MPI GEA Fellowship Programme

Profile and involvement:

Scholarships for doctoral students are aimed at researchers from Germany and abroad who have not yet obtained their doctorate, for stays of three to six months.

Supporting and training young researchers working in the field of geoanthropology is one of the institute’s core tasks. PhD students are closely integrated into the institute’s research environment and benefit from a wide range of training and support opportunities. They contribute to the various research projects of the departments or research groups.

Max Planck Institutes are purely research institutions and, as such, do not have the right to award doctorates. Doctoral students working at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology are generally enrolled as doctoral students at a university in Germany or abroad. The doctoral regulations of the respective faculties or departments apply, and universities provide information on these.

You can submit your application in German or English at any time, but at least six months before your planned research stay, via our online application portal.

Your complete application for a scholarship must include:

• Outline of the planned doctoral project: 2–3 pages, including an abstract of the planned project, a justification of its relevance, the methodology, and how it fits into a current field of research at the institute;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Contact details (postal and email) of a researcher who may be asked to provide a letter of reference;
• A scan of the completed and signed ‘Additional Application Details’ form.

Funding:

A doctoral scholarship consists of a basic amount of €1,650 per month. In addition, grants may be awarded in individual cases, e.g. for childcare, travel expenses or course fees. Scholarship holders undertake to devote themselves fully to the purpose of the scholarship whilst receiving it. Scholarship holders are not subject to working instructions and are not covered by social security.

For all scholarships, full scholarship payments may only be made if the scholarship holder does not receive any other personal income during the term of the planned scholarship that exceeds the applicable marginal earnings threshold. Any other income will be offset against the scholarship.  We therefore ask you to check your potential income during your stay with us at the time of your application, as we are required to request this information from you.

Health insurance:

Scholarship holders are required to take out health insurance. Proof of your existing health insurance cover for the duration of your stay must be provided within 14 days of the start of the scholarship. Otherwise, the scholarship will be deemed not to have been awarded.

The exact requirements depend on the duration of your stay with us and on whether a visa is required. The following options are available:

1. Stay requiring a visa: Scholarship holders must provide proof of appropriate health insurance to the German authorities when applying for a visa. If a visa is granted, sufficient health insurance cover is deemed to exist.
2. Stay not requiring a visa (less than 90 days or visa-free entry/stay generally possible): Scholarship holders need only provide proof of health insurance; travel insurance is also sufficient.

Scholarship holders can receive a monthly health insurance subsidy amounting to 50% of the monthly premiums and up to €100. Please note: You can only receive the subsidy if you provide written confirmation that your private insurance tariff corresponds to the German statutory health insurance tariff (‘full tariff’).

Community:

All PhD students are invited to take part in the regular activities of the institute and the institute-based International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) “Modeling the Anthropocene” (Link: https://www.gea.mpg.de/118423/about-us).

Contact person: Dr Bettina Bock nachwuchs@gea.mpg.de

Profile and involvement:

Postdoctoral fellowships are intended for researchers in the early stages of their careers following their PhD.

Eligible applicants are researchers from abroad or researchers working at a foreign university or research institution. The role of a postdoctoral fellow serves to enhance academic qualifications and build a research profile. During this period, postdoctoral fellows work on an independent research project within the respective research fields of the departments or research groups. They benefit from the wide range of lectures, seminars and workshops offered at the institute.

Postdoctoral fellowships are usually offered for stays lasting between 3 and 24 months. In the post-doctoral phase, such a stay offers you the opportunity to continue your research in an international environment and to develop new research projects in collaboration with researchers at the Institute. Fellows undertake to devote themselves fully to the purpose of the fellowship whilst receiving the grant. They are not subject to working instructions and are not covered by social security.

Requirements:

To be eligible for a postdoctoral fellowship, you must have successfully defended your doctoral thesis and attained full postdoctoral status. You may apply for the fellowship in advance. Your doctoral certificate may be submitted later, once your application has been successful.

A further requirement for a successful application is that your research project is closely related to one of the thematic priorities of the department/research group to which you wish to apply, as specified in the call for applications.

Please note that, for legal reasons, postdoctoral fellowships can only be awarded to researchers who have completed their PhD and can demonstrate that their primary residence is outside Germany.

You may submit your application in German or English at any time, but at least six months before your planned research stay, via our online application portal.

