Philipp Schwartz Initiative 18th Call 2027: Full Fellowships for German Institutions Hosting Researchers at Risk

Philipp Schwartz Initiative 18th Call 2027: Full Fellowships for German Institutions Hosting Researchers at Risk

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative is a practical route for German universities and research institutions that want to give a threatened researcher a safe place to continue academic work. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s 18th call is currently open, with applications due on 21 August 2026, results expected at the end of November 2026, and funding scheduled to begin from 1 January 2027. The call expects to award up to 35 fellowships.

This is an important distinction: the programme is not a scholarship that an individual researcher submits alone. A German institution must act as the applicant and host. The researcher is nominated within that institutional application, and the institution must explain how it will provide a credible research environment, academic mentorship, practical support, and a sustainable next step after the fellowship. Researchers who need protection should therefore use this page to understand the route and then approach a suitable German host, rather than looking for a personal application form.

The Foundation describes the programme as a full fellowship for researchers subject to significant and continuous personal threat in their country of origin. It is open across disciplines and countries, subject to the programme’s exclusions and risk documentation rules. The award can last up to 24 months, with an application for a further 12 months through a co-financing model. A host institution also receives a €20,000 lump-sum allowance for each sponsored researcher. The English call page does not publish a single universal euro amount for the fellowship itself, so applicants should use the current programme documents and online portal for the applicable calculation.

Key details at a glance

The deadline is the date for the complete institutional application, not merely an expression of interest. Because the application must contain both a framework form and individual nominations, a host should treat the date as a firm submission deadline and build in time for internal approvals, document checks, and sensitive risk-assessment material.

What the fellowship offers

The central benefit is protected time and institutional backing for research in Germany. The Foundation says that sponsorship covers a fixed-amount fellowship earmarked for a period of up to 24 months. The award is therefore more than a short emergency visit: it is intended to create enough continuity for a researcher to resume a meaningful academic or science-related career.

The programme also provides a separate host-institution allowance of €20,000 per sponsored individual. That payment recognises that a safe placement requires work beyond salary or stipend administration. The host may need to arrange office and laboratory access, onboarding, legal and immigration support, language assistance, safeguarding procedures, mentoring time, and connections to the wider academic employment market. The exact permitted use and reporting requirements should be confirmed in the binding programme documents, which the Foundation currently identifies as German-language documents.

The possible extension is also structured rather than automatic. The initial sponsorship can cover up to 24 months, and the institution may apply during that period for an extension of up to 12 months within a co-financing model. An applicant should not present the extension as guaranteed funding. It is better described as a possible continuation that depends on the Foundation’s rules, the institution’s contribution, the fellow’s circumstances, and approval of the relevant request.

The programme’s value is not limited to money. A researcher can continue publishing, teaching where appropriate, maintaining collaborations, building a new network, and preparing for employment beyond the fellowship. The Foundation’s selection question explicitly considers whether the combined proposal suggests a promising new start in a scientific or science-related career in Germany, another country, or the researcher’s country of origin after the Philipp Schwartz Fellowship.

Who can apply as a host institution

The institutional applicant must be in Germany. The official eligibility list includes public and state-recognised universities; Max Planck, Helmholtz, Leibniz, and Fraunhofer institutes; federal and federal-state research institutions; and other research institutions that can convincingly demonstrate an appropriate research portfolio and structures.

That last category matters for organisations that do not fit one of the named national networks. An institution should be able to show that it is a real research environment with the governance, personnel, infrastructure, and academic supervision needed to host the nominee. A generic promise to provide a desk is unlikely to be enough. The application should identify the department, research group, mentor, facilities, support services, and decision-makers responsible for the placement.

Institutions do not need to have a candidate already identified before exploring the programme. The Foundation says that interested German hosts can approach the Scholars at Risk Network or the Council for At-Risk Academics, which may help identify suitable researchers. Scholars at Risk also maintains a list of researchers seeking placement in Germany. This can be useful for a university that has capacity and commitment but has not yet built a referral channel.

