China Travel Grants

Since 2018, the Max Weber Foundation – German Humanities Institutes Abroad (MWS) – awards travel grants once a year, with the support of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation. The grants will be awarded to scientists (doctoral and post-doctoral) from sinology or related subjects, whose professional qualification phase is concerned with Chinese history, language or culture in the broadest sense and for whose research a stay in China is indispensable. 

Every year, two travel grants will be awarded for a period of research of up to three months, for the purposes of fieldwork, archive and/or library research in China, preferably in Peking. 

The persons chosen to receive the grants can get organisational/administrative and academic support in Peking, within the scope of the resources available. The MWS China office in Peking, which was set up in 2017, relies on cooperation with the École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO) and the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Together, EFEO and MWS make up the Europäisches Zentrum für China-Studien [European Centre for Chinese Studies] in Peking. They arrange contacts in Chinese, French and German humanities and social sciences, conduct basic research and hold events. 

Important note: Due to the current situation, the research placements can be postponed – subject to financial resources and in consultation with the Max Weber Foundation.

Funding

The support payments are based on the rates of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation and cover:

• The monthly rate for China amounting to 1,588 Euro and
• A lump sum for flight expenses amounting to 700 Euro.

Visa

Visas are applied for and obtained by the persons chosen to receive the grant. The China office of MWS can provide support in the form of advice for obtaining a visa. 

When planning the travel, the continuously updated information from the authorities, in particular from the Robert Koch Institute, and the relevant travel information from the Federal Foreign Office must be observed. The travels are at the recipients of China travel grants own responsibility. Depending on the situation, the start of the travel can be postponed.

Conditions for application

Applications are accepted from highly qualified sinologists, as well as humanities and social science scholars (most recent degree at least masters, MA, Staatsexamen or bachelor’s degree) of any nationality, whose professional qualification phase is concerned with Chinese history, language or culture in the broadest sense and who can present a research plan for their stay in China. Adequate language skills that are necessary for conducting the research project are also required. An affiliation to a university or (research) institution in the German-speaking area should be given.

Application papers

All application documents must be submitted in German or English. A full application includes the following information:

• Completed application form;
• Detailed description (max. 3 - 5 pages) of the planned research project, which must clearly show why the residence is necessary and which institutions should be visited;
• Work plan;
• Copies of certificates (examinations, doctoral degree certificate);
• Reference from the supervisor, which provides information about the applicant’s status and the level of work, and that should be sent directly to the office of the Max Weber Foundation.

The deadline for applications is 16 October 2020.

Please send your application, using the relevant form, by email to: china(at)maxweberstiftung.de.