The Einstein Fellowship in Germany is designed to support exceptional young thinkers who not only excel in their primary field but also seek to explore innovative projects in entirely different disciplines, inspired by the interdisciplinary spirit of Albert Einstein. The programme offers a unique six-month residency in the garden cottage of Einstein’s summerhouse in Caputh, located near leading academic hubs in Potsdam and Berlin. Fellows receive a stipend of €10,000 along with travel expense reimbursement, allowing them to fully focus on their proposed project.
The fellowship is currently funded by the Wittenstein Foundation, with previous support from the ZEIT Foundation Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius and the Daimler and Benz Foundation but The Einstein Forum, based in Brandenburg, is essentially the intellectual hub behind the fellowship. The Einstein Forum’s mission is to encourage unconventional thinking and dialogue across disciplines.
Program benefits
The Einstein fellowship comes with many benefits including:
- €10,000 stipend.
- Reimbursement of travel expenses.
- Accommodation at the garden cottage, Einstein summerhouse.
- Opportunity to connect with researchers and scholars in Germany.
- Opportunity to present the research project in a public lecture at the Einstein Forum.
- Experience of working in an international academic environment.
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements to be considered for this fellowship:
- Applicants must present their project at the Einstein Forum and the Wittenstein Foundation at the end of the fellowship
- The fellowship is not for completing ongoing academic studies or dissertation research
- The project must be original, practical, and different from the applicant’s previous work
- Applicants should show strong intellectual ability and creativity
- It does not matter whether the applicant has started or completed a PhD
- The project can be the beginning of a longer research journey
How to apply
To apply, eligible candiadates must complete and submit the online application form provided in the website (linked below) and be ready to submit the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Two-page project proposal
- Two recommendation letters (optional: can be sent directly by the recommenders to fellowship@einsteinforum.de)
- Cover letter (optional)
Application deadline
Application deadline is on May 15, 2026.
For more details visit the Einstein fellowship in Germany website.
