Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions

Index

Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions
Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions
Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions
Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions
Newsletter
Easy to Read
For German
research institutions

RESEARCHERS IN THE U.S.

Welcome to Germany: advancing your research career in the heart of Europe

  • world-class research infrastructures

  • freedom and creativity in your work

  • funding opportunities within a stable R&D framework

Why pursue research in Germany? Germany offers international researchers an inspiring environment to advance their careers. Benefit from world-renowned research infrastructures and institutions, a high level of academic and creative freedom and generous funding opportunities within a stable R&D policy framework. Connect with peers through international and interdisciplinary networks and contribute to projects that focus on social and ecological responsibility.  

Germany combines excellence, collaboration and impact – making it an ideal destination for ambitious scientists from all over the world. Kick-start your research career now!  

6

insights for advancing your research career in Germany:

Finance your research: funding opportunities and job search

Germany spends more than 3 per cent of its GDP on research and development. International researchers in Germany can access a wide range of funding opportunities, including scholarships, project-based grants or paid positions at universitites, research institutions and R&D companies. You can find out more about important funding programs, Germany's biggest funding organizations and the job seach in this section.

Which funding program is the right one for you? That depends on your career level, your discipline and the institution you want to work at. There are also specific funding programs and support for U.S. researchers – both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens currently working in the United States. You can find out more on the following websites:   

Currently, new funding programs for U.S. researchers are being established, e.g. the "Meitner Einstein Program". We will update this website regularly. Keep an eye on current developments!  

Of course, there are also many funding programs that researchers from all over the world can apply for, including U.S. researchers. You can find an overview of important funding programs for different career levels on our website:  

In addition to Germany’s biggest funding organizations – e.g. the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation – many other public and private bodies provide financial support for research. You can find an overview on our website: 

Germany offers several major databases for funding opportunities, tailored to different career levels and types of support. If you are also seeking paid positions at universities, research institutions or R&D companies, specialized job portals provide up-to-date academic and research-related listings. Explore the full list of funding databases and job portals here: 

  • The DAAD scholarship database lists DAAD scholarship programs for international students and researchers as well as offers from other select funding organizations. 
  • The DAAD PhDGermany database lists current positions for PhDs in Germany.  
  • EURAXESS lists thousands of vacancies and fellowships for researchers in Germany as well as in Europe and other regions in the world. 
  • The StipendiumPlus database lists scholarships for students and young researchers with special talents.  
  • The Deutsches Stiftungszentrum (DSZ) lists hundreds of German foundations that help fund research and science (in German).  
  • The information portal GERiT provides an overview of research institutions in Germany.
  • You can get help with finding a research position in Germany on our website.  
  • You can also find a list with the most important job portals in Germany on our website.
  • Once a month, the Research in Germany newsletter lists current calls for all career levels and disciplines.  
  • You can find an overview over the most important funding opportunities in Germany in the e-paper “Funding your research in Germany” on our website.
  • Follow us on our Social Media to keep up-to-date about jobs and open vacancies
Portrait of an asian woman wearing a red blouse

The stability of funding from German funding organizations such as DAAD or BMFTR is especially important for fundamental research. This reliability makes a real difference for researchers.

Prof. Laura Na Liu, currently director 2nd Physics Institute at University of Stuttgart, former postdoc at UC Berkeley (U.S.)

Watch Prof. Liu’s talk

Choose a path: academic career levels

Germany hosts a large community of international researchers of all career levels: around 30 per cent of all academics and researchers in Germany hold foreign citizenship, and roughly a quarter of all PhD students come from abroad. Most PhD and postdoc programs and positions can be conducted in English.  

Whether you want to know how to apply for a PhD, find a supervisor, pursue a postdoctoral fellowship, or even build an academic career to become a professor in Germany, you can find detailed information for all career levels on the Research in Germany website. 

Information on how to make sure that your academic degree is recognized in Germany can be found on Make it in Germany.

The German doctorate enjoys an outstanding reputation, and almost 28,000 graduates complete a PhD in Germany every year (roughly 5,800 of them are international scholars).  

The German PhD system is different from the U.S. system: while there are structured PhD programs like graduate schools and research training groups, many PhD students in Germany pursue a so-called individual PhD, which is based on independent research carried out alone under the supervision of one professor. Choosing the right PhD path depends on your discipline, chosen institution as well as funding and personal preferences. You can find more details here:  

  • Our website offers an overview of the most important information for (future) PhDs in Germany – from explanations of the German PhD system to help with your application and finding a supervisor.  
  • If you are already looking for specific PhD programs, the Higher Education Compass by the German Rectors’ Conference is a good place to start and lists more than 900 doctoral studies. 
  • You are not sure where to even begin? The PhD Pathfinder tool helps you find your ways through the German PhD landscape.  
  • The e-paper “Doing a PhD in Germany” offers a good introduction into the German PhD system to international students.  

A wide range of research grants and training positions make it easy for international postdocs to continue their research in Germany. Early career researchers are also sought by German industry – especially in research-intensive sectors such as the automotive, electrical, chemical, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. In short: international postdocs are very welcome in German academia!  

