Academy of International Affairs NRW Fellowship — Fellowship

The Academy of International Affairs NRW (AIA NRW) runs a residential fellowship in Bonn, Germany, for postdoctoral researchers and experienced practitioners working on questions of international politics. Fellows spend three to ten months in residence pursuing an individual research or policy project, joining a cross-disciplinary community of scholars and practitioners, public events, and the Academy’s networks.

Each annual cycle carries a rotating focus theme — the 2027/28 cycle’s theme is “Comprehensive Security for a Changing World: Building Strategic and Technological Resilience” — while an open track welcomes any topic that contributes to debates on international politics. The Academy is funded by the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Benefits & funding

Financial compensation agreed individually per case — as a stipend, a buy-out, or a teaching replacement.
Travel to and from Bonn covered.
Accommodation in Bonn provided.
A dedicated workspace at the Academy.
Family support services for relocating fellows.
Access to the Academy’s events, publications, and international network.

Eligibility

Open to all nationalities.
Academic track: PhD completed by the application date (postdoctoral level onward).
Practitioner track: experts with professional experience in politics, diplomacy, business, NGOs, or the media.
Open to all disciplines that contribute to debates on international politics.
Fellows must reside in Bonn for the fellowship period, without extended absences.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Education required
PhD

Check my eligibility — free

Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

1
Prepare a project proposal fitting either the open track or the annual focus theme, plus the documents named in the current call.
2
Submit the application to the Academy by the call deadline (contact the Academic Coordinator for the live call).
3
The Academic Board reviews proposals and communicates decisions (for the 2027/28 cycle, by mid-September 2026).
4
Selected fellows arrange their residency window between April and March of the fellowship year.

Program timeline

Application deadline (2027/28 cycle)
May 31, 2026
2026-09 (mid)
Decisions communicated (2027/28 cycle)
Fellowship residencies take place (three to ten months within this window)
2027-04 to 2028-03