Information for Researchers at Risk

Scholarships for Vulnerable/Refugee Researchers

Hilde Domin Programme

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers the scholarship programme "Hilde Domin Programme" with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA).

The Hilde Domin Programme is intended to support doctoral students at risk worldwide who are formally or de facto denied the right to education in their country of origin to take up or continue their studies in Germany in order to obtain a degree or doctorate at a German university. The long-term goal of the scholarship programme is to enable the students and doctoral candidates to study or do research in a safe environment so that they can make an important contribution to political, economic and social development after completing their degree or research project.

Requirements for nominations are:

• Possession of educational qualifications that allow approval for admission to a universities and guarantee the degree of the intended degree programme or research project according to Anabin (note: last degree max. two years ago).
• Candidates may not be already residing in Germany or the European Union at the time of nomination
• Admission to a degree programme or a confirmation of supervision for a research project at Bielefeld University
• A proven or credible threat to personal well-being or safety (e.g. through physical violence, arrest, denial of civil and educational rights, etc.).

*Except for subject areas:human medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and law. and countries of origin: EU, EEA, EFTA countries as well as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the United Kingdom.

Please note: An independent application for the programme is not possible. Nominations are made exclusively through the rectorate and the International Office of Bielefeld University. Therefore, please contact us as early as possible: refugee@uni-bielefeld.de.

After successful nomination by Bielefeld University, potential applicants will be given the opportunity to apply directly to the DAAD [German Academic Exchange Service] via an online portal. The final selection of candidates is made by an independent selection committee appointed by the DAAD [German Academic Exchange Service]. In the course of the selection process, both vulnerability and academic performance are assessed.

Further information on the Hilde Domin Programme can also be found on the DAAD [German Academic Exchange Service] website.

Phillipp Schwartz Initiative

Application Deadline - Round 16 (Research start January 2026): 22.8.2025

With the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, universities and research institutions in Germany are given the opportunity to host researchers at risk for 24 months within the framework of a full scholarship or an employment contract. In addition, there is the possibility of a one-year extension within the framework of a co-financing model.

This initiative is financed by the Federal Foreign Office, the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Klaus Tschira Foundation, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Stifterverband and the Mercator Foundation.

Bielefeld University has successfully applied as a host department with a support concept so that new applications can be based on an existing central support concept.

Requirements for an application are:

• Research project and acceptance by a professor at Bielefeld University.
• The researcher must have a doctorate/Phd studies or a comparable university degree and, in principle, must not have been outside the home country for more than five years at the time of application. "Bildungsinländer" or staff, people with dual citizenship are excluded.
• A residence status in the context of an asylum procedure within the EU showing a recognised vulnerability, or credible third-party evidence of vulnerability no more than 12 months prior to the application deadline, e.g. documentation by the Scholars at Risk Network (SAR) or the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA). If endangerment is to be proven through Scholars at Risk, the application must be submitted to Scholars at Risk/CARA as early as possible.

If you have any questions about the application, please contact the Welcome Center: welcome@uni-bielefeld.de.

Further information can be found on pages of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Supporting at-risk researchers with fellowships in Europe (SAFE)

Together with European partner organisations, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is launching the "Supporting at-risk researchers with fellowships in Europe" (SAFE) programme. In cooperation with Campus France, the Collège de France and the Association of Universities of the Mediterranean (UNIMED) , the DAAD [German Academic Exchange Service] is enabling up to 60 at-risk international researchers to continue their research in the EU. The European Commission is providing around twelve million euros for this purpose until 2027.

www.saferesearchers.eu
Call for Applications
Terms of Reference for Applicants

Prerequisites for an application are:

• Research projects and acceptance by a professor at Bielefeld University
• The researcher must have completed a doctorate/Phd studies no more than 8 years ago
• Proof of endangerment or residence status in connection with an asylum procedure

Applications are collected by the International Office.

Documents researcher (application procedure is in English)

• Research proposal (max. 15 pages, min. font size: 10)
• Time plan
• Declaration of consent data processing
• Ethics Self Assessment
• Risk Description Form
• External Assessment Letter
• Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages, min. font size: 10)
• Curriculum vitae (max. 3 pages, min. font size: 10)
• List of publications (max. 10 pages, min. font size: 10)
• Selection of up to 3 most important publications (max. 1 page, min. font size: 10)
• Master's degree (or equivalent) indicating final grade(s) and Doctoral/PhD certificate (or, if not available, provisional certificate or official confirmation of successful defence of the doctoral thesis) and, if applicable, transcript of records
• Passport / ID
• Residence permit
• CV

Host documents

• Supervisor - Detailed Statement
• Hosting Plan (prepared by the IO)

Please submit application documents by 10 January 2025 at the latest.

Please do not send documents by email. A shared folder will be provided for this purpose.

If you have any questions, please contact: welcome@uni-bielefeld.de