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War in Ukraine: Information and measures

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation stands for cooperation in an atmosphere of mutual trust, value-driven science diplomacy and freedom of science. The Foundation strongly condemns the Russian government’s war in Ukraine. Researchers who are threatened by the war will be offered unbureaucratic assistance and refuge. Important information and measures for these individuals has been compiled here.

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New special funding measures for Humboldtians from Ukraine in 2023!

EU fellowship programme MSCA4Ukraine for displaced researchers

Logo von MSCA4Ukraine

The MSCA4Ukraine Programme enabled academic and non-academic institutions in all European Union member states and in Horizon Europe-associated states to host doctoral students and PhD holders/postdoctoral fellows for a period of 6 to 24 months.

The European Commission tapped the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, together with its partners Scholars at Risk Europe hosted at Maynooth University, Ireland and the European University Association (EUA) to conduct the new programme for which the EU is providing €25 million in funding.


Further measures to protect researchers

To help sponsorship recipients from Ukraine, the Humboldt Foundation is offering special arrangements for alumni programmes and fellowship extensions within the framework of the special funds of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF):

  • Researchers from Ukraine who are in Germany for initial funding can apply for extensions of their research stay.
  • In 2023, all alumni in Ukraine can apply for extended renewed research stays, current alumni stays can be extended at short notice.
  • Humboldt Alumni in Ukraine can apply for digital cooperation fellowships.
  • Ukrainian Research fellows who return to Ukraine after their research stay can apply for extended return fellowships.

Contact for interested Humboldtians and hosts via Division 3.3 (Europe): Ms. Bianca Müller

Advisory services for first time applicants (all regular scholarships)
If you have not previously been funded by the Humboldt Foundation and would like to apply for a regular research fellowship for the first time, please contact our advisory team:

Protection and assistance provided through the Philipp Schwartz Initiative

As a rule, researchers who are at risk are offered a safe haven through the Philipp Schwartz Initiative.

The Philipp Schwartz Emergency Fund for researchers and scholars who have recently fled Ukraine financed an emergency assistance programme that made it possible for universities and research institutes in Germany to take in displaced researchers for up to six months. The short-term fellowships provided via this fund covered the recipient’s living expenses and gave them time to initiate longer-term follow-on sponsorships. The Carl Zeiss Foundation and the research publishing company Springer Nature Group have contributed a total of €750,000 to finance the Philipp Schwartz Emergency Fund. Approximately 40 female researchers and their families could be financed thanks to these contributions to the endowment capital of the Philipp Schwartz Initiative.

German researchers who are willing to make research positions available for researchers at risk have been able to register with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation since mid-March 2022.


Information for researchers from Russia and Belarus
Institutional and material exchange with Russia has been suspended. Individual communication will continue. For the Foundation, science is and continues to be an instrument for dialogue and diplomacy.

Funding for institutional cooperation with Russia and for conferences in Russia has been suspended until further notice. Alumni in Russia currently cannot receive material support such as book donations or equipment subsidies. The Foundation seeks to offer sponsorship recipients from Russia who are at threat due to their critical stance on the war an opportunity for a stay in Germany through an alumni sponsorship or an extension of their fellowship. Fellowship applications (except for the Chancellor Fellowship programme) from Russia can be submitted for the time being. They will however be rigorously assessed on the basis of proliferation criteria. This also applies to fellowships that have already begun. All the measures taken currently also apply to Belarus.

Fellowships for German researchers
Fellowships for German postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers (Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship) who want to conduct research in Ukraine, Russia or Belarus have been suspended.

Reactions and statements from the Foundation and the Humboldt Network

Further offers of assitance for Ukrainian scientists

Official information on current developments

Multilingual information offer of the Federal Ministry of the Interior: www.germany4ukraine.de