Baden-Württemberg Early Career Rescue Fellowship Programme – Fully Funded Research Fellowship in Germany (Zukunftskolleg Konstanz, FRIAS, Tübingen College of Fellows)

Protecting Academic Freedom Through a Fully Funded Fellowship

The Baden-Württemberg Early Career Rescue Fellowship Programme is a fully funded research opportunity designed to support early career postdoctoral researchers whose academic work has been disrupted due to political restrictions in the United States. With global academic freedom under pressure from limited mobility to cancelled funding, the fellowship provides a safe and supportive research environment within three leading German institutions:

• Zukunftskolleg Konstanz (ZuKo)
• Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS)
• Tübingen College of Fellows (CoF)

Funded by the State of Baden-Württemberg, this programme offers rescued early-career researchers two years of secure employment, academic freedom, advanced research infrastructure, and strong interdisciplinary networks at one of three renowned universities.

Application Deadline: 9 January 2026, 11:00 AM CET

Eligibility Criteria

1. Formal Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet all the following conditions:

• Hold a completed doctoral degree plus 1–7 years of postdoctoral experience.
  Career breaks for family, medical reasons or non-academic employment are not counted.
• Must not hold a permanent professorship (tenure).
• Provide a motivation letter explaining how their research is threatened by political restrictions in the USA.
• Provide proof of inability to conduct research in the USA due to:
  • Travel restrictions
  • Cancelled funding
  • Cancelled projects or appointments in 2025 or 2026
    OR
  • A referee letter confirming political threats to their research.
• Select their first and second choice of host university and Institute for Advanced Studies, each with one potential local host.
• Submit a research project that can be supported at University of Konstanz, University of Freiburg, or University of Tübingen.
• The project must not involve disallowed ethical areas.
• Must follow all page limits and formatting rules.
• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

2. Academic Quality Requirements

• Minimum of 3 peer-reviewed publications (monographs count as 3; edited volumes do not count).
• Accepted-but-not-yet-published papers must include proof of acceptance.
• Manuscripts not accepted before the deadline, textbooks, reviews, translations, and editorial works are not eligible.
• Proposed research must demonstrate international relevance, not only local impact.

3. Ethical Restrictions

Projects involving the following cannot be funded:

• Human cloning for reproductive purposes
• Heritable genetic modification
• Creation of human embryos solely for research
• Research causing the death of human embryos

Projects must fully comply with research integrity and ethical guidelines.

What the Fellowship Offers

Selected researchers receive:

• A 24-month employment contract at one of the participating universities (start between 1 July 2026 and 30 November 2028).
• Monthly salary up to approx. €6,000 (pre-tax), depending on experience and TV-L regulations.
• A 24-month residency at one of the three Institutes for Advanced Studies.
• Full research infrastructure, workplace, and academic environment.
• Support for implementing the research project, including access to laboratories if needed.
• Additional research funding, cooperation support, and mobility allowance.
• Coverage for inbound and outbound travel.
• Assistance with academic skills, local networks, and German language courses.
• Support for families and help finding accommodation.

Note: All funding is subject to budget confirmation by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts.

Application Materials

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the BITE online portal.

Application Portal:

Apply via BITE here: APPLICATION FORM

Applicants must upload one PDF containing all documents (with a table of contents). Required materials include:

1. Letter of motivation (1 page)
2. Research proposal (max 5 pages) including:
   • Summary
   • Aim, scope, methodology
   • Innovative potential
   • Contribution to field
   • Work plan and feasibility
   • Suitability of host universities
   • Ethical considerations
3. CV (tabular, max 5 pages, no publication list)
4. Writing sample(s) (max 30 pages)
5. Proof of cancelled/blocked funding/position in the USA OR referee letter
6. PhD diploma (+ certified translation where applicable)
7. Optional: Up to two letters of recommendation (not from host institutions)

Selection Procedure

Selection is rigorous and merit-based, consisting of three stages:

1. Eligibility check (formal + academic criteria)
2. Peer review of the applicant’s CV, academic age, and project quality
3. Final selection by the committee in February 2026
   If two applicants are equally qualified, diversity and inclusion will guide the final decision.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: 9 January 2026, 11:00 AM CET
• Selection Meeting: February 2026
• Start of Fellowship: Between 1 July 2026 and 30 November 2028

Contacts for Enquiries

The Baden-Württemberg Early Career Rescue Fellowship Programme is a vital initiative supporting academic freedom and enabling early-career scholars to continue their research under safe, stable, and well-resourced conditions. With full funding, strong interdisciplinary support, and global research networks, this fellowship provides an exceptional opportunity for threatened scholars to rebuild and advance their academic careers.

Click here to apply

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