call opens to begin finding a German host and preparing their documents.
