Jena Excellence Fellowship Programm

The purpose of the fellowship programme is to promote the exchange and dialogue between scientists from abroad and scientists from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and to intensify international collaborations. The programme is open to senior fellows and advanced postdocs who want to do research at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. All professors of the University can nominate potential fellows. Every year, approximately four senior fellowships and four postdoctoral fellowships are awarded.

The Welcome Point of the University is responsible for coordinating the University-wide advertisement of the programme.

What does the fellowship programme comprise?

• monthly stipend of €4,600 for postdocs and €5,800 for senior fellows
• funding duration: four weeks to six months (can be extended to 12 months)
• fellows are provided with a monthly lump sum payment to cover material and accommodation costs and with an allowance for health and liability insurance

Additional benefits

• monthly allowance of up to €300 for the hosting institution to cover project costs
• centrally organized welcome package for fellows (assistance in finding accommodation and placing children in schools and day care, tutoring service, language courses, organization of short visits to other German universities for networking, establishing contact and matching fellows with businesses in the region, family programme to discover the region)

Funding schemes:

• "Tandem" Fellowship for an established scientist (senior) working together with a postdoc
• "Klausur" Fellowship for a team of maximum four scientists from different countries
• "Impuls" Fellowship (senior) for a distinguished figure who plans and organizes high-profile events
• "Zukunfts" Fellowship (postdoc) to recruit new professors
• "Freiraum" Fellowship (senior) for carrying out a large-scale research project

Nominations of foreign scientists of all disciplines can be submitted within the nomination portal of the Jena Excellence Fellowship ProgrammeExternal link of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena at any time.

The selection committee will only consider nominations by professors or researchers of the Friedrich Schiller University that are supported by the respective institute.

Scientists may not apply directly, but have to be nominated.

After the submission of all required documents, the Research Committee selects the applicants twice a year—in spring (March) and autumn (October). The period between nomination and decision depends on the submission date and can be up to six months.

The nominees need to meet the following prerequisites:

Senior fellow: doctorate or comparable academic degree, and an internationally recognized scientific qualification, proven by achievements in the field of research (e.g. positive response to scientific publications or awards)

Postdoctoral fellow: doctorate or comparable academic degree obtained in the six years prior to the nomination, and an internationally recognized scientific qualification, proven by scientific publications in journals and/or by renowned publishers refereed according to international standards

Programme-specific requirements:
Nominations for all fellowship versions are made by lecturers of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. In the "Tandem" Fellowship, the nominated scientist can choose the postdoc to work with.

Supporting documents to be submitted within the nomination portalExternal link as a PDF file:

• brief synopsis of the nominee’s planned research project or concept for the lecture or conference programme; information on the strategic objective of the nomination as well as on the nominee’s planned involvement in the work of the hosting institution (maximum five pages)
• information on the nominee’s scientific career (including curriculum vitae)
• list of the five most important publications (in journals and by publishers refereed according to scientific standards)
• signed declaration of consentpdf, 201 kb · de of the nominee