FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027 in Germany (Fully Funded)
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes provide researchers with dedicated time to work on their own research projects at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), the international research college of the University of Freiburg in Germany.
The 2027/28 fellowship cycle included three major opportunities: the FRIAS Early Career Fellowship Programme, the FRIAS Senior Fellowship Programme, and the FRIAS Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowship Programme for Researchers from Africa.
These fellowships are designed for researchers rather than undergraduate or Master’s students. Applicants can come from a wide range of academic disciplines supported by the University of Freiburg, while the Sustainable Governance programme is specifically for researchers in the humanities and social sciences working on sustainable governance and based at an institution in an African country.
For the 2027/28 cycle, the official application deadline was 18 September 2026 at 13:00 CET. As the current date is after that deadline, applications for the 2027/28 cycle are now closed. The official FRIAS programme page says the next calls are expected to open in summer 2027.
The financial support is substantial. Depending on the fellowship and the applicant’s employment situation, support can include a University of Freiburg employment contract or salary, research cost contributions, travel reimbursement, mobility support, and practical assistance with accommodation, childcare, and visa matters.
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FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027 – Quick Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Host Institution | Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg |
| Country | Germany |
| Fellowship Type | Research fellowship |
| Study Level | Postdoctoral researchers and established academics |
| Fields | All disciplines supported at the University of Freiburg for the main programmes |
| Early Career Duration | 4–10 months |
| Senior Duration | 3–8 months |
| Sustainable Governance Duration | 6 months |
| Early Career Eligibility | PhD + maximum 8 years postdoctoral experience |
| Senior Eligibility | PhD + minimum 8 years postdoctoral experience |
| International Experience | At least 6 months in another country, under the published conditions |
| Early Career Publications | At least 4 peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2022 |
| Senior Publications | At least 10 peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2020 |
| Africa Fellowship Publications | At least 5 peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2017 |
| 2027/28 Application Deadline | September 18, 2026, 13:00 CET |
| Fellowship Start | September 1, 2027 for the 2027/28 cycle |
| Current Status | 2027/28 applications closed |
| Next Call | Expected in summer 2027 |
What Are the FRIAS Fellowship Programmes?
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes are residential research fellowships hosted by the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Freiburg.
They allow selected researchers to spend a defined period in Freiburg focusing on their own research project while becoming part of an international and interdisciplinary academic community.
FRIAS welcomes researchers from different countries and disciplines. The main Early Career and Senior Fellowships are open across disciplines that can be supported by the University of Freiburg.
The programme is therefore not a conventional scholarship for students enrolling in a university degree. It is a research fellowship for academics who already hold a doctoral degree.
One of the central features of the fellowship is full-time residence at FRIAS. Fellows are expected to participate actively in the institute’s academic community, including interdisciplinary exchange and research events.
FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027/28
The 2027/28 cycle consisted of three distinct fellowship routes.
FRIAS Early Career Fellowship Programme
This programme is intended for promising researchers who have completed their PhD and have a maximum of eight years of postdoctoral experience.
For the 2027/28 call, fellows could apply for a residence lasting 4 to 10 months between September 1, 2027 and August 31, 2028.
The programme accepts applications from all nationalities and disciplines that can be supported at the University of Freiburg.
FRIAS Senior Fellowship Programme
The Senior Fellowship is designed for established researchers with at least eight years of postdoctoral experience after completing their PhD.
For 2027/28, fellowships could last between 3 and 8 months during the September 2027 to August 2028 fellowship year.
The programme is open to researchers of any nationality and to all disciplines that can be supported at the University of Freiburg.
Sustainable Governance Fellowship for Researchers from Africa
This separate programme is intended for established researchers based in an African country.
It focuses on the humanities and social sciences and requires a research project connected with sustainable governance.
The fellowship lasts six months and requires a cooperation letter from a professor at the University of Freiburg who will support the research project during the fellow’s stay.
What Does FRIAS Funding Cover?
The financial package depends on the fellowship category and the researcher’s employment status.
For the 2027/28 Early Career Fellowship, successful researchers receive a full-time employment contract with the University of Freiburg for the fellowship period. The published 2027/28 application manual states that an Early Career researcher receives approximately €5,300 per month before tax and social-security contributions.
Early Career Fellows also receive a research cost contribution and reimbursement of travel costs for the journey to and from Freiburg, where applicable.
