Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

As an intermediary organisation of German foreign cultural and education policy, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation aims to promote international cultural dialogue and academic exchange. The Humboldt Foundation offers flexible sponsorship programmes for researchers at all stages of their careers. Its research fellowships and awards enable outstanding scientists and scholars from abroad to complete long-term research stays in Germany. There are no quotas for specific countries or subjects; only personal academic achievement counts. The foundation also maintains close links with its alumni, the Humboldtians, after their stay in Germany. It offers numerous alumni support programmes for that purpose. 

An archaeologist studying a fossil

Facts and figures

The headquarters of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is located in Bonn

More than 250 employees

Network of over 31,000 Humboldtians in more than 140 countries worldwide, including 57 Nobel Prize winners

Some 2,300 collaborative research partnerships between international and German researchers in 2021

Annual budget: roughly 149 million euros (2022)

Budget

The budget of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation amounted to roughly 149 million euros in 2022. The foundation receives approx. 97 per cent of its funding from federal sources. The following ministries contribute to its budget:

  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (51%)
  • Federal Foreign Office (AA) (36%) 
  • Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (8%) 
  • Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer  Protection (BMUV) (2%) 

von Humboldt Foundation

  • Jean-Paul-Str. 12
  • 53173 Bonn

Capes-Humboldt Research Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers

This fellowship enables outstanding researchers from Brazil to carry out research in Germany for up to two years. 

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Award winners receive the opportunity to carry out long-term and groundbreaking research in Germany.

Capes-Humboldt Research Fellowships for Experienced Researchers

This fellowship enables outstanding researchers from Brazil to carry out research in Germany for up to 18 months. 

 

Fraunhofer-Bessel Research Award

Award winners are invited to work closely with a partner at one of the Fraunhofer institutes in Germany. They become part of a global network of researchers maintained by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award

Outstanding international researchers are invited to spend a period of 6 to 12 months cooperating on a research project with fellow experts at a research institute in Germany.

Georg Forster Research Fellowship

Early career and experienced researchers with above-average qualifications from developing and transition countries can carry out a research project in cooperation with an academic host of their choice in Germany.

Georg Forster Research Award

Established researchers from developing countries, emerging economies and transition states are invited to cooperate on a long-term research project with fellow experts at a research institute in Germany.

Humboldt Research Award

Researchers from abroad are invited to cooperate on a research project with fellow experts at a research institute in Germany.

Humboldt Research Fellowship

International junior and senior researchers in all disciplines can carry out their own research project in cooperation with an academic host of their choice at a research institute in Germany.