Global Fellowships is a research-stay program run by Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers from countries on the linked OECD DAC list. Fellows develop a project with a Senckenberg scientific host and work on site in Wilhelmshaven, Frankfurt am Main, Tübingen, Müncheberg, Dresden, Görlitz, or Jena.
Projects may use Senckenberg’s collections, laboratories, research infrastructure, libraries, and scientific expertise. Each stay lasts three months and may extend to six months in selected cases when the project requires it.
Benefits & funding
- PhD fellows receive €1,600 per month, while postdoctoral fellows receive €2,700 per month.
- Funding normally covers three months and may cover up to six months in selected cases.
- A one-time travel allowance reimburses up to €1,200; the fellow must cover costs above that amount.
- Fellows receive access to Senckenberg collections, laboratories, research infrastructure, libraries, and scientific staff.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers from a country or territory on the OECD DAC list linked by Senckenberg.
- Permanent residence must also be in the eligible Global South group; permanent residents of Germany, EU countries, North America, Australia, and comparable locations are ineligible regardless of nationality.
- Applicants must hold a Master’s or PhD degree in a Senckenberg research area.
- Applicants must identify a suitable Senckenberg scientist, develop the project concept together, and obtain the host’s support letter.
- Parallel project funding during the fellowship is not permitted, although another fixed-term grant is acceptable when double funding is excluded.
- The program is open to all genders; women and underrepresented groups are encouraged, and equally qualified applicants with disabilities receive preference.
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.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Angola · Bangladesh · Benin · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cambodia · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · DR Congo · Djibouti
+ 129 more
Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Kiribati · Laos · Lesotho · Liberia · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mozambique · Myanmar · Nepal · Niger · Rwanda · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tuvalu · Uganda · Yemen · Zambia · North Korea · Syria · Algeria · Bhutan · Bolivia · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Egypt · Eswatini · Ghana · Honduras · India · Iran · Jordan · Kenya · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Micronesia · Mongolia · Morocco · Nicaragua · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Tokelau · Tunisia · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vietnam · Zimbabwe · Albania · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Belarus · Belize · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · China · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Fiji · Gabon · Georgia · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Indonesia · Iraq · Jamaica · Kazakhstan · Kosovo · Libya · Malaysia · Maldives · Marshall Islands · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Montenegro · Montserrat · Namibia · Nauru · Niue · North Macedonia · Palau · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Saint Helena · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Serbia · South Africa · Suriname · Thailand · Tonga · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Venezuela · Wallis and Futuna · Palestine
Residence required
Afghanistan · Angola · Bangladesh · Benin · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cambodia · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · DR Congo · Djibouti
+ 129 more
Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Kiribati · Laos · Lesotho · Liberia · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mozambique · Myanmar · Nepal · Niger · Rwanda · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tuvalu · Uganda · Yemen · Zambia · North Korea · Syria · Algeria · Bhutan · Bolivia · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Egypt · Eswatini · Ghana · Honduras · India · Iran · Jordan · Kenya · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Micronesia · Mongolia · Morocco · Nicaragua · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Tokelau · Tunisia · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vietnam · Zimbabwe · Albania · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Belarus · Belize · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · China · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Fiji · Gabon · Georgia · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Indonesia · Iraq · Jamaica · Kazakhstan · Kosovo · Libya · Malaysia · Maldives · Marshall Islands · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Montenegro · Montserrat · Namibia · Nauru · Niue · North Macedonia · Palau · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Saint Helena · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Serbia · South Africa · Suriname · Thailand · Tonga · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Venezuela · Wallis and Futuna · Palestine
Education required
Master · PhD
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Application process
- 1Identify a suitable scientific host through the Senckenberg institutes and agree on a feasible research project.
- 2Obtain the host’s one-page support letter explaining the project’s fit and value to Senckenberg.
- 3Complete the online motivation letter and project plan, each limited to 4,000 characters, and upload a CV with publication list plus degree certificates.
- 4Add optional recommendation letters if relevant and submit the online form by the deadline.
- 5Allow approximately eight weeks for committee review; successful applicants and their hosts are notified together.
Program timeline
Online application opens.
Sep 1, 2026, 00:00 CET
Application deadline listed for the current cycle.
Oct 1, 2026, 12:00 CET
Approximately eight weeks after the deadline
Applicants and hosts receive decisions.
Within three months of approval
The fellowship must start.