Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience (PRIME)
Deadline: 29 August 2025
Fellowship Start: Between 01 June – 01 November 2026
DAAD PRIME offers 18 months of postdoctoral funding for researchers who aim to pursue long-term academic careers in Germany. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the program supports a 12-month international research stay followed by a 6-month reintegration phase at a German university, with researchers employed throughout on a temporary German university contract.
Who Can Apply?
Postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities and disciplines are eligible, provided they:
- Hold a completed doctorate with excellent results by the time funding starts.
- Are within 6 years of their first PhD, with allowances for parental/care periods.
- Have at least one peer-reviewed publication (co-authorship accepted).
- Have not resided or worked in the proposed host country for more than 12 months during the last 3 years (mobility rule).
- Intend to pursue an academic career in Germany after the fellowship.
Note: EU mobility rules apply depending on citizenship/residency.
Funding Includes:
- 18-month employment at a German university under TV-L E13 salary scale.
- Expatriate allowance based on destination and income level.
- DAAD travel allowance (including for accompanying spouses/children).
Host Institutions
- The employing institution must be a German university, which must:
- Confirm willingness to employ the candidate.
- Provide a scientific mentor.
- Comment on the applicant’s longer-term prospects.
- Foreign host institutions (university, non-university, or industry research entities) must provide infrastructure, mentoring, and institutional support.
Selection Criteria
- Academic Excellence: grades, publications, awards, supervision, teaching.
- Project Quality: originality, feasibility, innovation, alignment with host(s).
- Career Potential: long-term career alignment, motivation, and broader skills.
Application Documents
Applications must be submitted via the DAAD Portal and include:
- Online application form
- CV (Europass-style recommended)
- Career plan (max. 1 page)
- Research proposal (7–8 pages + references)
- Time schedule (e.g., Gantt chart)
- Host letters (Germany + abroad)
- Ethics checklist
- Degree certificates + transcripts
- Language certificate (if required)
- One academic letter of recommendation
- Marked key publications (with links)
- Summary of doctoral thesis (1–2 pages)
- Application checklist
All documents must be submitted in English (or German for certificates) and uploaded in PDF format.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 29 August 2025
- Results Announced: March 2026
- Orientation Meeting: March/April 2026
- Fellowship Start: 01 June – 01 November 2026
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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the funding organization. For any inquiries, please contact the DAAD directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
