Annual Call 2026 for Regular and Junior Fellows

The Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK) in Delmenhorst is an Institute for Advanced Study in the Northwest of Germany. Its fellowship programme offers outstanding researchers the opportunity to focus on research without the distraction of everyday routines in academia, to interact with colleagues from other disciplines, and to benefit from a diverse and vibrant fellowship community. The HWK awards fellowships to highly qualified researchers of all career levels from postdoctoral to senior researchers. With these fellowships, the HWK supports interdisciplinary and international collaboration both, between its fellows and research institutions in Germany's northwest region, and within the community of fellows residing on the HWK campus.

Applications are accepted in the following thematic areas (choice of one minimum, two maximum):

• BRAIN & MIND
• EARTH
• SOCIETY
• TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE
• ARTS & LITERATURE

The HWK awards fellowships to highly qualified researchers of all career levels from postdoctoral to senior researchers. Regular fellowships are available for researchers whose PhD (or equivalent) has been awarded more than 5 years ago and who have already gained substantial professional experience in academia and research. Junior fellowships are available for early career researchers whose PhD has been awarded less than 5 years ago and who have gained first professional experience in academia and research.

Both, a continuation of previous research activities, or starting a new strand of research by using the expertise in the northwest region, are welcome, this includes crossing disciplinary boundaries. We also accept applications involving experimental and lab research; in these cases confirmation of access to research infrastructure at a nearby institution is required.

Residence at the HWK is obligatory.

Outstanding scientists from almost all scientific disciplines and career levels (postgraduate level and above) from all parts of the world (except northwest Germany)

PhD or equivalent

Up to 10 months

HWK fellowships consist of funded scholarships in conjunction with free accommodation on the HWK campus in Delmenhorst. The conditions of the financial compensation are subject to individual agreement.

Applications must be made through the central application form available at the link on the left of this screen. For more details, see the "Annual Call" document and the "Application Guidelines" published therein.