Senior Fellows without an employment contract at their home institution can receive an attractive W2-level salary at 100%, subject to the fellowship’s conditions. Researchers who retain an employment contract at their home institution can instead receive a mobility allowance, where applicable, along with research-cost and travel support.
The Sustainable Governance fellowship similarly provides financial compensation according to the fellow’s situation, together with research funding and reimbursement for travel to and from Freiburg.
FRIAS also provides practical support relating to accommodation, childcare, and visa procedures.
Is FRIAS Fellowship Fully Funded?
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes can reasonably be described as fully funded or comprehensively funded research fellowships because successful researchers receive financial support rather than simply an unpaid research placement.
However, the exact package is different from one fellowship category to another.
For Early Career researchers, the 2027/28 rules specify a University of Freiburg employment contract and approximately €5,300 per month before deductions, along with research and travel support.
For Senior Fellows, the arrangement depends partly on whether they already have employment at their home institution. A salary, mobility allowance, teaching replacement support, research funding, and travel reimbursement can apply under the stated conditions.
Therefore, applicants should always read the specific financial terms of the fellowship they are applying for rather than assuming every candidate receives exactly the same payment.
FRIAS Early Career Fellowship Eligibility
For the 2027/28 Early Career Fellowship, applicants needed to satisfy several formal and academic conditions.
The main requirements included:
- A completed PhD.
- A maximum of eight years of postdoctoral experience, subject to permitted extensions for qualifying career breaks.
- At least six months of research or study experience at an academic institution in a country different from the country where the applicant obtained their first academic degree.
- At least four peer-reviewed publications published since January 1, 2022.
- A research project that can be supported by the University of Freiburg.
- A project with sufficient potential for international relevance rather than purely local interest.
- Compliance with the research ethics requirements.
There is no general age limit for the Early Career Fellowship.
The international experience requirement is important. Short trips such as holidays, conferences, or summer schools do not satisfy the requirement.
FRIAS Senior Fellowship Eligibility
The Senior Fellowship has a more advanced academic profile.
For 2027/28, applicants needed:
- A completed PhD.
- At least eight years of postdoctoral experience.
- At least six months of research or study experience at an academic institution in a different country from the country where the applicant obtained their first academic degree.
- At least ten peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2020.
- A strong and innovative research project that can be supported at the University of Freiburg.
The programme is open to researchers from around the world and across disciplines supported by the university.
For applicants with experimental projects, a suitable host laboratory at the University of Freiburg had to be identified before submission.
Sustainable Governance Fellowship Eligibility
The Sustainable Governance Fellowship has a narrower target group.
Applicants for the 2027/28 cycle needed:
- A completed PhD.
- At least eight years of postdoctoral experience.
- To be based in an African country.
- At least five peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2017.
- At least six months of research experience at an academic institution in a country different from the country of the applicant’s first academic degree.
- A Master’s or PhD obtained in an African country.
- A research project in the humanities or social sciences with a thematic focus on sustainable governance.
- A cooperation letter from a professor at the University of Freiburg.
Researchers of any nationality could apply provided they were based at an institution in an African country and met the other requirements.
Research Fields
The main FRIAS Early Career and Senior Fellowship Programmes accept projects from any discipline that can be supported by the University of Freiburg.
Possible areas can include:
- Humanities
- Social sciences
- Natural sciences
- Life sciences
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Computer and data-related research
- Interdisciplinary research
The proposed project is more important than simply choosing a broad subject label. Applicants need to demonstrate that Freiburg provides an appropriate academic environment, infrastructure, or research setting for the proposed work.
The Sustainable Governance Fellowship is more specific and is limited to humanities and social sciences projects related to sustainable governance.
Research Project Requirements
A strong research proposal is central to the FRIAS application.
For the 2027/28 Early Career and Senior calls, the project proposal could contain a maximum of 3,000 words, including footnotes, headers, footers, and references.
The published structure required applicants to explain:
- Research field and project title
- Short abstract
- Research aims
- Theoretical framework
- Methodology
- Work plan and feasibility
- Innovative potential
- Originality and relevance
- Research ethics
- Bibliographical references
Experimental scientists also needed to provide a host-laboratory letter and an experiment sketch and timetable.
The project should demonstrate why a research stay at Freiburg would be valuable and what can realistically be achieved during the fellowship period.
Documents Required
Applicants for the main FRIAS programmes need to submit their materials through the online application portal.
