South Africa: Applications for the German Chancellor Fellowship for tomorrow’s leaders now open

Opportunity for South Africans to spend a year in Germany: a self-chosen project, numerous meetings and events, and the chance to build an international network.

On the initiative of Angela Merkel, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s German Chancellor Fellowship Programme has been extended to include South Africa. As of now, not only applicants from Brazil, China, India, Russia and the United States, but also South Africans with initial leadership experience have the opportunity to further their careers in Germany. Together with a German host and mentor of their choice, fellows conduct a socially-relevant project they have developed independently. At the same time, fellows – up to ten from each country – act as intermediaries between Germany and their own countries, connect with one another and with their German partners.

Application deadline: 15 October 2021
Recommended period of sponsorship: 1 October 2022 – 30 September 2023

The German Chancellor Fellowship in a nutshell

Fellowship benefits

  • A monthly fellowship of €2,150, €2,450 or €2,750, depending on your qualifications
  • Flexible timing: 12-month fellowship between 1 August 2022 – 31 March 2024
  • Individual mentoring during your stay in Germany
  • Additional financial support for items such as family members accompanying you, travel expenses or a German language course
  • A study tour of Germany, an opportunity to meet the German chancellor at the end of your stay and a number of networking events
  • Joint programme events and the chance to actively cooperate in peer groups and organise smaller-scale networking formats
  • Extensive alumni sponsorship, particularly to help you sustain contact with collaborative partners in Germany during your entire professional career

Application requirements

  • The applicant must be a national of Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa or the United States.
  • Bachelor’s or equivalent academic degree completed less than twelve years ago
  • A mentoring agreement from the host in Germany
  • A project plan which candidates must draw up independently and coordinate with their host.
  • Initial proven leadership experience

Application

Further information, a list of all application requirements and a link to the online application form are available at www.humboldt-foundation.de/youngleaders.

Advice and contact

If you have any questions regarding the German Chancellor Fellowship Programme or would like individual guidance, please contact us at info@avh.de.
You can find examples of projects conducted at https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/apply/sponsorship-programmes/german-chancellor-fellowship/fellows-in-portrait.

The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany is the patron of this fellowship programme.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany. To this end, it grants more than 700 research fellowships and research awards annually.The foundation’s network embraces well over 30,000 Humboldtians from all disciplines in more than 140 countries worldwide – including 56 Nobel Prize winners. The Humboldt Foundation supports their fellows throughout their lifetime.The German Chancellor Fellowship is funded by the Federal Foreign Office.