AvH fellowships and awards are highly respected internationally. Read this short English summary evaluation of the AvH by the Wissenschaftsrat (The German Council of Science and Humanities).

The AvH recognizes the importance of the individual to the scientific and scholarly enterprise. That is why the AvH supports individuals, not projects, through more than 700 fellowships and awards a year. There are no quotas for countries or disciplines.

If you have been a Humboldt Research Fellow at an early age, you are likely to go on to have a successful career in science/scholarship. Percentages of Humboldt Research Fellows who were full professors as of 2011:

• 80% of the researchers who held fellowships over 20 years ago
• 65% of the researchers who held fellowships in 1900-1999
• 30% of the researchers who held fellowships in 2000-2009

Humboldtians are part of a global interdisciplinary network of excellent scientists, which provides professional value to alumni:

• The Humboldt network numbers 26,000+ alumni worldwide from over 130 countries, including 49 Nobel prize winners

The AvH invests in alumni for a lifetime:

• AvH maintains lifelong contact to alumni through opportunities for renewed sponsorship and other support

Equal Opportunities:

• The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation seeks to provide equal opportunities for men and women in research, particularly those with young families. Read the Humboldt Foundation’s FAQ for women researchers and scholars, and for researchers with families

An extended research stay in Germany may provide many professional benefits:

• New research skills/techniques and knowledge
• Exposure to new ways of thinking about research topics, theories, and methods
• The opportunity to focus primarily on research results
• New collaborative and publishing opportunities
• Expanded international networks
• International experience—an increasingly important component of successful research and professional careers in many fields

• Tips on finding a host
• Talk to advisors and colleagues for ideas
• Talk to fellow researchers about their host institutions
• Talk to your university fellowship advisor about existing connections to German researchers/institutions
• Talk to your organization’s fellowship office about existing connections to German researchers/institutions
• Use the AvH’s Humboldt Network Online database to find select Humboldtians who are prominent in your field. The open access part of this database allows you to search for Humboldtians by name, discipline, and keyword
• Use GEPRIS to find contacts at your desired host institution. GEPRIS is the internet database service of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and provides information on DFG- funded research projects. The information ranges from project content and objectives to participating scientists and research facilities
• Use Advanced Search on LinkedIn by using keywords to identify people working in your field and places where they work
• Conduct a Google Search of leaders in your field and reach out

• Search over 19,000 institutes at German universities and non-university research institutions by geographic location, subject and other structural criteria with Research Explorer. Research Explorer is the research directory of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in cooperation with the German Rectors’ Conference
• Use GEPRIS to see where research in specific fields is being carried out. GEPRIS is the internet database service of the German Foundation and provides information on DFG- funded research projects. The information ranges from project content and objectives to participating scientists and research facilities
• Explore the 21 research areas listed on the Research in Germany website including Environment and Energy, Health and Safety, Interdisciplinary Technologies, Communication and Mobility, and Future and Society
• Discover what research projects are being carried out at German universities as part of the Excellence Initiative (EI). Initiated by the German government, the EI has led to creation of new graduate programs, research clusters, and support for institutional strategies at select German universities
• Read about featured areas of cutting-edge research on the German Center for Research and Innovation website
• See how university-based research in Germany was ranked by the Centre for Higher Education

• The EURAXESS portal contains practical information concerning professional and daily life, as well as information on job and funding opportunities in Germany. The service centers help researchers and their families to plan and organize the move to Germany, providing assistance in all matters related to mobility
• SabbaticalHomes.com offers a worldwide home and tenant listing service for those offering or searching for accommodations for rent, exchange, house sitting, or house sharing. It serves academics worldwide that temporarily need to offer, or search for, accommodations

Deutschland.de
Facts about Germany