Universität Hamburg Programme for Scholars at Risk (HPSAR) 2026

In 2018, at the urging of Universität Hamburg, the higher education institutions in Hamburg and the Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts (BWFGB) jointly adopted the Hamburg Programme for Scholars at Risk.

The University and the BWFGB provide researchers at risk who have found an academic advisor at the University with funding for one to twelve months.

The goal is to provide temporary relief to researchers at risk while also enabling them to gain further qualifications and orientation in the German academic system. With the aid of an academic host, researchers at risk should develop an external funding application during their funding period with the aim of continuing their research after the funding ends and gaining further insight into the German academic system.

Table of Content

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

Summary

• Application DeadlineNot Specified
• Study LevelPostdoctoral Fellowships
• SponsorUniversity of Hamburg
• City to studyHamburg
• School to studyUniversity of Hamburg
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Monthly scholarship of EUR 2,000 for 1–12 months

Requirements

• Researchers at risk with a doctorate or comparable academic title (PhD, CSc) or cultural professionals at risk with a master's degree or comparable academic title who have not been resident outside their own country for more than five years and who do not hold German university entrance qualifications

Application Documents

The applicant’s academic mentor at Universität Hamburg handles the application. They must send the completed application form (including supervisor / department / contact / confirmation of research position / supervisory commitment / external funding format goal) along with necessary attachments to the contact person.

The application must be submitted in full. The following documents are required:

• application form (PDF)
• brief research proposal (no more than 2 pages)
• statement from the academic host (with regard to points of consideration)
• academic CV and researcher at risk’s publication list
• proof of academic degree (applicants should have a doctorate or comparable degree, such as a PhD, CSc, etc.)
• proof of risk status from the Scholars at Risk Network (no older than 24 months) or the corresponding asylum status (applicants should not have been away from their home their country of origin for more than 3 years; foreign nationals with a German higher education entrance qualification are not eligible) The proof of risk status can be obtained from Department 5: International Affairs.
• information about application processes in which the researcher at risk is currently involved (scholarships, research funding, etc.)

Check also:
2026 Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship
2026 Konrad Adenauer Foundation Scholarship

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Please hand in your requests and application with the respective institution:

• Universität Hamburg (UHH): Kristin Günther, Jin Jlussi, Rawand Othman via [email protected]
• Hamburg University of Applied Sciences: Prof. Dr. Walter Leal via [email protected]; Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Wulf via [email protected]
• Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg (Hamburg university of fine arts): Silva Jährling via [email protected] 
• The Hamburg University of Music and Drama (HfMT): Nele Hellmold via nele[email protected]
• Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH): Malgorzata Safari via [email protected]
• Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg (HSU/UniBw): Linda Weiß via [email protected], Marine Masmaud via [email protected]

For more information, kindly visit the Universität Hamburg webpage.