The host should also plan for sensitive information. Risk assessments, immigration circumstances, health or safety concerns, and family details may require restricted handling. The institution should decide who can access the application, how records will be stored, and who will communicate with the nominee before asking for documents that could expose them to additional risk.

Who can be nominated

The programme is open to researchers at risk irrespective of discipline and country of origin. The Foundation requires a demonstrable threat, not simply a difficult professional environment or a desire to work abroad. At-risk status can be documented through residence status connected to an asylum-granting procedure in the European Union that confirms a recognised threat, or through a credible third-party threat assessment.

The current call includes special documentation instructions. For nominees from Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine, a signed one- to two-page self-report in German or English is sufficient for the at-risk status requirement. For nominees from Belarus, Russia, Azerbaijan, or Central Asian countries, the Foundation asks institutions to contact the programme team. More generally, the page says that a credible third party may provide the assessment and that institutions should contact the Foundation before requesting one from a third-party organisation.

The academic requirements are equally important. Nominees must normally have completed a doctorate or comparable academic degree. In medicine and law, the institution must provide evidence that the qualification is equivalent to a research doctorate. The nominee must have the language skills needed to conduct the proposed research successfully and academic qualifications such as publications.

The residence rule is easy to overlook: the researcher must not have been resident outside their own country for more than five years at the time of application. Researchers who hold German university entrance qualifications are not eligible. The Foundation also excludes people who have already received Philipp Schwartz sponsorship, people who have access to residence in a safe country because of dual nationality or another circumstance such as marriage to an EU citizen, and German citizens. Multiple nominations of the same individual by different potential hosts are not allowed.

How the application works

The first step is a serious host–researcher match. The host should identify a specific mentor and research environment, then agree on a project that is academically credible and feasible under the researcher’s circumstances. The project should not be a vague invitation to “continue research in Germany.” It should explain the question, methods, outputs, resources, schedule, and the role of the host group.

The institution then prepares the framework form and the individual nomination. The online portal is the only normal submission route. The Foundation says that only complete applications, consisting of a submitted framework form and individual nominations, can be considered.

The application materials listed on the official page include the host institution’s concept for sustainable support infrastructure, questions for the academic mentor’s statement, research-proposal guidance, CV and publication-list examples, and sample application forms. Required individual evidence includes documentation of at-risk status and proof of the research doctorate or equivalent. If a qualification is not in German or English, a professional translation is required; self-translations are not accepted for this purpose.

The application should be assembled as one coherent case. The institutional concept explains the host’s capacity and long-term support. The mentor statement explains the academic fit and day-to-day supervision. The research proposal explains what the fellow will do. The risk documentation explains why protection is needed. The CV and publications establish the researcher’s record. A weak link in any one of these sections can make the overall case difficult to evaluate.

What the selection committee looks for

The Foundation describes a central selection question rather than a simple points checklist. Reviewers ask whether the combination of the host institution’s concept, the professional fit between researcher and mentor, the researcher’s scientific qualifications, the host’s commitment, concrete support measures, and post-fellowship prospects makes a promising new career start likely.

That framing gives applicants a useful preparation test. The proposal should demonstrate genuine two-way fit: the researcher should benefit from the host’s expertise and infrastructure, while the host group should be able to explain why the collaboration is academically meaningful. A famous institution by itself is not evidence of fit. Name the relevant group, methods, collections, equipment, datasets, or collaborations and explain how they change what the researcher can accomplish.

Reviewers will also need confidence that the host understands protection as an ongoing responsibility. Concrete support may include a named mentor, a second contact for pastoral or administrative concerns, a plan for safe communication, access to institutional services, help with relocation and residence questions, and a route into seminars or collaborations without forcing the fellow to disclose sensitive information unnecessarily.

Post-fellowship prospects should be realistic. The institution does not need to promise a permanent job, and it should not imply that the fellowship guarantees one. It should explain how the fellow will strengthen publications, teaching, grant readiness, professional networks, or transferable research skills during the award, and how the host will support the next transition when the sponsorship ends.