As an international postdoc you will also be able to travel easily to other European Union countries to conduct research there. Find more information on postdoc research here:

Do you have several years of research experience and want to make new international contacts? Then come to Germany for a short-term research stay or a long-term research position in a university, research institute or industry. You can find more information – including different career options and dual career support – on our website: 

Find your institution: research facilities and R&D

Whether you are planning your PhD, your postdoc phase or an advanced research career – Germany is home to world-renowned research institutions and major research infrastructures as well as a very high number of R&D companies. Find out everything about the German research landscape in this section!

Germany has more than 420 universities and other higher education institutions, including universities of applied sciences, art and music colleges.  

The country’s non-university research institutions are of particular interest to researchers working in basic, applied and interdisciplinary research. They are a unique feature of the German research landscape and are among the world's most prolific research institutions. Leading institutions such as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations often work closely with industry and private companies to bring innovations to market. 

Germany offers excellent research infrastructures – including large-scale equipment and instruments like accelerator systems, telescopes, research vessels, supercomputers, data infrastructures, collections and archives – and invests heavily into the research and development of new technologies and innovations. R&D funding comes both from the state and a great number of private companies. Find out more about it on our website:  

GOOD TO KNOW

Academic freedom in Germany

The freedom of science, research and teaching is guaranteed in Article 5 of Germany’s Basic Law. Germany ranks within the top 20 per cent on the Academic Freedom Index, which assesses the state of academic freedom in 179 countries around the world.

From space to AI: German research areas in focus

In Germany, you can freely choose your discipline and research topic. Space, AI, climate and energy are particularly promising research areas that the federal government supports through its High-Tech Agenda. Get some exciting insights into these fields, funding opportunities, and the leading institutions that are active in them!

MPI for Plasma Physics, Jan Hosan

Energy research in Germany: Shaping the future of clean power
Germany is driving the global energy transition through groundbreaking research in renewables, green hydrogen, fusion, and geothermal energy.

Alfred-Wegener-Institut/Esther Horvath

Climate research in Germany: Driving global innovation for a sustainable future
Germany plays a leading role in global climate research – from Arctic expeditions to high-performance computing – delivering data and innovation for a sustainable future.

MPI for Plasma Physics, Jan Hosan

Energy research in Germany: Shaping the future of clean power
Germany is driving the global energy transition through groundbreaking research in renewables, green hydrogen, fusion, and geothermal energy.

Alfred-Wegener-Institut/Esther Horvath

Climate research in Germany: Driving global innovation for a sustainable future
Germany plays a leading role in global climate research – from Arctic expeditions to high-performance computing – delivering data and innovation for a sustainable future.

Prepare your move abroad: visa requirements and living in Germany

There are many reasons to come to Germany – from the good research infrastructure to an excellent healthcare system and social security network. As an international researcher, you will have relatively simple entry requirements for you and your family. In this section, you can find the most important information on entering, working and living in Germany.

Visa and entry regulations depend on your country of origin. If you are an EU researcher currently working in the U.S. and planning on moving to Germany, for example, different rules will apply than for researchers with a U.S. citizenship. Generally, entry regulations for international researchers are relatively simple. You can find out more on the following websites:  

When you come to Germany, you will want to feel financially secure. Find out everything about the country’s comfortable wages, international taxation laws and relatively low cost of living on our website:

Employed researchers in Germany enjoy an excellent and comprehensive social security system including health, accident, pension, unemployment and care insurance. Find out everything you need to know on our website:

Not travelling alone? No problem. Germany has family-orientated regulations that make it possible for your spouse or partner to join you and find a job. The country also offers good childcare and schools. Read about family support, parental leave and more on our website:

Finding a job is one thing, but what about finding a place to live, learning the language and getting to know the country and its people? Find out on our website how to feel a little more at home in a new place:

German may not be the easiest language to learn, but it is worth the effort. Speaking the language will help you integrate into everyday life, build stronger networks, and feel at home more quickly. Explore language courses and learning opportunities on the DAAD website:

Planning your stay in a different country always requires preparation. For people forced to leave their home countries, however, this process becomes even more challenging. If you are a refugee researcher currently living in the U.S., you can find out about special funding programs, the recognition of qualifications and counselling services for refugee researchers in Germany on our website:

GOOD TO KNOW

  • Citizens of the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) or of Switzerland do not need a permit or visa, only a valid passport or ID card, to work in Germany.  
  • U.S. citizens or citizens of another non-European country need a visa. Special visas are available for students or researchers. 
  • You have to apply for your visa in your country of residence. Find out more on the Research in Germany website or on Make it in Germany.
  • Check if your degree is recognized in Germany on the Research in Germany website
Map background

  • Next steps: start your research in Germany

  • Funding opportunities
    • Find an organization 
    • Apply for funding 
    • Watch out for deadlines

  • Research institutions

    • Find an institution
    • Find a supervisor
    • Secure host agreement 

  • Academic requirements
    • Check degree recognition
    • Prepare your research proposal
    • Align your CV and publications 
      with German standards

  • Visa

    • Check requirements  
    • Apply early
    • Allow for lengthy processing times

  • Living in Germany
    • Search housing early 
    • Check health insurance requirements 
    • Open bank account

Start your journey now and download our checklist!

Your next steps - Research in Germany  (PDF  non-accessible , 247 KB)

About Research in Germany

Research in Germany is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) for international reseachers at all career levels.

Among many other services, we offer:

  • Information about career opportunities, funding and life in Germany for international researchers of all career stages
  • Events, online talks and online courses for researchers interested in coming to Germany
  • A network for German and international science organizations and businesses

Visit our main website to find out more!

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