Germany DRS Postdoctoral Honors Fellowship Program 2015
Applications are invited for DRS Fellowship to support junior researchers in the transition to their first postdoctoral position or in developing their own research project for their first third-party funded research project. Candidates may apply if they are members of one of the doctoral programs of Dahlem Research School and they have submitted their dissertation or defended their dissertation no longer than 6 months before the application deadline. The DRS Postdoc Fellowship Program includes a monthly allowance made up of a base amount (1,365-1,467 Euros) and a research cost contribution (103 Euros) as well as access to the professional qualification programs delivered by Dahlem Research School. The application deadline is 31 July 2015.
Study Subject(s): Fellowships are awarded for all programs within the Dahlem Research School.
Course Level: Fellowships are available for junior researchers in the transition to their first postdoctoral position or in developing their own research project for their first third-party funded research project.
Scholarship Provider: Dahlem Research School of Free University of Berlin
Scholarship can be taken at: Germany
Eligibility: Candidates may apply if they are a member of one of the doctoral programs of Dahlem Research School and
–they have submitted their dissertation
-if the dissertation has already been defended, the date of the defense must lie within 6 months of the application deadline
-they completed their doctoral studies within 3.5 years (time between begin of studies and submission of dissertation). In exceptional circumstances a duration of up to 4.5 years may be accepted.
-their supervisor provides a reference letter in which the quality of the dissertation is evaluated
-they are supported by a professor of Freie Universität Berlin who agrees to act as scientific advisor during the time of the fellowship
-they have developed and propose an interdisciplinary and innovative research project
-In order to strengthen the academic networks of Freie Universität Berlin, collaborative research projects with existing or potential partner institutions are highly welcome.
Scholarship Open for International Students: Dahlem Research SchoolGerman applicants are eligible to apply for this fellowship program.
Scholarship Description: The HONORS fellowships are aimed at candidates who have submitted their doctoral thesis in one of the DRS’ doctoral programs. To apply, candidates are expected to propose an independently developed research project that will be supported by their prospective scientific advisors at Free University of Berlin. Applications that involve collaborative research with existing or potential partner institutions are strongly encouraged.
Number of award(s): Up to five fellowships can be offered in each round (up to 10 per year).
Duration of award(s): Fellowships are awarded for 12 months.
What does it cover? The DRS Postdoc Fellowship Program includes a monthly allowance made up of a base amount (1,365-1,467 Euros) and a research cost contribution (103 Euros) as well as access to the professional qualification programs delivered by Dahlem Research School.
-Monthly base amount according to age group
-Up to 30 Years 1,365 €
-31 – 34 Years 1,416 €
-35 – 38 Years 1,467 €
-Monthly research and travel contribution: 103 €
-Monthly child allowance
-For the first child: 400 €
-For each additional child: 100 €
Selection Criteria: Eligibility check
-The eligibility check is conducted by the DRS fellowship team.
-Only complete applications that meet all eligibility criteria will be passed on to the next phase of the selection process.
-II. Peer review
-The DRS invites an external review from one of the experts who were nominated by the scientific advisor as part of the candidate’s application. The external review will be based on the following criteria:
-Quality and innovation of the research proposal (60%)
-Convincing statement of motivation with regard to future career aspirations in academia (20%)
-Proof of scientific excellence as evidenced by the previous career track, publications, awards, successful funding applications, etc. (20%)
-Applications will be scored and the ten highest ranking candidates will be invited for a short interview.
-III. Structured interviews
-The structured interviews are conducted by an interdisciplinary selection board recruited from Freie Universität’s junior professors, junior group leaders and DRS postdoctoral fellows. Based on the interview scores, the panel prepares a ranking list.
-Process: Each interview will last 10 minutes.
-Candidates give a presentation of their project. The presentation should be clear and understandable to non-specialists. Although notes may be used, the presentation should not be read from a script. (5 min.)
-The panel will ask questions relating to the project and the future career plans of the candidate. (5 min.)
-The five top-listed candidates will be approved by the steering committee of DRS and will be recommended to the Executive Board of Freie Universität. Criteria in the interview are:
-Clarity of research idea and convincing defense of the proposed research project (60%)
-Convincing statement of motivation with regard to future career aspirations (20%)
-Overall quality of candidate’s presentation (20%)
-The steering committee (Ständige Kommission – SK) of DRS will approve all recommended applications.
-IV. Final assessment
-The final selection is conducted by the Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin. The assessment is made on the basis of the external peer reviews and the structured interviews. Up to five fellowships can be offered in each round (up to 10 per year). The most important criterion is scientific excellence.
Notification: Not Known
How to Apply: Once registered, please fill out the online application and upload all required documents. Please note that as part of the application you need to ask your prospective advisor to nominate two external experts (not from Freie Universität Berlin) to review your application. Due to the international compositon of the peer review and the interview panels, the application form has to be filled out in English and the interviews will take place in English.
Application
Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is 31 July 2015.
Further Official Scholarship Information and Application