Humboldt Fellowship Alternatives 2027: Other Ways to Fund Research in Germany
If a call fills before you can submit, you are past the 4- or 12-year limit, or you want a salaried position instead of a fellowship, these are the closest alternatives — with the differences that matter.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The Humboldt Research Fellowship is unusually open: any nationality, any field, your own topic, and a stipend rather than a contract. Few programmes match all four. Below are the closest options for a research stay in Germany, with facts from each funder’s official page.
At a glance
| Humboldt Fellowship | MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship | DFG Walter Benjamin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Any nationality; PhD ≤ 4 or ≤ 12 years | Any nationality; ≤ 8 years research experience after PhD | Early-career postdocs |
| Length | 6–24 (postdoc) or 6–18 months | 1–2 years (European); 2–3 years (Global) | Usually up to 2 years |
| Form | Tax-free fellowship | Usually employment by the host | Position in Germany or fellowship abroad |
| Mobility rule | ≤ 90 days in Germany in last 18 months | ≤ 12 months in host country in last 36 months | Usually requires changing institution |
| Timing | 3 calls a year, capped at 800 | One call a year | Any time |
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
MSCA guide →The EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships fund researchers with a maximum of eight years of research experience after the PhD to move to a host in an EU member state or associated country — Germany included. European fellowships last 1–2 years. The mobility rule is that you must not have lived or worked mainly in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline.
The trade-off: you write a longer, more structured proposal together with your supervisor, and the competition is Europe-wide. In exchange the host usually employs you, so you get a salary with social security rather than a stipend. There is one deadline a year; the EU’s PF 2027 call page lists an opening on 7 April 2027 and a deadline of 8 September 2027, both still marked “TBC”. Our MSCA postdoc guide tracks it.
You can apply to Humboldt and MSCA in parallel, as long as you declare the other application on the Humboldt form and report any decision. If both come through you will in practice have to choose: the Humboldt guidelines offset other fellowships and earnings against the monthly payment.
DFG Walter Benjamin Programme
The German Research Foundation’s Walter Benjamin Programme lets early-career postdocs run their own project at an institution of their choice. In Germany it is funded as a position (a contract, not a stipend); abroad it is a fellowship. Funding usually lasts up to two years, and proposals can be submitted at any time — no calls, no cap.
The catch for international researchers: funding abroad is only for people integrated into the German research system. The programme also generally expects you to change research institution. Check the DFG’s FAQ for your situation. The Humboldt FAQ itself points Germans preparing a permanent return to the DFG’s “Temporary Positions” programme rather than to Humboldt.
DAAD research grants
DAAD guide →The DAAD funds many research stays in Germany, but most of its programmes are aimed at doctoral candidates, and availability depends on your country. Short stays for postdocs are now scarcer: in February 2025 the DAAD announced it was cutting 13 programmes, including its research stays for foreign academics. Search the DAAD scholarship database with your nationality and status. Our DAAD guide covers the master’s and doctoral side. If you already hold a doctorate and want 6–24 months, Humboldt is usually the better fit.
Other Humboldt routes
- Brazil: the CAPES-Humboldt Research Fellowship is the first port of call.
- Not sure which fits: the foundation’s programme search or individual advice by email.
- Through a host: German hosts in the Henriette Herz Scouting Programme can bring up to three researchers from abroad with a Humboldt Research Fellowship within a short time. If a host you are talking to is a scout, ask.
Looking beyond Germany
Switzerland is a common second choice for postdocs, but the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships no longer offer postdoctoral scholarships from 2027/28, according to the SERI overview — see our Swiss Excellence guide for what remains (research stays and PhDs). For a postdoc elsewhere in Europe, the MSCA European fellowship is the broadest option.
How to choose
| If you… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Are within 4 years of your PhD and want your own project in Germany | Humboldt (postdoc), plus MSCA in parallel |
| Are an assistant professor or group leader within 12 years of the PhD | Humboldt (experienced) |
| Want a contract with social security and 1–2 years | MSCA European or a DFG-funded position |
| Missed a Humboldt call and need to apply now | DFG Walter Benjamin (rolling), if you meet its rules |
| Want only a short visit of a few months | The DAAD database for your country (its research-stay programme for foreign academics has been cut) |