Germany DAAD Prime Fellowships 2026
The PRIME program, supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and managed by the DAAD, provides researchers with a unique opportunity to embark on a transformative year of independent research abroad. Participants are employed at a prestigious German university, allowing them to immerse themselves in an academic environment that fosters innovation and collaboration.
This year, researchers can focus on their projects without regular academic responsibilities, allowing them to gain new insights and network with international scholars. After this experience, they enter a reintegration phase to help them apply what they’ve learned and strengthen connections when returning to their home countries. The program aims to improve their academic profiles and contribute to the global scientific community, preparing them for better career opportunities.
About the Scholarship
PRIME is located in Germany, yet it has a worldwide reach. Candidates obtain an 18-month work agreement with a German university that encompasses:
- A year overseas at one or several global research institutions.
- Six-month reentry phase at the German university.
- University international exchange programs
Locations for the year-long international phase are adaptable but must adhere to mobility regulations: you cannot have resided or been employed in your selected host nation for over 12 months during the 3 years preceding the application cutoff.
Scholarship Benefits
- Compensation: You will work for 18 months at a German university on the pay scale TV-L E13, with the salary determined by your level of experience.
- Monthly Expatriate Payment: Determined by your location and earnings.
- Travel Allowance: A one-time payment for you—and your spouse or children (if they accompany you abroad for at least a month).
- Administrative Assistance: Your salary is financed by DAAD through project funding allocated to your German university.
Eligibility Requirements
To submit your application, you need to:
- Finished your PhD with outstanding results (you may apply during the final stages, but the PhD needs to be finished before funding begins).
- Be within 6 years of obtaining your PhD (periods for parental/care are included).
- Belong to any nationality or discipline.
- Possess a minimum of one published work (collaborative authorship allowed).
- Do not occupy a permanent role at the university you suggested as a host.
- Demonstrate your dedication to pursuing a career in Germany following PRIME.
- Must not have lived or worked in your desired host country overseas for over 12 of the last 36 months.
Moreover, EU citizens or individuals with extensive research experience in the EU may opt for locations beyond the EU. Some must remain in Europe during the international phase.
Required Documents
- CV (comprehensive and detailed)
- Career plan
- Summary of research and comprehensive proposal
- Schedule (e.g., Gantt chart)
- Invitation letters from both German and international host institutions
- A letter of commitment from a German university to hire you for 18 months.
- Verification of academic qualifications along with transcripts
- List of publications (emphasizing 3 key ones)
- Summary of the doctoral thesis (1–2 pages)
- Declaration of ethics
- Language certificate (if necessary)
- A private letter of recommendation from a professor.
- University international exchange programs
All documents should be uploaded in English through the DAAD portal as PDF files.
How to Apply
Application Timeline
The DAAD PRIME 2025/26 fellowship application process opens with full applications due by 29 August 2025. Candidates will be notified of the selection results by mid-March 2026. A virtual orientation for successful fellows is planned for March or April 2026. The earliest start date for the funded position is 01 June 2026, and the latest is 01 November 2026.
RECOMMENDED
- Firstly, Study in UK | University of Cambridge Research Fellowships 2026
- Secondly, Study in Germany | Heidelberg University Scholarships 2025-2026
- Thirdly, Study in Sweden | Dalarna University Scholarships 2026
- Then, Study in Canada | Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2025
- Also, Netherlands Fully Funded NL Scholarship 2026
- Moreover, France Eiffel Excellence Scholarship for October 2026
- Furthermore, Taylor University Undergraduate Scholarship 2025
- Finally, Tokyo City University Fully-funded Scholarship 2026
