DFG

What is the Walter Benjamin Programme?

The Walter Benjamin programme enables researchers in the postdoctoral training phase to independently conduct their own research project at a research institution at a location of their choice.

There are two modules:

  1. Walter Benjamin Fellowship - WBF (outside Germany)
  2. Walter Benjamin Position - WBP (in Germany).

For more details see the Benjamin Programme Summary  

Who can apply for the Walter Benjamin Programme?

  • Postdocs in the early postdoctoral training phase.
  • For the Walter Benjamin Position - no restrictions apply (i.e. any nationality).
  • For the Walter Benjamin Fellowship (or a combined proposal) - applicants have worked for at least 3 years in the German research system (doctoral or postdoctoral phase).

Why to apply for the Walter Benjamin Programme?

  • It is an opportunity to spend 2 years on a research visit at an excellent research institution in Germany or attract postdocs from Germany to IOCB Prague.
  • The applicant should choose a foreign host institution that provides the best research environment for his/her project.
  • The applicant can establish new cooperation with outstanding foreign supervisors, develop his/her professional career & improve his/her skills.
  • You can get monthly financial support according to Award Calculator: Basic fellowship (1750 €), Direct project costs (250 €), Foreign allowance (1670 € for the Czech Republic), etc.
  • The applicant can get travel support for establishing or intensifying his/her research contacts in Germany.
  • The applicant can apply for additional funding up to 5000 € per year for publication costs.
  • A monthly child allowance (400 € for the first child and 100 € for each additional child) is paid for children up to 18 years of age.
  • If the applicant is accompanied abroad by children who are younger than 12 years of age, he/she can either (1) extend the duration of the fellowship by max 12 months, or (2) apply for childcare costs.
  • The applicant can apply for a return grant for reintegration into the German research system.

When to apply for the Walter Benjamin Programme?

The application to the Walter Benjamin Programme is open throughout the year. Evaluation results are announced within 6 months.


  Please inform the Project Office about your intention to apply.  
  Do not hesitate to contact us anytime for consulting, discussion or help.  

How to apply for the Walter Benjamin Programme?

  1. Find and read programme guidelines:
  2.   A. Supervisors (group leaders): Walter Benjamin Fellowship - WBF (outside Germany)  

  3. Actively look for a promising postdoc that is integrated in the German research system. You can offer him/her the opportunity to be a member of your team, offer him/her the IOCB institutional support, and help him/her prepare a competitive project proposal for the WBF.
  4. Provide your invited postdoc with a host confirmation - informal declaration from the host promising to accept the applicant in the event of approval, and provide a workplace for the performance of the project.
  5. Provide your invited postdoc with a Statement by the host researchers on development opportunities and career support.
  6. Continue to the step 5

      B. Postdocs: Walter Benjamin Position - WBP (in Germany)  

  7. Find an excellent supervisor at a German research institution, discuss your potential research project with him/her and ask him/her for institutional support.
  8. Ask the foreign supervisor to provide you with the Employer statement   - the host institution must confirm that it will be your employer for the duration of the project.
  9. Ask the host researcher for a Statement by the host researchers on development opportunities and career support.
  10. Establish an Elan portal account and download the relevant template.
  11. Complete an online application on the Elan portal account.
    Online part of proposal:
    • First page
    • Project details: title, duration, research area, keywords, summary in English and German
    • Applicant data
    • Participating individuals: host institution & supervisor
    • Participating institutions
    • Concluding information
  12. Fill in Project description Template   (in total max. 25 pages)
    • State-of-the-art & preliminary work; project related publications
    • Objectives & work programme
    • Bibliography
    • Relevance of project to research career objectives
    • Reasons for selecting host institution
    • Supplementary info on research context
    • Collaborations; funding
    • Requested modules/funds
  13. Finalise the application on the Elan portal account.
    • Online proposal (applicant)
    • Project description (applicant)
    • CV including a list of up to 10 of the most important publications (applicant)
    • The host confirmation for the WBF or the employer statement for the WBP (the host institution)
    • A statement by the host researchers (the host researcher)
    • Ph.D. certificate or confirmation that your doctorate will be completed (applicant)
    • If relevant: Collaboration agreement with domestic or foreign partner (applicant)
    • If relevant: Accepted manuscripts or submitted Doctoral thesis (applicant)
    • If relevant: Ethics statement (applicant)
  14. Submit your online application at any point throughout the year, there are no deadlines.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application within 6 months after submission. Successful applicants have to start the fellowship within 1–12 months of the announcement of the outcome.

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany, Contacts



IOCB

IOCB participation (0) in Walter Benjamin Programme: