Humboldt Research Fellowship

The Humboldt Research Fellowship is awarded to international students pursuing postdoctoral research in German universities and institutions. This fellowship has been designed to allow the researchers to carry on further research work for the tenure of 6 to 24 months in a university in Germany.

Recipients of the Humboldt Research Fellowship receive a fellowship amount of 2670 EUR per month.
The fellowship is not valid for short-term study visits, involvement in congresses and training courses.
Eligibility & selections are based on several factors like academic score, publications, expert review, and language skills.
Along with the research work, applicants get an opportunity to study in Germany and receive educational exposure.

It is at the discretion of the candidate to select a topic for carrying out research and their academic host. The past year’s records of the Humboldt Research Fellowship award indicate that approximately 25% to 30% of the applications had been accepted successfully.

Highlights

Scholarship Type	Merit-Based
Offered by	Trust
Organization	Alexander von Humboldt
Application Deadline	N/A
Number of Scholarships	N/A
Amount	₹2,893,358 ($34,906)
Renewability	No
International Student Eligible	Yes
Scholarship Website Link	https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/humboldt-fellowship-postdoc.html

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility for the Humboldt Research Fellowship is determined on the basis of various factors. Prospective fellowship applicants must ensure that they fulfill all these requirements:

Academic Qualification

Applicants must have completed a doctorate or equivalent academic degree (Ph.D., C. Sc. or equivalent) in less than four years before the application date.
Those expecting to complete their doctorate in the next six months can apply by submitting a manuscript of their dissertation or publication.

Academic Publications

The academic publications of the candidate will be reviewed in accordance with the international standards and must be printed in the journal by publishing houses only.

Confirmation of Available Research Facilities

Applicants must submit confirmation showing that research facilities are available to them. Also, the mentoring agreement and expert’s report has to be submitted by an academic host/ university to study in Germany.

Expert Reviews

A doctoral supervisor and an academically qualified supervisor must provide reviews with detailed comments.

The comments must also mention something about the eligibility and should be written by a person other than someone working at the candidate’s institution.

Language Skills

The applicants from the humanities, physics or social science background should have good language skills in German or English to perform their research successfully.

Candidates who meet the above-mentioned criteria must also ensure that they have stayed outside Germany for at least 12 months in the preceding 18 months from the date of application. German nationals can apply provided they have been relocated for work and residence in the 5 previous years.

Note: Candidates whose dissertations have not been published will be rejected. Also, students whose education was sponsored by the Humboldt Foundation previously do not qualify to apply for the Humboldt Research Fellowship program.

Application Process

All the applications for the Humboldt Research Fellowship have to be submitted online. There is no specific deadline as the foundation accepts applications throughout the year. However, Humboldt Research Fellowship applications must be accompanied by all other necessary documents.

Student Supporting Documents

Recent and updated CV (2 pages max)
Research outline (2 pages max)
Complete list of publications
List of selected key publications
Doctoral certificate
German language certificate
Host’s statement and Confirmation of Research facilities
Two expert reviews

Additional Requirements: Publisher’s letter(s) of acceptance, translations of the key publications.

It is preferable for the applicants to complete the formalities at least four to six months before the selection date. Students will get a confirmation receipt upon their application being received by the foundation.

Selection Process

The Humboldt Research Fellowship foundation informs the students regarding the receipt of their application and other documents as soon as they are received. The selection decision is based upon the academic qualifications of the individual.

Following the submission, the committee checks the application and other documents to ensure that the formal requirements specified are fulfilled. The Selection Committee meetings occur in March, July, and November every year. The committee informs the candidates about tentative selection dates.

Reviews of applications are done by two independent reviewers.
Final decision regarding selection is done by the Selection Committee comprising of 50 researchers from various disciplines.
- They vote on the Humboldt Research Fellowship applications.

Applications are REJECTED due to lack of publications, lack of independent academic work, lack of originality, personal profile, and academic achievements. In the event of rejection of the application, the candidate can mail and ask for the reason for rejection. Rejected applicants can re-apply only after a period of 18 months.

Grant Details

To study in Germany is definitely an exciting opportunity for students across the world. Humboldt Research Fellowship program provides students at the postgraduate level to extend their research up to 24 months with the help of this award. The amount awarded is approximately 2670 EUR per month.

The Humboldt Research Fellowship amount covers the expenses for research as well as contributes towards the health insurance and liability of the candidate. Apart from the amount awarded to recipients, they are eligible to a number of other benefits like

Travel expenses,
2-4 month language course,
Family allowances up to 3 months,
Flat rent allowance for recipients with children,
Extension of fellowship up to 12 months,

Therefore, the Humboldt Research Fellowship is an opportunity for students to focus their research by making their travel and accommodation in Germany convenient and easier.

The foundation expects students to go through the Rules of Good Scientific Practice as they are as legally binding on the students. The fellowship is a great opportunity for researchers with a strong academic background.