Funding for researchers at risk

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative (PSI) funds postdoctoral researchers for a research project of up to 24 months. An application for funding for the admission of eligible persons at a scientific institution in Germany can be submitted to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation until February 14, 2025.

In addition, the SAFE program launched by the EU offers doctoral and postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to conduct research at a host institution in an EU state for 12-24 months. The application must be submitted by January 20, 2025.

For both PSI and SAFE, researchers with non-EU citizenship who are demonstrably exposed to significant and acute danger can be nominated. Proof of vulnerability must be provided in both programs (e.g. a residence status in connection with an asylum procedure within the EU, from which a recognized risk emerges; credible proof of risk from a third party; for some nationals a self-declaration of risk is also sufficient).

The SAFE program offers a questionnaire on its website that can be used by the host institution to check the eligibility of the researcher before the application is submitted. An application checklist for doctoral candidates and one for postdocs provides further information on the necessary application documents. Information on the application pre-requisites of the Phillip Schwartz Initiative can be found on the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation website.

It is not possible for researchers to apply directly. At the University of Stuttgart the Welcome Center for international researchers coordinates the applications. In the SAFE program, each host institution can only nominate one person, so a selection may take place if there are several candidates. If you would like to nominate a person at risk, please contact the Welcome Center for International Researchers by December 19, 2024. The necessary documents for SAFE applications are required by January, 08 2025 at the latest, for the Philipp Schwartz scholarship by January 15, 2025.