FAQ for Feodor Lynen Research Fellows

Please find a list of some important "to dos" below:
 

• Immediately fill in and return the declaration of acceptance via the online process to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation so that the Foundation can initiate the next steps.
• Apply for family support approximately six months before fellowship begin, if applicable (see below FAQ Family).
• Depending on the host country: apply for a visa for the host country – also for your accompanying family members if applicable (see Guidelines B.2).
• Clarify the issue of accommodation (possibly also with the host institution).
• Take out health and liability insurance valid from your date of entry to the host country (see Guidelines B.3.1 and B.3.4).
• Clarify your situation with regard to pension and long-term care insurance (and any other insurances) in Germany during your stay abroad (see Guidelines B.3.3 and B.3.2). More information can also be found in the EURAXESS service portal.
• The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation generally invites its fellows to a network meeting before the start of the sponsorship period (and after their return to Germany) which aims to promote the exchange of experiences between departing and returned Feodor Lynen research fellows. These network meetings usually take place in March/April and in November. Attendance is strongly recommended.

If you are offered another fellowship, you must inform the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation immediately. Please note that the Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship is awarded subject to the condition that the fellow has neither taken up any other fellowship financed through German public funds at the time the fellowship is granted nor plans to take up any such fellowship before the start of the sponsorship period.

Research fellowships can only be postponed for urgent reasons and not for an unlimited amount of time. If you are unable to begin your research fellowship on the date you originally intended, please inform the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation immediately so that a new start date can be arranged.
It is essential that you coordinate the new date with your academic host, as the Alexander von Humboldt‘s approval is dependent on the agreement of the academic host and the Foundation’s expected budgetary situation.

It is not generally possible to postpone the Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship in order to take up another fellowship. More information is available in the Guidelines, A.1.8 (PDF).

The housing market can vary strongly depending on your location. We recommend that you contact your host/host institution well in advance in order to gain more detailed information and possibly assistance in seeking accommodation.

As the situation may vary strongly depending on your host location, we recommend identifying and contacting someone qualified to assist in such matters at the host institution well in advance. You can also use the Humboldt Network Online to find other fellows with the same host location who may be willing to share their experiences.

You can find some information on this issue at the following link: https://www.euraxess.de/germany/information-assistance/childcare-and-benefits-when-leaving-germany#schools (see also FAQ kindergarten).

Feodor Lynen Fellows and their accompanying family members must be insured with a health insurance company that provides adequate coverage in their host country from the first day and for the entire duration of their stay. You can find more detailed information in the Guidelines, B.3.1 (PDF).

The monthly fellowship amount is calculated from a base fellowship, a foreign allowance, an allowance for direct project costs and, if applicable, other family-related allowances (see Guidelines A.1.1 and A.2 (PDF)).
Together with the grant documents, fellows will receive a preliminary fellowship calculation by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. It does not include possible family allowances; these should be applied for six months at the earliest and four months at the latest before the fellowship begins.
The foreign allowance included in the fellowship grant varies, which means that reductions are possible. Any payments made in advance are therefore conditional.
You can use the fellowship calculator to calculate for yourself what the amount is likely to be if your application is successful.

On application, the Humboldt Foundation can grant family allowances for your partner and children. You may request funds for your partner if you are married, in a registered partnership or caring for children in a shared household. Please see the application form and the Guidelines, A.2.4 (PDF) for further conditions and details.

• Fellows whose partners have no income or an income below the limit for "marginal" part-time employees (the so called “Verdienstgrenze für geringfügig Beschäftigte”, currently €556 gross per month) are eligible for a monthly family allowance for partners of €205. This allowance is paid regardless of whether the partner accompanies the research fellow abroad. If your partner receives a parental allowance ("Elterngeld") according to German law (Federal Parental Allowances and Parental Leave Act, "BEEG"), no family allowance for partners can be granted.
• If the research fellow is accompanied abroad by his/her partner for an uninterrupted period of at least three months, the foreign allowance may be increased.
• Child allowance at a monthly flat rate can be awarded for children up to the age of 18. It amounts to €400 a month for the first child and €100 a month for each additional child.
• A compensatory payment for child benefit according to the German Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz, EStG) can be awarded if neither the fellow nor his/her partner are eligible to claim child benefit in Germany according to the EStG.
• Maternity protection: If a research fellow gives birth during the sponsorship period, the period granted for sponsorship can be extended for up to three months in line with statutory maternity rights.
• A research fellow who is accompanied abroad by at least one child who is no more than twelve years of age when the fellowship begins (for research stays that are divided up into blocks: when the block begins) can receive parenting support. This support can be claimed either in the form of an extension of the research fellowship or in the form of reimbursement for childcare costs.

If the host contribution differs from the fellowship calculation, please inform the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation immediately. See also Guidelines, A.1.2.2 (PDF) on taxes and deductions.

