Postdocs | Junior Research Groups

The Daimler and Benz Foundation has opened applications for its prestigious 2026 Scholarship Program, aimed at supporting postdoctoral researchers, junior professors, and heads of junior research groups. A total of twelve scholarships will be awarded, including two in cooperation with the Reinhard Frank Foundation. The goal is to strengthen the independence and creativity of promising early-career researchers and to provide key support during their productive postdoctoral phase.

Who Can Apply?

The program is open to:

• Postdoctoral researchers,

• Junior professors,

• Leaders of junior research groups.

Applicants from all academic disciplines are welcome. The foundation especially encourages applications from underrepresented fields, such as the humanities, social sciences, and cultural studies.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be conducting an independent research project (either a new or ongoing one),

• Be affiliated with a research institution in Germany or a German institution abroad,

• Hold a temporary academic position for the entire duration of the scholarship or prove that their living expenses are otherwise covered.

🔒 Please note:

• The scholarship cannot be used to cover personal living expenses or to fund permanent academic positions.

• Researchers with tenured positions are not eligible to apply.

What Does the Scholarship Offer?

Each scholarship includes:

• €40,000 in funding,

• Duration: two years,

• Flexible use of funds for:

  • Research assistants,

  • Technical equipment,

  • Research travel,

  • Conference participation, etc.

This program provides a unique opportunity to advance your own research with a high degree of freedom and to take a significant step forward in your academic career.

Application Deadline

🗓 Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM.

Learn More

Detailed information, eligibility requirements, and the application portal are available on the official foundation website:
👉 Daimler and Benz Foundation – Scholarship Program

"Gain time to think" Fellowships for Early-Career Postdocs in the Life Sciences and Medicine**

If you're an early-career researcher in the life sciences, medicine, or psychology, chances are you're deeply immersed in lab routines, clinical work, funding deadlines, and the pressure to publish. The College for Life Sciences, a junior program of the renowned Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin – Institute for Advanced Study, offers a rare opportunity to step back and rethink.

The program gives early-career postdocs the space and time to pause, reflect, and reframe their scientific journey – in line with its core idea: "Gain time to think."

What’s on offer?

Fellowships are available for residencies of 3 to 5 months during the academic year 2026/27 (September 2026 – July 2027) at the Wissenschaftskolleg in Berlin. Fellows receive:

• a full stipend based on their previous salary,

• a studio apartment on the campus in Berlin-Grunewald,

• and additional benefits that allow for a focused, uninterrupted stay.

Importantly, no lab facilities are provided – this is an intentional pause from hands-on research to allow for deeper intellectual engagement. Fellows are free to choose any project they wish to pursue during their time at the Kolleg.

Who is eligible?

The program is open to early-career researchers from around the world who:

• will have completed their doctorate before the start of the fellowship,

• have at least one lead-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal,

• and usually have two or more years of postdoctoral experience.

All disciplines within the life and natural sciences, medicine, and psychology are welcome. There are no restrictions based on nationality, field, or age. Researchers who have been serving as a principal investigator for more than five years are advised to apply for a regular fellowship at the Wissenschaftskolleg.

Please note: Researchers currently affiliated with institutions in Berlin are not eligible to apply.

Application deadline: November 1, 2025

For detailed information on the program and the application process, visit:
👉 https://www.wiko-berlin.de/en/becoming-a-fellow/fellowships/college-for-life-sciences