The DHC supports Academic staff (wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter*innen) from the humanities departments of Freie Universität Berlin as junior hosts of visiting scholars from Germany and abroad.

FUNDING: Maximum 5,000 Euro per application

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 23, 2026

EARLIEST GUEST ARRIVAL: February 1, 2027

The program enables doctoral and postdoctoral researchers employed at Freie Universität Berlin to invite one or more scholars whose expertise is of particular relevance to their own research. The format and content of the guest stay should be tailored to the applicant’s academic objectives and must be clearly outlined in the application.
Researchers at all career stages may be invited for stays of up to 12 weeks. Applications may also support shorter visits by several guest researchers, for example in connection with workshops or other collaborative activities. In such cases, the maximum funding amount per application remains unchanged.
Funding may be requested for a range of collaborative activities and project formats, including:

• The preparation and editing of joint research grant proposals.
• Guest lectures, seminars, and workshops.
• Collaborative teaching and co-teaching projects.
• Research and creative projects involving students, such as exhibitions or similar public-facing initiatives.
• The conception and implementation of science communication and public engagement activities, including blogs, videos, websites, digital formats, and other innovative approaches designed to reach broader audiences.
• Networking activities aimed at fostering exchange and collaboration between different research groups, departments, or institutions.
  
  

Application documents

• Completed application form
• Letter of motivation and project outline

Please provide a letter of motivation that outlines the objectives of the proposed invitation or collaboration, as well as the activities planned during the guest stay. The application should clearly explain how the invitation of the scholar(s) from abroad will contribute to and strengthen your own research project. Please address the following points, as applicable:

For the invitation of a single guest (maximum 4 pages):

• Rationale for inviting the guest scholar;
• Academic and research objectives of the collaboration;
• Planned activities and expected outcomes;
• Detailed schedule and programme of the guest’s stay.

For the invitation of several guests (workshop format; maximum 4 pages):

• Overall concept, objectives, and relevance of the planned activities;
• Schedule and programme of planned activities
• Research expertise and anticipated contributions of the individual invited guests;
• Explanation of how the workshop and guest contributions relate to and advance your own research project.
• CVs (incl. list of publications) of the applicant(s) and the guest(s); max. 3 pages per CV
• Informal letter of support from the Department/Mentor/Research Group (Fachbereich/Projekt)
• Brief informal letter of intent from the guest(s) to be invited
• Tentative Budget: Please provide an indicative budget outlining the anticipated travel and accommodation costs for invited guests, as well as any material costs and services required for the implementation of the project. Budget calculations should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines set out below. The maximum funding amount that may be requested is EUR 5,000 per project. Applicants are encouraged to budget carefully and ensure that all proposed expenses are reasonable, necessary, and cost-effective.
  a) Guest expenses
  Travel costs: A detailed estimate of the anticipated costs must be provided for each invited guest. The calculation should take into account the guest’s place of departure and the number of overnight stays required in connection with the planned activity in Berlin. Cost estimates should be based on the following rates and assumptions:

• Domestic travel (within Germany): 2nd-class rail travel (no Flex-Ticket)
• International travel: 2nd-class rail travel or Economy-class airfare (no seat reservations for flights)
• Accommodation: €105 per night for the first 14 nights of the guest’s stay; from the 15th night onward, a reduced rate of €13 per night should be applied; Daily allowances cannot be granted.
  b) Other costs
  For projects such as conferences, workshops, and similar activities, funding may be requested for public relations and dissemination measures, including graphic design and printing costs. Expenses related to editing and proofreading are also eligible. Please note that costs for technical equipment, flat-rate printing costs, publishing subsidies, and hospitality expenses of any kind (including food, beverages, catering, and receptions) are not eligible for funding. Applicants are requested to provide an itemized list of all proposed expenses, including a brief description of each item and the corresponding estimated cost.

The application (in German or English) must be submitted by e-mail as one (1) PDF document in the order specified above to the managing director of the Dahlem Humanities Center (geschaeftsfuehrung@dhc.fu-berlin.de) by November 23, 2026. 

Eligibility
Eligibility for the Dahlem Junior Host Program requires employment at Freie Universität Berlin through either institutional or third-party funding. Applications may be submitted by academic staff (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeitende)—including doctoral researchers and postdoctoral scholars up to six years after completion of their doctorate—who are employed at the time of both application and the planned guest stay in one of the following units: the Departments of Philosophie und Geisteswissenschaften and Geschichts- und Kulturwissenschaften or central institutes of Freie Universität Berlin with a focus on the humanities (i.e. JFKI, LAI, Osteuropa-Institut).
Periods of parental leave and child-rearing are taken into account by extending the six-year eligibility period by two years for each child under the age of 12. Applications are particularly encouraged from scholars employed in the departments and institutes listed above. Applicants affiliated with collaborative research projects, research networks, or other externally funded research structures (Forschungsverbünde) must explain why the proposed activity cannot be financed through existing project funds.

Terms of funding
The Dahlem Junior Host Program provides funding to support the travel and accommodation costs of one or more invited guests, as well as the implementation of joint academic projects and activities. Applicants may request up to EUR 5,000 per application.
Funding is awarded in the form of lump-sum grants and is intended exclusively to support guest stays and project-related activities. The program does not provide funding for employment positions or personnel costs.
The final budget and funding allocation will be determined only after an application has been approved and in consultation with the DHC. This process must be completed no later than six weeks before the planned activity. The approved funding amount may differ from the amount requested, and the scope of funded activities may be adjusted accordingly.
Guest stays funded through the program may begin no earlier than 1 February 2027 and must commence no later than 11 October 2027.

Report
An informal report (maximum three pages) outlining the activities undertaken during the cooperation and their outcomes must be submitted by 13 December 2027.

Contact:

Dr. Anne Schenderlein
Managing Director and Academic Coordinator
Dahlem Humanities Center (DHC)
Freie Universität Berlin
Silberlaube, Raum KL 26/122h
Habelschwerdter Allee 45
14195 Berlin
E-Mail: geschaeftsfuehrung@dhc.fu-berlin.de
030-838 67097