Research fellows are obliged to inform the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of any additional earnings (salary or income from employment or self-employment in Germany, German or foreign fellowships). Any additional earnings exceeding €600 gross income a month will be deducted from the monthly fellowship grant. Any type of employment yielding additional earnings must be approved in advance by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, which will examine whether this additional employment endangers the objective of the fellowship (see Guidelines A.1, A.1.3 and A.1.13 (PDF)); in such cases the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation reserves the right to terminate or suspend the fellowship. Utilisation of other fellowships financed by German public funding is not allowed.

Income resulting from a previous or ongoing employment contract will not be offset against the monthly fellowship instalment if the contiguous funded stays abroad do not exceed a period of six months in each case.

As conditions vary strongly between host countries, we recommend contacting the appropriate authorities well in advance of your departure to enquire and apply for the appropriate visa.

Income of the partner that exceeds the upper limit for "marginal" part-time employees (“Verdienstgrenze für geringfügig Beschäftigte”, currently €556 gross per month) affects the monthly fellowship grant and family allowances. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation must therefore always be informed of any such income.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships are exempt from taxation under Article 3, No. 44 of the German Income Tax Law. They are not subject to social security deductions.

In their host country, fellows are required to create the conditions necessary for tax exemption or reimbursement. If this is not possible, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation must be informed immediately.

(See also Guidelines, A.1.2 (PDF))

During their research stay, fellows carry out their research in cooperation with an academic host they have selected themselves. Fellows are neither employees of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation nor of the host institution. As they however regularly make use of the facilities of the academic host and the host institution, fellows are subject to the general rules and regulations that apply at this institution.
To avoid misunderstandings, we recommend making clear arrangements with your host about the specifics of practical collaboration; this includes collaboration with the (academic and technical) personnel at the institution and the use of scientific equipment, computers, phone etc.

The research fellowship is awarded for the purpose of carrying out the research outline proposed by the research fellow and agreed upon with the host at a host institute abroad; it covers the cost of living abroad. By accepting the research fellowship you agree to fully dedicate yourself to the objective of the fellowship during the duration thereof. You may take a total of up to 28 days recovery time per sponsorship year (cumulative, not transferable to the following year).

If it should be necessary to interrupt a research stay, written application (no specific form required) must be made to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in advance stating the reasons. The application must include written confirmation from the academic host. You must inform the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation immediately in writing of any circumstances (including illness) that prevent the implementation of your research project.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation considers it preferable that research fellowships be interrupted for only short periods (max. 12 months) when possible. A decision on a long-term interruption is dependent on a new research outline coordinated with your academic host, proof of further academic qualifications, the research fellow having reached a certain career stage (date of doctorate) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s budgetary situation. Interrupting your fellowship to take advantage of another fellowship is usually not possible.

More information is available in our Guidelines, A.1.12 (PDF).

The maximum sponsorship period is 24 months (for postdocs) or 18 months (for experienced researchers). If your fellowship has not yet reached this maximum duration and the research outlined in the applicationcannot be completed within the time available you may apply for an extension up to the maximum sponsorship period, stating the reasons. The extension period may, however, not be longer than the originally approved period (see Guidelines, A.1.9) (PDF).

Under certain circumstances, you may also apply for an extension of the research fellowship in the context of further benefits for families or if you have a disability (cf. Guidelines, A.2.4.3.1. and A.2.4.3.2.1. and A.2.5.1 (PDF)).

Extensions to pursue a new research or a new theme that has developed from the original research outline cannot be approved.

An application to extend your fellowship should be received by the Foundation three to four months before your research fellowship ends.

Transfer from one university or host institute to another is possible if there are important professional or personal reasons for doing so. Please refer to the Guidelines, A.1.12 (PDF) for information on documents to be submitted. It should, however, be noted that a change of host institute may lead to considerable delay and expense caused by searching for accommodation, moving, re-registering etc.

If you change host institutions, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation expects your new academic host to contribute to your monthly grant at the originally agreed level.

You can find more information in the Guidelines, A.1.12 (PDF).

Your research fellowship is awarded for the purpose of carrying out the research outline that was proposed in your application and evaluated by the Selection Committee. While it is common for minor changes to arise over the course of the fellowship, completely changing the direction of the research is not permitted.

During the research fellowship research fellows receive an allowance for direct project costs of €312.50 per month with each fellowship payment. The allowance for direct project costs constitutes a supplement for expenses in connection with necessary scientific equipment, material and publications as well as conference attendance and/or research travel. Additional travel and/or conference allowances cannot be granted.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation considers it important that research results achieved in the framework of sponsorship be published. Please refer to our Guidelines, A.4 (PDF) for further information.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation campaigns for equal opportunities for men and women in research, particularly with regard to young families. We have compiled our FAQs concerning this subject under Equal opportunities for researchers.