Applications for the Einstein Fellowship 2025 are now open. The Einstein Forum and the Wittenstein Foundation
Host Country: Germany Duration: Six Months Benefits: Fully Funded Deadline: 1st June 2024
The applicants will dwell in Einstein’s summer villa in Caputh, Brandenburg. The program lasts five to six months and includes accommodation, a stipend of EUR 10,000, and reimbursement for travel expenses. The Einstein Fellowship is not an academic program. If you are interested in the fellowship, please find additional information below.
Einstein Fellowship:
Awarded by the Einstein Forum and the Wittenstein Foundation:
The Einstein Forum and the Wittenstein Foundation offer a fellowship for outstanding young thinkers who wish to pursue a project in a different field from that of their previous research. The purpose of the fellowship is to support those who, in addition to producing superb work in their area of specialization, are also open to other, interdisciplinary approaches – following the example set by Albert Einstein.
The fellowship includes living accommodations for five to six months in the garden cottage of Einstein`s own summerhouse in Caputh, Brandenburg, only a short distance away from the universities and academic institutions of Potsdam and Berlin. The fellow will receive a stipend of EUR 10,000 and reimbursement of travel expenses.
Call for Applications:
Candidates must be under 35 and hold a university degree in the humanities, in the social sciences, or in the natural sciences. Applications for 2025 should include a CV, a two-page project proposal, and two letters of recommendation. All documents must be received by June 1, 2024.
At the end of the fellowship period, the fellow will be expected to present his or her project in a public lecture at the Einstein Forum and at the Wittenstein Foundation. The Einstein Fellowship is not intended for applicants who wish to complete an academic study they have already begun.
A successful application must demonstrate the quality, originality, and feasibility of the proposed project, as well as the superior intellectual development of the applicant. It is not relevant whether the applicant has begun working toward, or currently holds, a PhD. The proposed project need not be entirely completed during the time of the fellowship, but can be the beginning of a longer project.
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO FELLOWSHIPS WILL BE GIVEN FOR DISSERTATION RESEARCH. THE PROPOSED PROJECT MUST BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN CONTENT, AND PREFERABLY FIELD AND FORM, FROM THE APPLICANT’S PREVIOUS WORK.
Applications should be submitted by email to: /
Bewerbungen sind zu richten an: fellowship@einsteinforum.de
For more information, call the Einstein Forum at:
phone: +49-331-271780
FAQ:
1. What kind of projects can I propose?
Your proposed project must not be part of your dissertation or thesis, and the application documents must be in English. Otherwise, there are no limitations on the project you may propose as long as you can defend your idea as interesting, original, and feasible during the fellowship period. Please also consider whether the facilities available to you here would suitably allow you to pursue your project.
2. How different should my proposed project be from my previous work?
There is no hard and fast rule, nor is there a formula for how the proposal should look. All you need to demonstrate is that you have not already done work– e.g. master’s theses, published essays, books, etc.– directly related to your proposed project. You should have already given significant thought to your project idea.
3. Can I propose two projects?
The fellowship is awarded for just one project. As such, we recommend focusing on strengthening just one proposal.
4. Should I attach the letters of reference in my application, or should my recommenders send them separately?
We will accept both, but we recommend that your reference letters be emailed to us directly by their respective authors.
5. Is TOEFL/IELTS required?
We require only the documents listed. We do not require TOEFL/IELTS results in your application, as your application should already reflect mastery of English.
6. When will I hear back about my application?
We will acknowledge receipt of your submission as soon as possible. The application review and interview processes begin in June, with final decisions released by the end of July.
7. When does the fellowship take place?
Although the exact dates are flexible, the 5-6 month period of the fellowship should preferably take place during the summer months and end within the calendar year.
8. Is it mandatory to stay in Einstein’s summer house?
Yes. As part of the Einstein Fellowship, we expect the fellow to reside in Caputh.
9. What may the stipend be used for?
The stipend is intended to cover living expenses and project expenses incurred during your fellowship period.
10. Can my family come? Does the fellowship cover travel expenses of family members?
Your family may accompany you during the fellowship period. The fellowship will not cover their travel expenses.
11. My application was rejected. Can I reapply next year?
As long as you still fit the other eligibility criteria, you may reapply for the fellowship next year with a new proposal.
Einstein Fellows
The Albert Einstein Fellowship supports creative, interdisciplinary thought by giving young scholars the chance to pursue research outside their previous area of work. The fellowship, previously awarded by the Einstein Forum and the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius (2007 – 2009), from 2010 until 2022 together with the Daimler and Benz Foundation and now together with the Wittenstein Foundation.
Fellowship Benefits:
The answer is yes. Each Fellow will get the following:
- Stipend is worth €10,000. (This stipend covers living expenses.)
- You will receive travel reimbursement. (Return Air Ticket)
- You will be accommodated at the garden cottage, Einstein Summerhouse.
- The Fellowship will last from five to six months. It will begin in the summer. The exact dates will be determined later.
- You can also bring family members. The fellowship will not pay their travel costs.
Is TOEFL or IELTS required?
They do not require TOEFL/IELTS scores in your application because your application should already demonstrate mastery of English.
Eligibility criteria
- All candidates must be under the age of 35.
- Have a university degree in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences.
- Your application should also include a curriculum vitae, a two-page project plan, and two letters of recommendation.