The Humboldt Foundation grants up to 80 Georg Forster Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers annually and financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Co-financed by the European Union (EU) in the 7th Framework Programme. Scientists and scholars of all disciplines from developing countries, emerging economies and transition states (excluding People’s Republic of China and India) can apply to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation directly at any time. The fellowship is flexible and can be divided up into as many as three stays within three years. Applications can be submitted at any time from 01.07.2013 to mid-2015.
Study Subject (s): The fellowship is provided to learn any of the courses offered by the research institution in Germany.
Course Level: This fellowship is available for pursuing postdoctoral and research level at research institution in Germany.
Scholarship Provider: The research fellowship programme is financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung – BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union (EU) in the 7th Framework Programme.
Scholarship can be taken at: Germany
Eligibility: Scientists and scholars from all disciplines from developing countries, emerging economies and transition states (excluding People’s Republic of China and India may apply. The research proposal must deal with issues of major relevance to the future development of the candidate’s country of origin.
- Doctorate or comparable academic degree (PhD, C.Sc. or equivalent), completed less than twelve years prior to the date of application. If it is not possible or customary to take a doctorate in the candidate’s subject or country, applications may be submitted up to twelve years after commencing publication activity.
- The candidate’s own research profile documented by a comprehensive list of academic publications in reviewed journals and for publishing houses.
- Choice of a research project of major relevance to the future development of the candidate’s country of origin, including options for transferring knowledge and methods; details of the research project and the proposed timetable must be discussed with the prospective host prior to application.
- Confirmation that research facilities are available and mentoring agreement and a detailed expert’s report from an academic host at a research institution in Germany.
- Three expert reviews from important collaborative partners and/or academics from the candidate’s own institute and, if possible, from abroad.
- Language skills: scholars in the humanities or social sciences and physicians must have a good knowledge of German if it is necessary to carry out the project successfully; otherwise a good knowledge of English; scientists and engineers must have a good knowledge of German or English.
- The applicant may not have spent an extended period in Germany prior to application. Applications to continue a research stay already underway can only be considered in exceptional cases. Potential applicants who have been in Germany for more than six months at the time of application are not eligible to apply.
- Citizenship as well as principal place of residence and work in a developing or threshold country (excluding People’s Republic of China and India, c.f. detailed list of countries).
Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Scientists and scholars of all disciplines from developing countries, emerging economies and transition states (excluding People’s Republic of China and India; c.f. detailed list of countries) may apply to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation directly at any time. (Afghanistan, Ecuador, Macedonia, Samoa, Albania, Egypt, Madagascar, Sao Tomé and Príncipe, Algeria, El Salvador, Malawi, Senegal, Angola, Equatorial, Guinea, Malaysia, Serbia, Antigua and Barbuda, Eritrea, Maldives, Seychelles, Argentina, Ethiopia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Armenia, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Azerbaijan, Fiji, Mauritania, Somalia, Mauritius, South Africa, Mexico, South Sudan, Bangladesh, Gabon, Micronesia, Fed. States, Sri Lanka, Belarus, Gambia, Moldova, Rep. St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Georgia, Montenegro, St. Lucia, Benin, Ghana, Morocco, St. Vincent and Bhutan, Grenada, Mongolia, the Grenadines, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mozambique, Sudan, Bosnia,-Herzegovina, Guinea, Myanmar, Suriname, Botswana, Guinea-Bissau, Swaziland, Brazil, Guyana, Syria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Namibia, Tajikistan, Haiti, Nauru, Tanzania, Honduras, Nepal, Thailand, Nicaragua, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Indonesia, Niger, Togo, Cameroon, Iran, Nigeria, Tonga, Cape Verde, Iraq, Niue, Tunisia, Central African Republic, Turkey, Chad, Jamaica, Turkmenistan, Chile, Jordan, Tuvalu, Colombia, Pakistan, Comoros, Kazakhstan, Palestinian territories, Congo, Dem. Rep. of Kenya, Palau, Uganda, Congo, Rep. of the Kiribati, Panama, Ukraine, Cook Islands, Korea, Dem. PR of Papua, New Guinea, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Kosovo, Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Cote d’Ivoire, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Cuba, Philippines, Vanuatu, Laos, Venezuela, Lesotho, Rwanda, Vietnam, Dominica, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Liberia, Djibouti, Libya, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.)
The list of developing countries is based on the information of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD. The PR of China and India have been excluded from this list.
