Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships

The Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship is a fellowship granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, with funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. The programme enables researchers with above-average qualifications from Germany to conduct research abroad with members of the Humboldt Network worldwide.

The fellowship is aimed at researchers from Germany at all career levels and in all disciplines, including postdoctoral and experienced researchers. The fellow chooses an academic host, which must be a member of the Humboldt Network abroad or the recipient of a selected range of international academic awards and working abroad.

Selection is based on meeting programme criteria and submitting the required application materials, including host-related documents and expert reviews. The Humboldt Foundation provides a process for host statements and mentoring agreements, and it states that it reviews the uploaded documents before notifying applicants of the expected selection date.

Support is for a fellowship period of either a postdoctoral fellowship length or an experienced-researcher fellowship length that can be split into stays over a multi-year period. The fellowship amount varies by target country and life situation, and travel expenses are reimbursed in addition. The fellowship also includes personal support during sponsorship and reintegration support in Germany through alumni programmes, including reintegration measures and assistance for job interview subsidies and a possible return fellowship.

• Career level: postdoctoral researchers with above-average qualifications from Germany (regardless of research discipline).
• Career level: experienced researchers with above-average qualifications from Germany (regardless of research discipline).
• Postdocs: doctorate completed within the time period stated for postdoctoral applicants; applicants may also apply if they are within the time period stated for postdoctoral applicants and can provide a written summary of findings; applicants should have been published in academic journals and by publishing houses that are reviewed according to international standards.
• Experienced researchers: doctorate completed within the time period stated for experienced researchers; applicants should have been published extensively in academic journals and by academic publishers peer reviewed to international standards; prior work should demonstrate a clearly evident, independent academic profile.
• Nationality/stay: German citizenship.
• If not currently in Germany: eligibility depends on meeting the stated conditions for those working academically in Germany at the time of application and intending to come back into the German academic system after the planned stay abroad (details referenced in FAQ).
• Host-country travel limit: applicants must not have spent more than 6 months in total in the selected host country within the 18-month period prior to submitting the application.
• Host-related confirmation: an academic of the applicant’s choice who is either a member of the Humboldt Network abroad or a recipient of a selected international science award working abroad must provide written confirmation that research facilities are available, submit a mentoring agreement, and compile a detailed review.
• Country restriction: fellowships for researchers from Germany who want to conduct research in Ukraine, Russia, or Belarus have been suspended; applications for a research stay in one of these countries are not possible at the present time.
• Expert reviews: applicants can provide two expert reviews.
• Expert reviews for postdocs: the doctoral supervisor and one other researcher (from outside of the applicant’s institute, if possible).
• Expert reviews for experienced researchers: important collaborative partners and/or researchers at the applicant’s own institute as well as other institutes, including collaborators from outside Germany if possible.
• Language skills: good knowledge of the language of the host country, or at least an excellent command of English.
• Conduct requirements: applicants must abide by the rules of good scientific practice and principles of scientific ethics.
• Generative AI information: applicants are required to follow the foundation’s information on dealing with generative AI in the selection area.
• Previous Humboldt Foundation sponsorship: applicants may not apply if they have already received sponsorship from the Humboldt Foundation; alumni programmes are open to them instead.
• Application timing relative to family/host documents: host-uploaded and reviewer-uploaded documents must be uploaded in a protected area by the host(s) and expert reviewers personally before the applicant submits the application.

• Fellowship amount: varies by target country and life situation (calculated individually using the fellowship calculator).
• Travel expenses: reimbursed in addition to the fellowship amount.
• Individual personal support throughout sponsorship.
• Family-related funding for academics from Germany accompanied by family during the research stay abroad, including a family allowance for the accompanying marital partner and a child allowance if children are staying with the fellow.
• Childcare support in such cases, including a subsidy for childcare costs (details provided via fellowship calculator and programme guidelines).
• Additional alumni programmes to assist reintegration in Germany, including subsidies for job interviews and the possibility of a twelve-month return fellowship.
• Alumni contact and flexible alumni sponsorship measures that support future collaborations.

1. Discuss the details of the independently developed research outline with the chosen academic host before applying.
2. Choose an eligible host that is either a member of the Humboldt Network abroad or the recipient of a selected international academic award and working abroad.
3. Apply to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation online only.
4. Use “My Humboldt” to start the online application or continue an application.
5. Upload the required documents in the application form; submit your application only after the host and expert reviewers upload their protected documents (host’s statement and confirmation of research facilities, and the two expert reviews).
6. After receiving the online application, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation sends written confirmation by email, then notifies the expected selection date after reviewing documents.

• Curriculum vitae (two pages max).
• Research outline (five pages max).
• Complete list of publications.
• List of selected key publications.
• Key publications.
• Doctoral certificate or proof that the doctorate has been completed successfully, or confirmation that this will be the case within the next six months.
• If required: Acceptance form and/or publisher’s acknowledgement of receipt and summaries/translations of key publications that are not available in German or English.
• Host’s statement and confirmation that research facilities are available.
• Mentoring agreement compiled by the host.
• Detailed review compiled for the applicant (host-provided).
• Two expert reviews (uploaded by the host(s) and expert reviewers personally in the protected area).