DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) has officially opened its call for applications for the highly prestigious trilateral initiative: “Future Network Weimar Triangle: Science for Europe” scholarships program. This prestigious project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Education, and Space (BMFTR) in Germany and seeks to transform a highly valued political cooperation among Germany, France, and Poland into a scientific one.

This guide takes you through all aspects of this program to provide an absolutely comprehensive step-by-step process that will help doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers obtain fully funded research opportunities in Germany.

Programme Summary of the Weimar Triangle

Funding Agency: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), supported by the Federal Ministry of Research, Education, and Spatial Affairs (BMFTR).

Destination: Germany (However, outgoing fellowship opportunities are available if a researcher is relocating from Germany to either France or Poland).

Intended Beneficiaries: Current Ph.D. candidates and former post-doctoral researchers.

Length of Program: 3-12 months for Ph.D. candidates and 7-24 months for postdoctoral researchers.

Grant Benefits: Monthly allowance (at least €1,400), health insurance, travel support, and research scholarships.

Main Objective: To establish interdisciplinary scientific groups dealing with contemporary technological, environmental, and strategic problems facing Europe.

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Why You Should Join in This Programme

Strategy for Success in Your Future Career: European research consortium grants always give priority to applicants who have already built up their international networks. The Weimar Triangle Network ensures that your profile becomes accessible directly to key decision makers from both grants and institutions.

Access to Specialized Laboratory Facilities: When you conduct your research in Germany, you automatically gain access to advanced facilities, big databases, and computer clusters at leading German universities and in prestigious laboratories at Helmholtz or Max Planck Institutes.

Making an Interdisciplinary Difference: Rather than doing your research in isolation, you will be working alongside other policymakers, major industrial partners, and successful DAAD alumni, which guarantees high citations and additional opportunities in industries.

Financial Framework & Scholarship Benefits

This scholarship offers a competitive funding package so you can focus entirely on your research:

• Monthly Stipend: €1,400 per month for doctoral candidates to cover rent and living expenses.

• Research Allowance: A direct monthly lump sum of €102 for books, datasets, and lab materials.

• Travel Subsidy: A flat-rate allowance to cover your international round-trip travel costs.

• Full Insurance: Complete health, accident, and personal liability insurance covered entirely by the DAAD.

Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?

The DAAD welcomes applications from researchers of all nationalities who meet the following academic timelines:

For Doctoral Students (PhD Level)

• Enrollment: You must be actively pursuing a PhD in France or Poland (or in Germany for outgoing stays).

• The 3-Year Rule: You must have started your doctoral studies less than 3 years ago.

• The 6-Year Rule: You must have completed your master's degree within the past 6 years.

For Postdoctoral Researchers (Postdoc Level)

• Academic Standing: You must hold a completed PhD with excellent marks.

• The 4-Year Limit: Your PhD must have been officially awarded within the last 4 years.

• Leadership Mandate: You must be willing to help coordinate one of the network's multidisciplinary working groups.

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Mandatory Personal Documents

• Curriculum Vitae: A clean, professional, chronologically organized academic CV spanning a maximum of 3 pages.

• Letter of Motivation: A 1-to-3-page statement outlining your personal, professional, and long-term career goals.

• Academic Certificates: Complete degree diplomas and official transcripts of records for your master's and bachelor's studies, including clear grade explanations.

• Proof of Active PhD Enrollment: Official university registration letters from your home institution in France or Poland.

Compulsory Scientific Project Documentation

• Comprehensive Project Description: A well-prepared project description containing details on methodology, objectives, and scientific literature, 10 pages maximum for PhDs and 5 pages maximum for postdocs.

  Work Plan: A detailed table containing an explanation of each research step you intend to carry out while working in Germany.

  Signed Declaration on Security/Ethics: A formal declaration signed by you and your German host professor outlining any potential dual-use/security/ethical concerns related to your laboratory work.

  Invitation from your Host (German Professor): A formal letter on the institutional letterhead from your German host professor stating that they have discussed everything related to your project, that your English skills are satisfactory, and that they will provide you with lab space.

  List of Publications (Postdocs Only): A well-formatted list of all publications separated into different categories, including peer-reviewed articles, books, and preprints.

  DAAD-Letter of Recommendation: One recommendation letter submitted by your university teacher.

How to Apply to the Portal?

Just stick to this simple procedure for easy application through the portal:

Step 1: Get a Sponsor: Approach a professor working at a reputable German higher education institution and ask them to write you an official invitation letter.

Step 2: Sign Up on the DAAD Portal: Locate the scholarship in question in the DAAD Scholarships database and make an account there.

Step 3: Get a Referee Letter Ready: Download the referral form from your profile on the DAAD portal, ask your professor to fill it out, and upload it to the designated section.

Step 4: Enter Information About Yourself: Provide your personal, educational, and language data in the electronic form.

Step 5: Convert Documents to PDFs: Save all required documents separately as single PDF files and put them into appropriate boxes.

Step 6: Make Sure All is Right: Check your whole dashboard for completeness and click submit before the deadline of June 15, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is it possible for researchers outside STEM to participate?

A: Yes. This is an extremely interdisciplinary program. Researchers from social sciences, humanities, and law specializing in ethics, governance, or human-computer interaction would be well suited to join Working Group 5.

Q2: Is it necessary to have a TOEFL or IELTS certificate?

A: No. There is no need for external commercial exams. Your English level will be officially validated directly by your German host in the cover letter.

Q3: Am I able to divide my research visit into several?

A: Yes, dividing is permitted. All that needs to be done is uploading the timetable of each period and confirming coverage for the initial stage of your research period by your host supervisor.

Apply on the official website. The link is provided below