For the Early Career and Senior fellowships, the required materials included:
- Research project proposal
- Tabular CV
- Publication list
- PhD diploma
- Candidate and project information entered in the online form
- Motivation statement
- Layperson’s summary of the research project
- Ethical Issues Table
- Contact details of two evaluators
The Early Career publication list could contain up to eight publications, including at least four qualifying peer-reviewed publications.
The Senior publication list could contain up to fifteen publications, including at least ten qualifying peer-reviewed publications.
For the Sustainable Governance Fellowship, applicants also needed a cooperation letter from a professor at the University of Freiburg.
All required application documents had to follow the programme’s page, word, language, and formatting rules.
How to Apply for FRIAS Fellowship Programmes
Step 1: Choose the correct fellowship
First determine whether you fit the Early Career, Senior, or Sustainable Governance route.
Your postdoctoral experience, publication record, discipline, and geographic situation determine which programme can apply to you.
Step 2: Identify a suitable research environment
Review the research strengths of the University of Freiburg and determine where your project could be hosted.
Experimental researchers must identify an appropriate host laboratory before submitting the application.
For the Sustainable Governance programme, a professor at Freiburg must provide the required cooperation letter.
Step 3: Prepare the research proposal
Develop the project according to the official structure and word limit.
The proposal should clearly explain your research question, methods, expected outcomes, originality, feasibility, and relevance.
Step 4: Prepare the supporting documents
Complete your CV, publication list, PhD certificate, ethical information, motivation statement, and other required materials.
Early Career and Senior applicants also provide two eligible evaluator contacts.
Step 5: Submit through the online portal
FRIAS requires applications to be submitted through its official online application system.
Applications sent through other methods are not accepted for the formal fellowship call.
Selection Process
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes use a highly competitive, merit-based selection process.
The process starts with an eligibility and basic-quality check. Applications that satisfy the formal and academic requirements proceed to an international peer-review stage.
External experts assess the applicant and the proposed project. For the Early Career and Senior programmes, the published evaluation framework gives 40% weight to academic excellence, 40% to project excellence, and 20% to experience and capability.
The final selection is made by the FRIAS Scientific Advisory Board.
For the 2027/28 Early Career and Senior calls, FRIAS estimated a success rate of around 5% of eligible applications. The Sustainable Governance programme published an expected success rate of around 10% of eligible applications.
Important Dates for FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027
The 2027/28 application cycle followed this schedule:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Call announced | July 2026 |
| Application deadline | September 18, 2026, 13:00 CET |
| Basic eligibility check | September 2026 |
| Peer review | October 2026 – January 2027 |
| Final selection | February 2027 |
| Notification of selected fellows | March 2027 |
| Fellowship period | September 1, 2027 – August 31, 2028 |
The application deadline has now passed.
The current FRIAS Fellowship Programmes page states that the next call is expected to open in summer 2027, meaning applicants who missed the 2027/28 cycle should prepare for the following fellowship year.
Can International Researchers Apply?
Yes. International participation is a central part of the FRIAS fellowship structure.
The Early Career and Senior programmes accept researchers of any nationality, including researchers based outside Germany.
Applicants can be based at universities or research institutions in different parts of the world. The international research experience requirement also means that applicants need to demonstrate appropriate academic mobility under the programme rules.
The Sustainable Governance Fellowship is also open to researchers of any nationality, but applicants must be based in an African country and meet the additional Africa-specific eligibility conditions.
Do I Need a Host Professor at the University of Freiburg?
Not necessarily.
For the regular Early Career and Senior fellowships, applicants generally do not need to find an academic host at the University of Freiburg before applying.
There is one important exception: experimental scientists must identify a suitable host laboratory in Freiburg and provide the required Letter of Support.
For the Sustainable Governance Fellowship, a cooperation letter from a University of Freiburg professor is specifically required.
Applicants should therefore distinguish between the general fellowship rules and the additional requirements for laboratory-based or Africa-focused applications.
Accommodation, Visa and Family Support
FRIAS provides more than research space.
The institute states that its fellow services can assist fellows with organisational matters such as finding accommodation, childcare, and visa procedures.
Fellows also receive furnished office space and access to University of Freiburg services and facilities.
For residential fellowships, full-time presence at FRIAS is expected. Extended fieldwork outside Freiburg cannot be funded during the fellowship period, although short research-related absences may be possible with approval.
This residential structure is designed to encourage fellows to participate in seminars, academic exchange, and interdisciplinary activities.
AI Use in the FRIAS Application
The 2027/28 application manuals include specific guidance on artificial intelligence.
