FRIAS Early Career Fellowship 2027/28 in Germany

Overview

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies is the University of Freiburg's international research college. Its Early Career Fellowship Programme gives postdoctoral researchers protected time to develop an independent project while participating in an interdisciplinary residential research community.

The 2027/28 call accepted applications across disciplines that could be supported at the University of Freiburg; the application period is now closed. Fellowships may run for four to ten months between 1 September 2027 and 31 August 2028, and full-time presence at FRIAS is mandatory.

Eligibility

• Hold a completed doctoral degree.
• Have a maximum of eight years of postdoctoral experience at the time of application.
• Have at least four peer-reviewed publications published since 1 January 2022.
• Have completed at least six months of research or study at academic institutions in a country different from the country of your first academic degree by the application date.
• Propose a challenging, innovative research project that can be supported at the University of Freiburg.
• Be able to reside full-time at FRIAS during the fellowship period.

Experimental scientists: you must identify a Freiburg host laboratory and provide both a host-support letter and an experiment sketch/timetable.

Funding & Benefits

• Selected fellows receive either a fellowship contract with the University of Freiburg or alternative compensation, depending on their circumstances.
• A research-cost contribution is provided.
• Inbound and outbound travel costs are covered where applicable.
• FRIAS provides research infrastructure, office space, university resources, an interdisciplinary fellow community, and organizational support.
• FRIAS also assists fellows with practical matters such as accommodation, childcare, and visa-related organization.

Funding caveat: FRIAS does not present one universal cash amount on the public call page because the payment structure depends on the fellow's situation. Applicants should read the official application manual's “Financial Aspects” section before making salary or net-income assumptions.

How to Apply

1. Confirm that you meet the PhD, postdoctoral-experience, publication, and international-mobility criteria.
2. Register through the official FRIAS mobility application portal.
3. Complete the online applicant and project sections, including the project abstract, lay abstract, ethical-issues table, and motivation statement.
4. Enter contact information for two evaluators who know your work and are willing to assess your candidacy.
5. Upload all mandatory annexes in the required templates and formats.
6. Submit the complete application by 18 September 2026 at 13:00 CET. Only one submission per applicant is allowed.

Required Documents

• Project proposal: maximum 3,000 words including footnotes, headers, footers, and bibliographical references; up to four graphs.
• CV: tabular format using the mandatory template in the application portal.
• Publication list: maximum eight publications in total; four must be peer-reviewed and published after 1 January 2022.
• Copy of PhD diploma.
• Experimental scientists only: Freiburg host-laboratory support letter.
• Experimental scientists only: experiment sketch and timetable.

The application portal also requires applicants to confirm responsible handling of AI use in the scientific content of the proposal in accordance with the stated DFG rules.

Important Dates

• Application status: closed — FRIAS now marks the 2027/28 call for applications as closed.
• 18 September 2026, 13:00 CET: official application deadline.
• 1 September 2027: earliest fellowship start.
• 31 August 2028: latest end of the 2027/28 fellowship period.

FRIAS says late or incomplete applications will not be considered, so applicants should finish the portal registration and document uploads before the final day.

FAQs

Was the FRIAS Early Career Fellowship open to international applicants?
Yes. The 2027/28 call accepted researchers of any nationality, including researchers already based in Freiburg and researchers based abroad. The call is now closed.

Which disciplines were eligible?
The 2027/28 call welcomed applications from disciplines that could be supported at the University of Freiburg.

How long is the fellowship?
Four to ten months within the period from 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2028.

Is there a fixed monthly stipend?
The public call does not state one universal figure. FRIAS says selected applicants receive either a university fellowship contract or alternative compensation depending on their circumstances, plus research and eligible travel support.

Do experimental scientists need a Freiburg host?
Yes. Experimental applicants must identify a host laboratory and submit a support letter plus an experiment sketch and timetable.

Can fellows conduct fieldwork away from Freiburg?
FRIAS requires full-time presence and states that fieldwork outside Freiburg cannot be funded during the fellowship period.

Last verified: October 4, 2026. ScholarshipHubNow rechecked the official University of Freiburg / FRIAS call and confirmed that the 2027/28 application period is closed. Historical eligibility, funding structure and fellowship-period details are retained for reference.