Scholarship Description: 
In providing Georg Forster Research Fellowships for experienced researchers, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables highly-qualified scientists and scholars from abroad, who completed their doctorates less than twelve years ago1 to spend extended periods of research (6-18 months; may be divided up into a maximum of three blocks) in Germany. Candidates are expected to have their own, clearly defined research profile. This means they should usually be working at least at the level of Assistant Professor or Junior Research Group Leader or be able to document independent research work over a number of years.
Number of awards offered: The Humboldt Foundation grants up to 80 Georg Forster Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers annually.
Duration of award (s): The duration of the research fellowship (6-18 months) may be divided up into a maximum of three visits lasting a minimum of three months each. No more than 36 months may elapse between the beginning of the first stay and the end of the last stay. Short-term visits for study and training purposes or for attending conferences are not eligible for sponsorship.
What does it cover? The fellowship is worth 3,150 EUR per month. This includes a mobility lump sum and a contribution towards health and liability insurance. Additional benefits for research fellows:
- lump sum for the fellow’s return travel expenses if the costs are not borne by a third party;
- language fellowship for an intensive language course lasting two to four months at selected language institutes in Germany immediately prior to the actual period of research; language fellowships may also be granted to accompanying marital partners;
- family allowances for accompanying family members staying at least three months (monthly allowance: up to 326 EUR for marital partners and up to 234 EUR for each child).
- flat-rate allowance for accompanying children (under the age of 18) for stays of at least three months (400 EUR per month for the first child and 100 EUR per month for every additional child).
- Additional extension of the fellowship up to 12 months for research fellows accompanied by children under the age of 12 or alternatively a subsidy towards recognized childcare costs in Germany.
- purpose-based subsidy towards a pension plan in the amount of up to €200 per month providing those receiving the subsidy contribute the same amount from their own finances.
- bridging grant after at least 12 months’ uninterrupted fellowship in Germany in the amount of €1,500 per month for 6 months (for fellowship lasting up to 12 months) up to a maximum of 12 months (for fellowship lasting more than 12 months) to cover periods of unemployment in Germany.
- a subsidy towards research costs to be paid to the hosts in Germany amounting to 800 EUR per month (for research projects in the natural sciences and engineering) and 500 EUR (for research projects in the humanities and social sciences).
- Europe allowance for a research stay at a research institute in another European country (though not the research fellow’s own country) for a designated period in the course of the fellowship if necessary to ensure the success of the research project.
- extensive alumni sponsorship once a successful research stay has come to an end, especially for maintaining contacts with collaborative partners in Germany during the Humboldtian’s entire academic career.
Selection Criteria: Candidates are selected solely on the basis of the evaluation of their academic qualifications. There are no quotas for individual disciplines or countries. A candidate’s academic eligibility is assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
- academic record and academic performance to date (mobility, determination, breadth of research activities, academic productivity)
- quality of key publications specified in the application (originality, degree of innovation, applicant’s contribution in cases of multiple authorship)
- quality of research plan (originality, choice of methods, focus, feasibility at host institute, potential to broaden the applicant’s academic qualifications, prospects of success to complete the project within the sponsorship period) as well as relevance for the further development of the country of origin
- the applicant’s future potential (academic potential, further academic development, career prospects). Applications are assessed on the basis of independent peer reviews requested by the Humboldt Foundation.
The final decision is taken by a committee composed of academics from all disciplines in the framework of the funding available.
Notification: We shall notify you and your academic host about the decision by email in the days immediately following the selection meeting. At larger selection meetings it may take a few days longer to contact all the applicants and academic hosts. If you wish to be informed about the reasons for a rejection should your application be turned down, it will automatically be sent to you by email approx. four to six weeks after the selection committee meeting. Please note that we cannot provide any personalized information before this juncture so as not to delay the notification process.
How to Apply: The mode of applying is by post. Applications may be sent to the following address at any time: Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Selection Department, Jean-Paul-Str. 12, 53173 Bonn, Germany. The complete application should be submitted to the Humboldt Foundation at least four to seven months ahead of the prospective selection date.
Scholarship Application Deadline: Applications can be submitted no earlier than 01.07.2013 until mid-2015 (exact date TBD).
Note: Scientists and scholars of all disciplines from developing countries, emerging economies and transition states (excluding People’s Republic of China and India; c.f. detailed list of countries) may apply to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation directly at any time.