FRIAS states that applicants must disclose the use of AI systems when they affect the content of the proposal, such as research summarisation, developing research methods, analysing data, or generating hypotheses.
Tools used only for grammar, style checking, translation, or similar purposes do not need to be disclosed under the stated guidance.
Applicants should therefore follow the exact disclosure instructions in the current application portal when the next call opens.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applying as a Master’s or PhD student: FRIAS fellowships are intended for researchers who already hold a completed PhD.
Choosing the wrong career stage: Early Career and Senior Fellowships have different postdoctoral-experience and publication requirements.
Ignoring the international-experience requirement: The required six months must fit the programme’s specific definition.
Submitting too many or too few publications: FRIAS sets specific publication windows and list limits.
Exceeding the 3,000-word proposal limit: The stated word count includes references, footnotes, headers, and other text in the proposal.
Forgetting the laboratory requirement: Experimental scientists need a Freiburg host laboratory and supporting documents.
Treating the fellowship as an online opportunity: FRIAS is a residential research fellowship and requires full-time presence.
Missing the next call because the old deadline has passed: The 2027/28 deadline was September 18, 2026; the next call is expected in summer 2027.
Current Status of FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027/28 application cycle is closed.
The official 2027/28 calls for Early Career, Senior, and Sustainable Governance fellowships all had the same deadline: September 18, 2026 at 13:00 CET.
The selection process continues after the deadline, with peer review scheduled through January 2027, final selection in February 2027, and notification of selected fellows in March 2027.
The current FRIAS website now says that the next calls for the main fellowship programmes are expected in summer 2027.
Researchers who missed the 2027/28 deadline can therefore use the current requirements as preparation material, but should not treat the existing 2027/28 rules as final for the next cycle.
Official Sources
FRIAS Fellowship Programmes — University of Freiburg
FRIAS Early Career Fellowship Programme
FRIAS Senior Fellowship Programme
FRIAS Sustainable Governance Fellowship for Researchers from Africa
FAQs About FRIAS Fellowship Programmes 2027
1. What are the FRIAS Fellowship Programmes?
They are residential research fellowships at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, designed for postdoctoral and established researchers rather than students seeking a regular degree.
2. Are FRIAS Fellowship Programmes fully funded?
They provide substantial financial support. Depending on the fellowship and the fellow’s employment situation, funding can include a University of Freiburg employment contract or salary, research-cost support, travel reimbursement, mobility support, and other assistance.
3. Can international researchers apply for FRIAS Fellowships?
Yes. The main Early Career and Senior Fellowship Programmes accept researchers of any nationality. The Sustainable Governance programme also accepts any nationality, but applicants must be based at an institution in an African country.
4. What is the eligibility for the FRIAS Early Career Fellowship?
For the 2027/28 cycle, applicants needed a completed PhD, no more than eight years of postdoctoral experience, six months of qualifying research or study experience abroad, and at least four peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2022.
5. What is the eligibility for the FRIAS Senior Fellowship?
Applicants needed a completed PhD, at least eight years of postdoctoral experience, six months of qualifying international research or study experience, and at least ten peer-reviewed publications since January 1, 2020.
6. What was the FRIAS Fellowship 2027 deadline?
The application deadline for the 2027/28 cycle was September 18, 2026 at 13:00 CET. That deadline has passed.
7. What is the duration of FRIAS Fellowships?
The Early Career Fellowship lasts 4–10 months, the Senior Fellowship lasts 3–8 months, and the Sustainable Governance Fellowship for Researchers from Africa lasts six months.
8. When will the next FRIAS Fellowship call open?
The current FRIAS programme page says that the next calls for the main fellowship programmes are expected to open in summer 2027.
Final Thoughts
The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes provide funded residential research opportunities at the University of Freiburg for researchers at different career stages.
The 2027/28 cycle included an Early Career Fellowship for researchers within eight years of their PhD, a Senior Fellowship for established researchers with at least eight years of postdoctoral experience, and a Sustainable Governance fellowship for researchers based in Africa.
For the 2027/28 intake, applications closed on September 18, 2026, so the opportunity is no longer open for new applications in this cycle. The next main call is expected in summer 2027.
Researchers interested in a future FRIAS fellowship should begin preparing their research proposal, publication record, CV, and supporting documents well in advance. The official FRIAS programme page should be checked when the next call opens because eligibility rules, funding arrangements, documents, and deadlines may be updated.