The Mercator Fellowship 2027

The Mercator Fellowship for International Affairs is a forum where people from diverse disciplines and sectors come together to develop solutions to global challenges. Its guiding principle is: "Europe in the World 2030 – Sustainable Visions for an Inclusive and Secure Future." We are seeking individuals who think in a globally interconnected way and contribute their knowledge and perspectives to business, public administration, international organizations, and NGOs, while also embracing interdisciplinary learning. The goal is to foster a broad awareness of global interconnections and to encourage a shift in perspective across regions and sectors.

Table of Content

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

Summary

• Application DeadlineJune 15, 2026
• Study LevelPostdoctoral Fellowships
• SponsorStiftung Mercator
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

The funding provided by the Mercator Fellowship includes:

• A monthly basic stipend of €2200 for all active college months.
• Supplements for work assignments abroad and for cities with high living costs (up to €800/month depending on the place of work)
• Coverage of all travel expenses worldwide
• Supplements for care responsibilities, e.g. for students with custody rights (€250/month)
• Health insurance subsidy in Germany
• Conclusion and assumption of international health and liability insurance
• Training packages for language courses, individual training courses, conference attendance

In addition to individual support, a demanding program of activities in Germany and Europe complements the fellowship experience. This program includes training in key skills as well as substantive discussions with experts from the field.

Requirements

• Individuals from all disciplines and industries with at least 1 year to approximately 10 years of professional experience (excluding internships) by the application deadline.
• Master's degree or doctorate
• Excellent English skills, fluent German skills
• German citizenship (Candidates without German citizenship can apply if they have a permanent residence permit or, as EU citizens, have obtained a university degree in Germany and have their center of life in Germany)
• Social and societal responsibility
• Teamwork skills, organizational skills, enjoyment of interdisciplinary exchange, motivation for engagement and active participation in the year group

We expressly welcome applicants who bring diverse life experiences: be it through chronic illnesses, caring for family members because their environment was not academic, experiences of poverty, refugee and migration history, experience with racism, anti-Semitism or other experiences of discrimination and marginalization. 

Application Documents

For a complete application, please upload the following documents:

• Your project outline (PDF, DOC or RTF file, max. 3 MB, max. one DIN A4 page or 5,000 characters)
• a detailed, tabular CV *without* a photo (PDF, DOC or RTF file, max. 3 MB, max. 2 DIN A4 pages)
• a file containing university certificates, transcripts, other academic documents and language certificates  (PDF, DOC or RTF file, max. 3 MB)
• A file containing  work references, employment certificates, evaluations, and other evidence of practical experience relevant exclusively to the college  . Letters of recommendation not related to practical work will not be considered. (PDF, DOC, or RTF file, max. 3 MB)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

• Applications are only accepted via the online application tool. Click here to access the application tool.

For more information, kindly visit the Mercator Fellowship webpage.