Funding and fellowships

External funding may support a research visit, doctoral research, a postdoctoral project or a student placement. The routes below concern research stays in Germany; eligibility depends on the programme, your career stage and your circumstances.

If you would like us to host a funded project, contact us with your research idea and the programme you have in mind. We will need to discuss scientific fit, supervision and resources before agreeing to support an application. Each funder sets its own eligibility rules, calls and deadlines; use the official links below to check them.

Doctoral research and research visits

For structured doctoral programmes and their 2026 deadlines, see PhD opportunities. For a shorter stay, see Research visits. Programme admission and funding for a position in the unit need to be confirmed separately.

DAAD

The German Academic Exchange Service offers several funding routes for study and research in Germany. Its Research Grants in Germany programme supports research stays during a doctorate undertaken outside Germany or in the early postdoctoral phase. Other schemes have different purposes and requirements. Use your country of residence, career stage and subject to find relevant options in the DAAD scholarship database.

Master’s and doctoral scholarships

BAYHOST / BTHA: Bavaria scholarships 2027/28

Deadline for first-time applications: 1 December 2026.

The Free State of Bavaria offers scholarships for graduates with citizenship of Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia or Ukraine.

• Purpose: postgraduate study, including a master’s degree, or a doctorate at a state or state-funded higher education institution in Bavaria. A one-year research visit during a doctorate in the home country can also be supported.
• Funding: €992 per month, initially for one year. Degree scholarships can normally be renewed twice on application, up to three years in total. Doctoral research visits are generally limited to one year.
• Eligibility: additional residence, age, academic, language and financial requirements apply. Master’s exchange years are excluded; consult the full call and FAQs.

Apply online through the BAYHOST application page. Czech citizens should follow the BTHA application guidance.

This may be a funding route for work in Munich / TUM, subject to eligibility and an agreed host arrangement. Doctoral applications and research visits require a host endorsement; contact us to discuss the proposed work before applying. Scholarship selection and university admission are separate, and neither guarantees a position in the unit.

Official 2027/28 call (PDF). Call checked on 28 September 2026.

Postdoctoral funding

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Humboldt Research Fellowship supports postdoctoral and experienced researchers from abroad in carrying out their own research with a host in Germany. It requires an agreed research project and host support. Check the foundation’s current call status, career-stage and residence requirements before preparing an application.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers with a doctorate who wish to carry out a research and training project. A European Postdoctoral Fellowship may be a route to joining a host in Germany. The proposal is prepared with the host organisation, which submits it. Mobility and research-experience rules apply.

DFG Walter Benjamin Programme

The Walter Benjamin Programme supports an independent project in the early postdoctoral phase. For work in Germany, the funding takes the form of a position at the host institution. A change of research environment is normally expected, and the host must provide project resources and career support. Discuss the institutional arrangements with us before applying.

Student projects and placements

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, student projects do not include a salary or stipend from the research group. Master’s thesis projects are generally unpaid.

Students may have support through scholarships, their home university or mobility programmes. Mention any proposed funding when enquiring about a project.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ traineeships can support eligible students, including doctoral candidates, and recent graduates undertaking a placement abroad. Ask your home university’s international or Erasmus+ office about eligibility, supported duration, funding and application procedures. The research placement and any required learning agreement need to be agreed with the host.

Centrally organised placements

CaCTüS 2027 applications are open until 16 November 2026. The programme offers paid summer research internships, with living-cost support and travel-cost reimbursement under its own terms. See the CaCTüS call and application links for eligibility and the official portal.

Other placements may be offered through TUM PREP in Munich. These programmes have their own eligibility, application, selection and funding procedures. Applicants must follow the programme’s process; funding cannot be obtained directly from the research group, and not every project listed here is part of a central programme.

How to enquire about a project or fellowship · Job vacancies