DAAD PRIME Fellowship 2026 Now Open — Fully Funded Postdoc Research Abroad + Germany
Are you a postdoc dreaming of conducting cutting‑edge research abroad — but don’t want to lose your ties to Germany? Then the DAAD PRIME Fellowship 2026 could be your perfect fit!
What Is PRIME?
PRIME stands for Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience. It’s funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and run by the DAAD — the world’s largest funding organization for international academic exchange.
PRIME gives you a unique chance to:
✅ Spend 12 months doing research at an institution abroad.
✅ Stay employed by a German university the entire time.
✅ Return for a 6‑month reintegration phase to keep your research career anchored in Germany.
In other words: you get the best of both worlds — international experience and job security back home.
📌 Where Can You Go?
PRIME is global!
You can choose almost any country for your 12‑month research stay — as long as you haven’t lived or worked there for more than 12 out of the past 36 months.
One catch:
💶 What’s Included?
The funding package is generous:
💼 Salary: An 18‑month employment contract with your German university, paid under TV‑L E13 — same as any junior researcher position in Germany.
💸 Monthly expatriate allowance: Varies by destination and income level.
✈️ Travel costs: Covered for you, and for your spouse/children if they join you abroad for at least a month.
📑 Admin support: DAAD provides project funds directly to your German university.
✅ Who’s Eligible?
To apply for the PRIME 2026 Fellowship, you must:
🗂️ What Do You Need to Apply?
The application package includes:
✔️ Application form — click here
✔️ Detailed CV (gapless!)
✔️ Career plan
✔️ Research summary + full research proposal
✔️ Timeline or Gantt chart
✔️ Letters of invitation (German & foreign hosts)
✔️ Commitment letter from your German university (to employ you 18 months)
✔️ Degree certificates + transcripts
✔️ Publication list (highlight 3 key works)
✔️ Doctoral thesis summary (1–2 pages)
✔️ Ethics declaration
✔️ Language certificate (if needed)
✔️ 1 confidential recommendation letter
All files must be in English and uploaded as PDFs through the DAAD portal.
🗓️ Application Timeline
Here’s what you need to know:
🎯 Why Should You Apply?
The DAAD PRIME Fellowship is one of the few programs that lets you:
🔬 Boost your international research network
🏠 Keep a paid position at home in Germany
🌍 Experience life and work in another country
🚀 Strengthen your academic CV for a future professorship or permanent post
✅ Ready to Apply?
This could be the career‑boosting experience you’ve been looking for.
👉 Click here for full details & how to apply
Don’t forget — the deadline is 29 August 2025, so start planning your research proposal and finding your host institutions now!
Got questions about the DAAD PRIME Fellowship? Drop them below or share this post with a colleague who’d love this too! 🇩🇪✨