Preparation strategy for the 21 August deadline

An institution starting late should first confirm that the nominee can meet the formal criteria. Check the doctorate or equivalent qualification, date and duration of residence outside the country of origin, nationality and safe-residence exclusions, language readiness, publication record, and risk documentation route. Resolving an eligibility problem early is kinder and more efficient than asking a threatened researcher to prepare a full proposal that cannot be submitted.

Next, write a one-page internal case for support. It should answer five questions: why this researcher, why this host, why this project, why now, and what happens after the fellowship. Use that page to test whether the proposal has a clear centre of gravity. If the answer depends on broad statements about diversity or internationalisation, the case is not ready. The strongest applications connect the researcher’s specific work to the host’s specific capabilities and to a credible recovery path.

Give the mentor and nominee separate time to draft their sections. The mentor should describe academic supervision and fit in concrete terms, while the nominee should retain ownership of the research question and personal account. Do not ask the researcher to disclose more risk information than the application requires. Sensitive material should be accurate, necessary, and handled through the institution’s safeguarding process.

Finally, use the online portal and official templates as the source of truth. The Foundation warns that incomplete or non-compliant applications cannot be considered. Check that all required uploads are present, translations identify the translator where required, names and dates match across documents, and the institutional signatory has enough time to submit before 21 August. Keep a submission record and confirm that both the framework form and individual nomination were accepted by the portal.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most serious mistake is treating this as an individual scholarship. A researcher cannot apply directly. The route begins with a German host institution, so a researcher should contact a potential host or a relevant support network early.

Another mistake is describing risk in general terms without the required documentation. Academic censorship, discrimination, or career disruption may be relevant context, but the programme requires demonstrable at-risk status through the accepted routes. Ask the Foundation for guidance before requesting an assessment from a third party.

Hosts should also avoid presenting the €20,000 allowance as the fellow’s personal stipend. The official page identifies it as a lump sum for the host institution per sponsored researcher. The fellowship itself is described as a fixed amount, but the English call page does not state one universal rate. Use the current guidelines and portal calculation rather than inventing a salary figure.

Do not submit a generic research proposal that could be sent to any university. The selection criteria expressly include the fit between the guest, mentor, and project. Likewise, do not promise permanent employment, automatic extension, or a guaranteed visa. Describe the support the institution can actually provide and distinguish confirmed commitments from possibilities.

Frequently asked questions

Can a researcher apply without a German university?

No. Researchers cannot apply directly. A potential host institution in Germany must make the application and nominate the researcher.

Is the programme limited to a particular discipline?

No. The Foundation says researchers are eligible irrespective of discipline and country of origin, provided they meet the risk, academic, residence, language, and other programme requirements.

Is the fellowship only for people already in Germany?

The official page does not make current residence in Germany a general requirement. The relevant rules concern demonstrable risk and the nominee’s residence history. A host should confirm immigration and relocation questions with the Foundation and appropriate German authorities.

What is the exact fellowship amount?

The English programme page describes a fixed-amount fellowship for up to 24 months but does not publish one universal euro figure in the call summary. It separately confirms a €20,000 host-institution allowance per sponsored researcher. Applicants should rely on the current fellowship guidelines and online application calculation.

Can the award last longer than two years?

The initial fellowship is earmarked for up to 24 months. An extension of up to 12 months may be requested during the initial period through a co-financing model. That continuation is not automatic.

When will the 18th-call results be announced?

The Foundation lists the expected announcement of results as the end of November 2026, with funding starting from 1 January 2027.

Official links and next steps

Start with the official Philipp Schwartz Initiative page. It contains the current call dates, eligibility rules, portal link, document list, threat-assessment guidance, research-proposal instructions, and contact information. German institutions should review the binding programme documents in the portal and contact schwartz-initiative[at]avh.de if a risk-assessment or eligibility question is unclear.

Researchers should not wait for a perfect proposal before beginning host outreach. Prepare a concise research profile, a current CV and publication list, a short description of the work you want to continue, and a safe way for a prospective host to contact you. A German university or institute considering a nomination should first confirm its institutional eligibility, identify a committed mentor, establish a confidential support plan, and then build the application around the programme’s central question: whether this placement can create a credible new start for the researcher’s career.