Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

We promote academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany.

• Our research fellowships and research awards allow you to come to Germany to work on a research project you have chosen yourself together with a host and collaborative partner.
• If you are a scientist or scholar from Germany you can profit from our support and carry out a research project abroad as a guest of one of more than 24,000 Humboldt Foundation alumni worldwide - the Humboldtians.
• As an intermediary organisation for German foreign cultural and educational policy we promote international cultural dialogue and academic exchange.

What is important to us

If you would like to become a member of the Humboldt Family, only one thing counts: your own excellent performance. There are no quotas, neither for individual countries, nor for particular academic disciplines. Our selection committees comprise academics from all fields of specialisation and they make independent decisions, based solely on the applicant´s academic record. We support people, not projects. After all, even in times of increasing teamwork, it is the individual´s ability and dedication that are decisive for academic success.

Become an Humboldtian

Whether you are a young postdoctoral researcher at the beginning of your academic career, an experienced, established academic, or even a world authority in your discipline - our research fellowships and research awards offer you sponsorship tailored to you and your career situation.

Become a host in Germany

Every Humboldtian needs an academic host. Become a host and encourage your young, collaborative partners from abroad to apply for a Humboldt Foundation research fellowship for a research stay at your institute, or nominate a cutting-edge researcher of your choice for a Humboldt Research Award. The fellowship includes an allowance for research costs towards financing equipment, research assistance, administrative costs and so on. It helps you and your guest researcher to create optimum conditions for fruitful cooperation.