HIAS Fellowship Program

The HIAS fellowship program is aimed at outstanding scholars (minimum requirement: doctorate) as well as artists and cultural professionals of all career levels and nationalities. The most important prerequisites for a research fellowship at HIAS are substantial academic or artistic achievements, intellectual curiosity and an above-average interest in other disciplines. Ideal candidates are individuals who reflect the basic assumptions of their discipline and are open to engage inter- and transdisciplinarily with topics and ways of inquiry beyond the confines of their own discipline. They should also be willing to cooperate with scholars or cultural professionals in Hamburg. Desirably, the applicants enrich both the fellow group and the city of Hamburg as a hub of science and culture with innovative impulses and strengthen their internationality with their own networks. In addition, applicants are expected to take into consideration means of conveying the topics of their planned projects to a broader public.

Since HIAS is committed to equal opportunities, it particularly welcomes applications by early career researchers and emerging artists and cultural professionals as well as by individuals from usually underrepresented regions of the world. 

During their fellowship, the fellows live and work in Hamburg. Therefore, only projects that can be carried out on site at HIAS or in laboratories of local cooperation partners are suitable.  

To ensure that the fellows enrich the Hamburg science location with their external perspective and expertise, researchers from within the metropolitan region of Hamburg are not eligible for a HIAS fellowship. For the same reason, all fellows coming to HIAS collaborate with a tandem partner from Hamburg (see below). 

The academic year at HIAS begins on 1 September 2026 and ends on 30 June 2027. Applicants can choose between a period of stay of 3 to 10 months. A fellowship can also be started or ended during the academic year, but not during the months of July or August. 

HIAS offers: 

Utmost freedom and flexibility

The fellows can pursue their own research projects unimpeded by their usual professional obligations while enjoying interdisciplinary impulses and making many and diverse new contacts. For this, HIAS either pays a stipend to the fellow or reimburses the home institution’s costs of a teaching replacement. 

Excellent working conditions

The fellows are offered a fully equipped workspace in the center of Hamburg and continuous assistance by the HIAS staff, for example regarding literature procurement or the organization of workshops (however, HIAS can neither provide an artist studio nor finance one). In order to be fully integrated into the academic or cultural landscape of Hamburg, each fellow will be accompanied by a so-called collaboration partner (a scholar/cultural professional based at one of HIAS’ nine member institutions). 

Academic and cultural program

Fellows attend the weekly colloquia and lunches and are offered participation in additional cultural and scientific excursions. 

Excellent and family friendly living conditions

The fellows are housed in the centrally located guesthouse of the University of Hamburg, which offers fully furnished apartments with cooking facilities. HIAS welcomes accompanying life partners and children and assists in finding suitable accommodation, schools and day care facilities. 

Application 

Applications for 2026/27 can be uploaded in English as a single PDF file via our application form by March 31, 2025. 

An application should comprise the following documents: 

• Cover letter with relevant personal data, the desired period of stay as well as possible academic or artistic collaboration partners from Hamburg 
• List of the most important publications (highlighting the most relevant contributions for the intended research project) (max. 3 pages)  
• CV including prizes and other awards 
• Description of the planned project (max. 3 pages) 
• Description of the planned project for an audience outside the field (max. 1 page) 
• Letter of recommendation from a Hamburg cooperation partner, if applicable 
• A link to a video/talk/lecture that is online (optional) 

By submitting an application, the applicant consents to the purpose-related processing of their personal data contained therein. This data will be passed on to the HIAS committees and, if necessary, to external reviewers. 

Evaluation

Evaluation criteria of previous academic or artistic performances are:

• For applicants working in the humanities, social sciences and natural/life sciences: doctorate (minimum)  
• Publications (articles in first authorship, monographs, publications or reviews in relevant academic journals or arts pages and art journals)* 
• Exhibitions in renowned museums or art institutions, concerts or performances at renowned stages 
• Interdisciplinary and international research profile 
• Prestigious prizes and awards 
• Very good command of English (working language at HIAS is English) 

* HIAS takes into account the respective career stage and particularly examines the future potential of early career researchers. Early career researchers are expected to have an above-average track record according to the standards of their discipline; the publication of a monograph is not obligatory. However, a doctorate is required for fellows working in academia. 

Evaluation criteria for the intended HIAS project are:

• Is the research project suitable for opening up new questions and ways of thinking? 
• Is the research project designed to benefit from interaction with other disciplines? 
• For artistic applications: Does the artistic project seek an exchange with academia?     
• Is it obvious that the project can be realized particularly well at an Institute for Advanced Study?  
• Can a suitable Hamburg tandem partner from academia or the arts be identified for this project? Do any academic or artistic contacts already exist in Hamburg? 
• Is the research project feasible within the framework of HIAS and in Hamburg? 

In addition, diversity in terms of disciplines, countries of origin, gender and career level is taken into account in the composition of the fellow group. 

We look forward to receiving your application for 2026/27. Please fill out the application form and upload your file there.