Your complete application for a postdoctoral fellowship must include:

• Outline of the planned research project: 3 pages including an abstract of the planned project, a list of specific projects to be worked on, and a justification of the relevance, methodology and fit with a current research field at the Institute;
• A timetable for the duration of the project;
• CV;
• List of publications;
• Contact details (postal and email) of two academics who may be asked to provide a reference letter;
• Copies (in PDF format) of three of your publications on the relevant topic from the last five years;
• A scan of the completed and signed ‘Additional Application Details’ form.

Funding:

The monthly stipend for postdoctoral researchers is €2,700. In addition, grants may be awarded on a case-by-case basis, e.g. for childcare, travel expenses or course fees.

For all scholarships, full scholarship payments may only be made if the scholarship holder does not receive any other personal income during the term of the planned scholarship that exceeds the applicable marginal earnings threshold. Any other income will be offset against the scholarship.  We therefore ask you to check your potential income during your stay with us at the time of your application, as we are required to request this information from you.

Scholarship holders are required to take out health insurance. Proof of your existing health insurance cover for the duration of your stay must be submitted within 14 days of the start of the scholarship. Otherwise, the scholarship will be deemed not to have been awarded.

The exact requirements depend on the duration of your stay with us and on whether a visa is required. The following options are available:

1. Stays of up to 6 months:
   1. Stays requiring a visa: Scholarship holders must provide proof of appropriate health insurance to the German authorities when applying for a visa. If a visa is granted, sufficient health insurance cover is deemed to exist.
   2. Stay not requiring a visa (less than 90 days or visa-free entry/stay generally possible): Scholarship holders need only provide proof of health insurance; travel insurance is also sufficient.
2. Stays of more than 6 months:
   Scholarship holders require health insurance with comprehensive cover equivalent to that provided by statutory health insurance in the Federal Republic of Germany. They require confirmation from their insurer that they are insured in accordance with Section 257V of the Social Code (SGB) (‘full tariff’). Scholarship holders from the EU need only their European Health Insurance Card. Scholars from the United Kingdom require their Global Health Insurance Card and must confirm that their insurance is valid for the duration of the scholarship. They should enquire about which benefits are covered.

You can only receive the allowance if you provide written confirmation that your private insurance tariff corresponds to the German statutory health insurance tariff (“full tariff”).

Profile and involvement:

With a research fellowship (usually lasting between 1 and a maximum of 24 months), you, as an experienced researcher, will have the opportunity to pursue your own research project as a guest at the institute and to discuss your findings with other international fellows and researchers. The research fellowships are aimed at researchers who completed their PhD more than 10 years ago and who are recognised experts in their respective fields of research. Fellows undertake to devote themselves fully to the purpose of the fellowship whilst receiving it. They are not subject to working instructions and are not covered by social insurance.

Eligibility criteria:

Eligible applicants are researchers from abroad or researchers working at a foreign university or research institution.

A prerequisite for a successful application is that your research project is closely related to the thematic focus of the department/research group to which you wish to apply.

Your complete application for a research fellowship must include:

• Outline of the planned research project: 3 pages including an abstract of the planned project, a list of specific projects to be worked on, a justification of the relevance, the methodology and the fit with a current research field of the Institute;
• A timetable for the duration of the project;
• Curriculum vitae;
• List of publications;
• Contact details (postal and email) of two academics who may be asked to provide a reference letter;
• Copies (in PDF format) of three of your publications on the relevant topic from the last five years;
• A scan of the completed and signed ‘Additional Application Details’ form.

Funding:

The scholarship amount is generally €3,600. In addition, grants may be awarded in individual cases, e.g. for childcare, travel expenses or course fees.

For all scholarships, full scholarship payments may only be made if the scholarship holder does not receive any other personal income during the term of the planned scholarship that exceeds the applicable marginal earnings threshold. Any other income will be offset against the scholarship.  We therefore ask you to check your potential income during your stay with us at the time of your application, as we are required to request this information from you.

Health insurance:

Scholarship holders are required to take out health insurance. Proof of your existing health insurance cover for the duration of your stay must be submitted within 14 days of the start of the scholarship. Otherwise, the scholarship will be deemed not to have been awarded. Exceptions may be made to the strict requirement for adequate health insurance (comprehensive health insurance).

Scholarship holders may receive a monthly health insurance subsidy amounting to 50% of the monthly premiums and up to €100. Please note: You can only receive the subsidy if you provide written confirmation that your private insurance tariff corresponds to the German statutory health insurance tariff (‘full tariff’).