Kohli Fellowship 2026 — Two-Year Postdoctoral Research Opportunity in Sociology at the Berlin Social Science Center Berlin

The Kohli Fellowship for Sociology supports exceptional early-career researchers who have recently completed their doctoral studies with distinction. Funded by the Kohli Foundation for Sociology, the fellowship enables a fully-funded two-year research stay at a leading social science institution to launch a new research project, strengthen publication output, and build international research networks.

For the 2026 cycle, the selected Kohli Fellow will be hosted by the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), one of Europe’s foremost research institutions in the social sciences and a member of the Leibniz Association. WZB provides a dynamic academic environment with approximately 200 researchers across sociology, political science, economics, and law, working on problem-oriented basic research.

Programme Overview

• Host Institution: Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), Germany
• Duration: 24 months
• Start Date: 1 October 2026
• Stipend: €2,500 per month (subject to revision)
• Eligibility: Applicants must have completed their PhD within the last five years and demonstrate outstanding academic achievement

The Kohli Fellow is selected by a joint committee of the Kohli Foundation for Sociology and WZB.

Required Application Documents
Applicants must submit the following as a single PDF file via the online portal:

• Letter of motivation
• Curriculum Vitae with two referees listed
• Research proposal for the fellowship period (max. 3,000 words)
• Graduation certificates
• Completed application form, including an indication of the preferred research unit at WZB (form available on the fellowship website)

Application Deadline: 16 November 2025
Submission Portal: HERE

Qualified candidates with strong sociological research profiles are encouraged to apply.

For more opportunities, click HERE

Related