Open programmes / 

Leo Baeck Fellowship

Aim of the Programme

The international Leo Baeck Fellowship Programme awards fellowships to doctoral students who carry out research into the field of German-Jewish history and culture. We welcome projects on any period or field (including literature, philosophy, history, cultural studies), and any region (such as Europe, Israel, the Americas). In addition to financial support for one year, the programme provides opportunities to exchange ideas with peers from around the world. It is open to doctoral candidates of any nationality, studying at any university. All fellows remain at their home institution, but come together for two workshops in the course of the fellowship, which are jointly organised by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, the Leo Baeck Institute London and the Leibniz-Institute for Jewish History and Culture – Simon Dubnow Leipzig. 
The programme bears the name of Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck (1873-1956), who was one of the most important personalities of German Jewry in the 20th century. The Studienstiftung runs the programme with financial support from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and in cooperation with the Leo Baeck Institute London and the Leibniz-Institute for Jewish History and Culture – Simon Dubnow.

Programme schedule

Up to ten fellows will be selected for the programme in the academic year 2026/27. The fellowships run from October 2026 to September 2027. Regular workshops and an intranet platform provide support for scholarship holders and enable them to present their research and discuss methodologies and findings with other fellows. Working languages are German and English. After the first year, students enrolled at a university in Germany, may apply for an extension of their scholarship within the framework of the Studienstiftung’s doctoral programme, subject to available funds. 

Funding

Fellows receive a monthly living allowance of EUR 1,650 and a monthly research allowance of EUR 100. In addition, fellows who are not required to have mandatory health insurance can apply for a 50% subsidy for the costs, which can cover up to a maximum of EUR 100 per month. 

Those who are pursuing a doctorate while raising children receive additional support.

Supplements and travel allowances can be applied for research and conference trips abroad, and fellows doing their doctorate outside their home country receive additional monthly living allowance and, if applicable, a tuition fee subsidy up to EUR 10,000 per calendar year.

Additional employment is permitted to a precisely defined extent in combination with the fellowship: 

  • in research and teaching at your university or a comparable research institution to a maximum of one quarter of a regular full-time position, or
  • outside of research and teaching to a maximum of 5 hours per week.

A combination with scholarships from third parties is not permitted.

In detail, funding is provided in accordance with the current guidelines of the BMFTR for the promotion of talented young scientists.

Requirements

  • Excellent University degree(s)
  • Date of latest degree not before February 2022
  • Formal qualification for doctoral studies / acceptance on a doctoral programme at an accredited university
  • Research project focusing on the history and culture of German speaking Jewries

Application

Candidates are invited to submit the following documents in English or German:

  • Application form
  • Cover letter outlining the motivation for participation in the programme (1 page)
  • Curriculum vitae with details on education, general interests and language skills
  • Photocopy of university degree(s), including marks and if possible ranking
  • Research proposal (max. 5 pages)
  • Research schedule for the academic year 2026/27, including planned research trips
  • Letter of recommendation by the supervisor of the PhD project
  • Second letter of recommendation

These documents should be sent in the exact order listed above and combined into a single PDF file to leobaeck(at)studienstiftung(dot)de (Only letters of recommendation may be sent in a separate email. The applicant's name must be included in the subject line.) Only complete application sets will be considered. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to two video-based interviews in April/May 2026. 

The deadline for application is February 1st, 2026.

Contact

Programme Head

Dr Peter Antes
Telephone +49 228 82096-286
E-Mail: leobaeck(at)studienstiftung(dot)de

Secretary

Ms. Martina Lang
Telephone: +49 228 82096-285 

E-Mail: lang(at)studienstiftung(dot)de