DAAD Residential Fellowships at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) 2026

Are you researching the societal impact of digital transformation? Do you need time to focus on your own project and want to exchange ideas with experts from diverse disciplines? A fellowship at CAIS offers you the freedom to dedicate yourself to your research – and the opportunity to become part of a vibrant interdisciplinary community. Step away from daily work routines to gain new perspectives and build lasting connections.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineAugust 31, 2026
• Study LevelPhD , Postdoctoral Fellowships
• SponsorDAAD
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Fellows should ideally be on sabbatical leave with a full salary. In that case, they will receive an additional grant of €600 per month. Alternatively, reimbursement for the costs of their salary or of a substitute can be paid within reasonable limits.
• Fellows with no regular income will receive a grant of €2000 per month. Fellows with a regular income below €1400 will be given a grant that covers the difference to the full grant. Fellows with a full or compensatory grant receive an additional payment of €100 per month for each child under the age of 18. In Germany, full and compensatory grants are not subject to social security contributions and are usually tax-exempt. Fellows are responsible for checking whether they qualify for tax exemption, especially if they reside abroad.
• Fellows are provided with private offices at CAIS and rent-free, fully furnished apartments. In addition, CAIS will cover travel expenses for one return-trip to Bochum. Alternatively, CAIS can cover the costs of a daily commute if the Fellow lives close to Bochum.
• Fellows can request financial support for research expenses. They can furthermore apply to invite a Visiting Fellow with whom they wish to collaborate for up to three weeks. It is also possible to invite up to three experts based in Europe for half-day workshops. CAIS will cover travel and accommodation expenses for these guests and pay them a daily allowance of up to €24.

Requirements

• The fellowship program invites applications from experts in academia and professional practice across all disciplines.
• All applicants must hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification and have a very good command of English.
• Applicants from professional practice must demonstrate relevant expertise in the field of the proposed project and the research profile of CAIS. This may include journalistic publications, reports, policy papers, artistic or technical works, prototypes, leadership roles, public engagement, or other field-specific achievements.
• Applicants from academia must demonstrate a publication record relevant to the proposed project and the research profile of CAIS. Relevant academic publications may include peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers, academic books or book chapters, or comparable scholarly formats appropriate to the applicant’s discipline.
• Doctoral researchers must have at least one relevant academic publication.
• Postdoctoral researchers must have at least two relevant academic publications.
• Senior researchers must have at least three relevant academic publications and demonstrate experience in securing competitive research funding. Senior researchers are established researchers, typically at the level of tenured faculty or equivalent positions.
• Fellows are expected to devote their full working time to the funded project. They are also required to be present at CAIS from Tuesday to Thursday, to take part in regular joint activities, and to actively contribute to the interdisciplinary exchange on site. Fellows who are employed are required to take leave from their regular professional duties for the duration of the fellowship.

Selection Process

• All submitted applications are initially reviewed with regard to the formal eligibility requirements, their thematic fit with the research profile of CAIS and its partner institutions, as well as the profile of the applicants. Based on this preliminary review, the program committee decides on a shortlist of applications to be sent for review.
• Applications on the shortlist are reviewed by two experts each according to the following criteria:
  • Applicant’s professional expertise and qualification
  • Topicality and social relevance
  • Originality and innovative potential
  • Theories and methods
  • Projected results
  • Potential for interdisciplinary and international exchange
  • Feasibility of the work plan
• Based on the reviews and with consideration of diversity criteria, exchange potentials, and available capacities, the Program Committee makes the final funding decisions.

Application Documents

Fellowship applications consist of the following elements:

• Personal information and requested funding
• Project description
  • Abstract (max. 150 words) Summary of the fellowship project, including the central research question(s), methods, and planned output.
  • Research topic and research question(s) (max. 1,500 words) Presentation of the research topic and the relevant state of research. Please explain the research question(s), the research gap addressed, and the project’s contribution to existing scholarship. In addition, outline the theoretical or conceptual framework of the project and highlight its societal relevance.
  • Methods (max. 300 words) Description of the methods as well as the data or sources on which the project is based. Please explain why the chosen methodological approach is suitable for answering the research question(s). The description should also address relevant ethical and practical aspects of implementation, such as questions of access to data or sources, the scope of planned data collection, or the selection and recruitment of interview participants. Case studies should be specified, and their selection should be justified.
  • Work plan (max. 300 words) Description of the project timeline during the fellowship period, including key work steps, milestones, and outputs. If the fellowship is part of a larger research endeavor, please indicate which preparatory work will be completed before the fellowship begins.
  • Connection to the research environment at CAIS (max. 300 words) Please explain the added value of conducting the project at CAIS and its contribution to interdisciplinary and international exchange during the residency. Identify relevant researchers or research groups at CAIS or its partner institutions with whom you would like to connect and specify the points of connection.
  • References (max. 1,500 words) Alphabetical list of all sources cited in the application (including DOI or URL where possible). If generative AI was used in the preparation of the application, applicants must transparently disclose which models were used, for what purposes, and to what extent.
  • Request to invite a visiting fellow or experts for workshops (optional)
  • CV (max. 2 pages, including up to 5 relevant publications, preferably with links)

Check also:
2026 Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship
2026 Eutopia PhD Co-tutelle Call

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted in English via the application form. 

For more information, kindly visit the DAAD webpage or the CAIS webpage.