Apply for FRIAS Senior Fellowships Programme

The Institute supports innovative research projects through individual and group fellowships. FRIAS provides modern office spaces and an up-to-date infrastructure and makes every effort to provide tailor-made solutions with regard to suitable accommodation, child care and educational facilities.

What they offer?

• Depending on their situation, selected applicants will receive a fellowship contract with the University of Freiburg or other compensation.
• Fellows receive a research cost contribution, a budget for individual training, a mobility allowance (if applicable) and travel costs of the inbound and the outbound journey (if applicable).
• Fellowships will allow researchers to conduct their own research projects. Since one of the aims of FRIAS is to foster cross-disciplinary communication, full-time presence at FRIAS is mandatory.

Eligibility Criteria

• Fellowships are available to researchers from any nationality based in Freiburg, Germany and abroad for 3 to 8 months between September 1st, 2025 and August 31st, 2026.
• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree.
• Applicants must have a minimum of eight years of post-doctoral research experience.
• Applicants must have six months’ research or study experience at academic institution(s) in a country different from the country of their first academic degree by the time of application or have received a Master/PhD in a country different from the country of their first academic degree by the time of application. Short stays, such as holidays, conferences, or summer schools are not considered.
• Applicants must propose a research project that can be supported at the University of Freiburg (regarding infrastructural, technical, and laboratory requirements). Experimental scientists are required to identify a host laboratory in Freiburg (including letter of support).
• The research project must not involve topics that are excluded from funding due to ethical issues.
• There is no age limit for applying to the FRIAS Senior Fellowship Programme although the candidates’ achievements should be in line with their “academic age”.

Selection Criteria

• Applicants must have a completed PhD plus a minimum of eight years of post-doctoral experience.
• 10 peer-reviewed publications since 1 January 2018.
• Applicants must have six months’ research or study experience at academic institution(s) in a country different from the country of their first academic degree by the time of application OR have received a Master/PhD in a country different from the country of their first academic degree.
• Fellowships will be awarded to individuals with challenging and innovative research projects of top academic quality through a highly competitive, strictly merit-based selection process (expected success rate: ~15% of eligible applications).
• Applications are welcome from any discipline that can be supported at the University of Freiburg. FRIAS encourages applicant to learn more about the University of Freiburg’s profile of particular research strengths.

For more information, visit FRIAS.