The Leo Baeck Fellowship supports doctoral researchers working on the history and culture of German-speaking Jewries across periods, disciplines, and regions. The Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes runs it with federal funding and partners in London and Leipzig.
Fellows remain at their home universities, use German and English as working languages, and join two workshops plus regular scholarly exchanges. Up to ten fellows were selected for the October 2026 to September 2027 cycle.
Benefits & funding
- Fellows receive EUR 1,650 per month for living costs and EUR 100 per month for research expenses.
- Eligible fellows may receive 50% of health-insurance costs, capped at EUR 100 per month, plus additional support when pursuing a doctorate while raising children.
- Research and conference travel support is available; fellows completing a doctorate outside their home country may also receive a monthly supplement and a tuition subsidy of up to EUR 10,000 per calendar year.
- The fellowship lasts one year; fellows enrolled at a German university may seek an extension through the Studienstiftung’s doctoral programme if funds are available.
- Third-party scholarships cannot be combined with this fellowship; paid work is limited to a quarter-time research or teaching role or five hours per week outside those fields.
Eligibility
- Applicants may be of any nationality and study at any accredited university.
- Applicants need an excellent university degree, with their latest degree awarded no earlier than February 2022.
- Applicants must be formally qualified for doctoral study or accepted into a doctoral programme.
- The doctoral project must focus on the history and culture of German-speaking Jewries.
- Applicants cannot apply simultaneously for a regular Studienstiftung doctoral scholarship.
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Application process
- 1Complete the programme’s application form.
- 2Prepare a one-page motivation letter, CV, degree records, a research proposal of no more than five pages, a 2026/27 research schedule, and two recommendation letters including one from the doctoral supervisor.
- 3Combine the documents in the stated order into one PDF and email it to the programme; recommendation letters alone may arrive separately with the applicant’s name in the subject line.
- 4If shortlisted, attend two video interviews in April or May 2026.
Program timeline
26 November 2025
Applications for the 2026/27 cycle announced
Application deadline
1 February 2026
Shortlisted applicants attend two video interviews
April–May 2026
Fellowship period starts
October 2026
Fellowship period ends
September 2027