Information for Academics from Abroad

The support programmes that are presented at this page are addressed to scientists from abroad planning a research stay or to complete it in Germany. The listed institutions and foundation award scholarships to students and scientists.

Support of a Research Visit in Germany

Support of the DAAD

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides different information for academics from abroad.

Questions about the degree’s recognition or the apply for a residence permit are answered at first steps towards a doctorate in Germany.

The support programmes of the DAAD are listed in the scholarship database. The PhDGErmanyl Programmes are international doctoral programmes in Germany.

Information about further promotion also presents the DAAD Branch Offices orthe Missions Abroad of the Federal Republic of Germany. Special information on scholarships for qualified and executive personnel from developing countries are compiled at the website Programmes for Developing and Transformation Countries.

In line with the internationalisation of the German university the DAAD supports the lecturing of guest academics at German universities.

The Leonhard Euler Programme aims to intensify contacts between young scientists from the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova with German universities and to initiate joint research projects.

Support programmes run by the EU

The ERASMUS Programme promotes guest professorships from abroad at German partner universities to strengthen the cooperation between higher education institutions of different countries.

The Jean Monnet Programme fosters teaching activities on European integration as well as the association of professors and researchers to study the integration process in Europe.

Support programmes run by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers young foreign scientists several scholarships for a research stay in Germany.

The Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers are directed at researcher from abroad at the beginning of their academic career.

The German Chancellor Fellowship promotes prospective leaders from the USA, the Russian Federation or the People's Republic of China, completed their first degree and have subsequently gained work experience.

The Georg Forster Research Fellowship is awarded postdoctoral researchers from developing countries.

The Hezekiah Wardwell Fellowship enables young musicians to pursue further training or advanced studies at a college of music in Germany.

The International Climate Protection Fellowships supports prospective leaders to conduct a research-related project of their own choice during a one-year stay in Germany.

After successfully completing the initial stay research fellows can apply for a return fellowship to sponsor reintegration abroad. Besides it is possible to get equipment subsidies, book donations and printing subsidies from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

The sponsorship of renewed research stays is addressed to Alumni planning a short visit of up to 30 days or a research stay of up to three months in Germany.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers experienced foreign scientist promotion for a research stay in Germany.

The Humboldt Research Fellowship allows experienced researchers to carry out a self-chosen long-term research project in cooperation with an academic host at a research institution in Germany.

Academics, who are internationally recognised as leaders in their field and who are expected to contribute to enhancing Germany's sustained international competitiveness as a research location, are eligible to be nominated for the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship.

The Georg Forster Research Fellowship is awarded at experienced researchers from developing countries.

Support programme by Max Weber Foundation

Max Weber Foundation and Historisches Kolleg inviting applications for the International Research Award. The aims of the International Research Award include the recognition of the achievements of those scholars whose work to date has made an exemplary contribution to international research in the fields of the humanities and social and cultural sciences.

Funding programme of VolkswagenStiftung

VolkswagenStiftung supports postdocs in the humanities with its funding initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities at Universities and Research Institutes in Germany and the USA. The programme affords the possibility to research at an elite university in the United States and Germany.

Support Programmes of Further Institutions

The German Research Association offers with the Mercator Programme Germany’s universities the possibility to invite foreign scientists for a stay at their institutes.

The China Trainee Programme of the Robert Bosch Foundation allows young employees in positions of authority at Chinese universities to complete a six-month trainee programme at German institutes of higher education.

The Hertie Foundation awards scholarships to doctoral candidates which aims to qualify themselves scientifically at the Graduate School of the HIH in Tübingen.

Awards and Honours

Research Awards of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awards different research prizes for top-rank researcher.

With the Humboldt Research Award researchers are granted for their entire achievements whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline.

Excellent scientists of all nationalities who are expected to continue producing outstanding academic achievements in international collaboration are eligible to be nominated for the Max Planck Research Award.

The Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award is directed at internationally renowned scientists who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements which will have a seminal influence on their discipline in future beyond their immediate field of work.

The Sofja Kovalevskaja Award honours junior researchers from abroad.

The Anneliese Maier Research Award is granted to foreign scientist from the fields of the humanities and social sciences.

The Reimar Lüst Award stands for International Scholarly and Cultural Exchange.

Canadian scholars can receive the Konrad Adenauer Research Award.

The Philipp Franz von Siebold Award is appropriated for Japanese Researchers.