What if you could spend up to 12 months doing AI research in Germany — with €2,800 every month plus insurance and travel support?
The Heilbronn AI Fellowship, supported through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and research institutions on the Heilbronn campus, offers international AI researchers the opportunity to conduct research in one of Germany’s emerging technology hubs.
The fellowship supports research stays of 1 to 12 months and is designed for advanced researchers approaching or recently completing their PhD.
Program Overview & Quick Facts
- Opportunity Type: Research Fellowship
- Program: Heilbronn AI Fellowship
- Funder: DAAD
- Location: Heilbronn, Germany
- Research Field: Artificial Intelligence
- Nationality Restrictions: Global
- Duration: 1–12 months
- Stipend: €2,800/month
- Insurance: Health, accident and personal liability insurance support
- Travel: International travel allowance
- Application Fee: €0
- Target Audience: International PhD candidates and recent postdoctoral researchers
- PhD Requirement: Final-year PhD candidates or researchers who completed their doctorate within the specified eligibility period
- Postdoctoral Window: Doctorate completed within the last 5 years
- Residency Requirement: Must have lived outside Germany continuously for the required 15-month period before the application deadline
- Host Requirement: Research proposal must be developed with an eligible Heilbronn Bildungscampus host
- Age Limit: No specific age limit stated
- Application: DAAD portal
What Is the Heilbronn AI Fellowship?
The Heilbronn AI Fellowship brings international research talent to Heilbronn, Germany, where researchers can work with academic and research institutions connected to the campus.
The fellowship is particularly suited to researchers working on high-impact Artificial Intelligence research who want international research exposure and collaboration with German institutions.
Rather than being a conventional degree scholarship, this is a research-stay fellowship.
How Long Can You Stay?
The fellowship supports research stays ranging from:
1 month → 12 months
This gives researchers flexibility depending on their research project, host arrangement and intended research period.
What Does the Fellowship Cover?
The headline benefit is a €2,800 monthly fellowship payment.
Additional support can include:
- Health insurance
- Accident insurance
- Personal liability insurance
- International travel allowance
- Potential family-related benefits for eligible applicants
- Potential disability-related support where applicable
This makes the fellowship substantially more comprehensive than a simple monthly research stipend.
Important Funding Note
The €2,800/month should be treated as a fellowship stipend/living allowance, not a conventional employment salary.
Applicants should also check which personal expenses are not covered by the fellowship before planning their research stay.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship is designed for international researchers at an advanced early-career stage.
You may be eligible if you are:
- An international PhD candidate in the final year before your dissertation defense, or
- A postdoctoral researcher who completed their doctorate within the specified five-year window
- Conducting research in an AI-related area
- Able to develop a research proposal with an eligible Heilbronn host
- Currently based outside Germany and able to satisfy the residency requirement
PhD Candidates
If you’re still completing your PhD, this isn’t aimed at applicants who are just beginning their doctorate.
The program targets candidates who are in the final year before their dissertation defense.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Recent PhD graduates can also apply.
The doctorate generally needs to have been completed within the previous five years, subject to the current DAAD eligibility rules.
Important: You Must Meet the Germany Residency Rule
One of the most important eligibility filters is the residency requirement.
Applicants must have been continuously residing outside Germany for the required 15-month period immediately preceding the application deadline.
This means someone who is already living in Germany may not qualify simply because they are an international researcher.
Do You Need a Host Institution?
Yes.
Applicants need to jointly develop their research proposal with an eligible host institution on the Bildungscampus Heilbronn.
Potential host institutions can include participating research and academic institutions such as:
- TUM Campus Heilbronn
- Heilbronn University
- Fraunhofer HNFIZ
The exact list of eligible hosts and research areas should be checked against the current DAAD call.
Is There an Age Limit?
No specific age limit is stated as the primary eligibility criterion.
The fellowship instead uses career stage, PhD timing and research experience to determine eligibility.
Is the Application Free?
Yes — there is no application fee.
Applications should be submitted through the official DAAD scholarship portal.
Be cautious of third parties charging administrative fees or claiming they can guarantee DAAD fellowship selection.
When Can You Apply?
The opportunity accepts applications through the DAAD portal, with eligibility and timing tied to the intended research start date and the relevant call conditions.
Because research fellowships can have specific submission timelines, applicants should check the current DAAD listing well before their planned research stay.
How to Apply
- Check the current DAAD eligibility requirements.
- Confirm that your PhD/research career stage qualifies.
- Verify the 15-month residency requirement.
- Identify an eligible Heilbronn Bildungscampus host.
- Develop your research proposal with the host.
- Prepare the required academic and supporting documents.
- Submit your application through the DAAD portal.
Don’t Miss This AI Research Opportunity
€2,800/month + insurance + travel support + up to 12 months of AI research in Germany makes the Heilbronn AI Fellowship a particularly interesting option for researchers approaching the end of their PhD or in the early postdoctoral stage.
But don’t wait until you have everything ready to check eligibility — the host-institution requirement and 15-month Germany residency rule can determine whether you’re eligible in the first place.
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