International Youth Library Fellowship Programme

The International Youth Library’s fellowship programme supports research in the field of international children’s and young adult literature and illustration. It is funded by the Bavarian Ministry for Science and Arts and aims to promote young academics, academic exchange, and international cooperation, while strengthening intercultural exchange.

The fellowship is for young researchers and also includes graduates, doctoral candidates, and PhD holders, as well as PhD students and authors who want to consult international works for publication on a specific topic. Scholars apply for a research stay at the International Youth Library in presence.

Applications are decided by a jury of librarians and children’s books specialists of the International Youth Library.

The research stay is in presence and lasts for a minimum of 6 weeks up to a maximum of 3 months, with the funding period determined by the jury based on the project and work schedule. The programme provides a workplace in the scientific reading room, support from librarians and children’s books specialists, assistance in finding accommodation, and participation in a poster session. Researchers must arrange their own health insurance, and travel expenses cannot be covered.

• Status: Graduates, Doctoral candidates, PhD holders, PhD students
• Also eligible: Authors who would like to consult international works for their publication on a specific topic
• Country of origin: Researchers with a non-German citizenship
• Language: Sufficient fluency in German and/or English

• Research stay in presence at the International Youth Library for work on the research topic during the funding period
• Monthly scholarship instalment of 1,300 Euros for living expenses in Munich
• Workplace in the scientific reading room of the special library for access to an extensive collection of children’s, youth, and specialist literature (approx. 650,000 books in 260 languages)
• Support through the expertise of the librarians and children’s books specialists
• Support in finding suitable accommodation for the duration of the research stay
• Participation at a poster session to present the current state of research
• Health insurance arranged by the researcher
• Travel expenses cannot be covered

1. Submit a completed online-application form by the application deadline.
2. Include the required application documents: cover letter, academic publications list, conferences/seminars list, and a detailed description of the research project.
3. The jury of librarians and children’s books specialists of the International Youth Library reviews the application and decides on funding.

• Completed online-application form
• Cover letter (with photograph if possible) with an introduction and a convincing presentation of the research project in the field of children’s and youth literature, elaborating on the importance of the stay at the IYL (max. 1-2 pages)
• List containing a selection of the most relevant academic publications, projects, activities, etc. in the field of children’s literature (e.g. articles of your research)
• List containing a selection of the most relevant conferences, seminars, etc. in which you have participated as speaker or which you have organized
• Detailed description of the research project explaining the relevance of the IYL’s material for your work, including examples of titles in stock at the IYL you plan to use during your stay (max. 3 pages)