Wiko Early Career Call 2027/2028 for Humanities and Social Sciences

The Wiko Early Career Call 2027/2028 invites early-career humanities and social sciences researchers to undertake a ten-month residential fellowship at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. Fellows work independently on a research project while participating in the Institute’s interdisciplinary academic community. Applications must be submitted by September 1, 2026.

Quick Overview

Programme: Wiko Early Career Call Humanities and Social Sciences
Opportunity Type: Residential research fellowship
Host Institution: Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
Country: Germany
Location: Berlin
Duration: 10 months
Academic Year: 2027/2028
Application Deadline: September 1, 2026

About the Wiko Early Career Call 2027/2028

The Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin invites applications from researchers at an early stage of their careers in the humanities and social sciences.

Fellows are free to select the research project they want to pursue during their stay. There are no thematic restrictions. However, applicants must propose a project that can be completed while residing in Berlin.

The fellowship lasts ten months, from September until the end of June. Fellows live and work at the Wissenschaftskolleg’s campus in the Grunewald district of Berlin.

Fellowship Activities and Responsibilities

The programme gives fellows time to develop new research ideas or complete projects already in progress.

During the residency, fellows are required to:

• Reside at the Wissenschaftskolleg for ten months.
• Participate in a shared meal once each weekday.
• Attend the weekly Tuesday Colloquium.
• Engage with researchers from different disciplines and academic backgrounds.
• Work on the research project described in their application.

Research projects that require constant work in laboratories, archives or other facilities outside Berlin are unsuitable for the fellowship.

Financial Arrangements and Fellowship Support

The Wissenschaftskolleg establishes an individual financial agreement with each fellow before the residency begins. The arrangement aims to enable fellows to complete the residency without reducing their income.

Depending on the fellow’s employment and institutional circumstances, support may include:

✓ Continued salary from the fellow’s home institution
✓ Support for replacement costs at the home institution
✓ An individually calculated stipend when institutional salary support is unavailable
✓ A furnished apartment on the Wissenschaftskolleg campus
✓ A study located inside the apartment or in a separate campus office
✓ Arrival and departure travel expenses
✓ Limited transport support for working materials and luggage

The Wissenschaftskolleg asks fellows to explore whether their home institution or another organisation can continue paying all or part of their salary.

When this is not possible, the Institute may provide a stipend based on the fellow’s previous income or comparable salaries in Germany. The final financial terms are determined individually.

Fellows receive suitable furnished accommodation on campus. Housing costs depend on the fellow’s salary arrangement, while utility expenses remain the fellow’s responsibility.

Also read: DDC x TrygFonden Fellowship Program 2027 at SDU

Eligibility Criteria

The call welcomes early-career researchers from all nations and all disciplines within the humanities and social sciences.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a doctorate in an academic discipline within the humanities or social sciences.
• Have obtained the doctorate no earlier than five years before the fellowship begins.
• Demonstrate the academic qualifications required for a Wissenschaftskolleg fellowship.
• Have sufficient knowledge of English.
• Have published at least two first-author articles in high-quality journals or a monograph.
• Propose a research project that can be completed during a residential stay in Berlin.
• Be willing to participate in interdisciplinary academic discussions.

Care responsibilities, career breaks, part-time employment and other relevant circumstances may be considered when calculating the five-year eligibility period.

Applicants requesting an exception must provide information about their employment history and relevant supporting documents.

Researchers employed by universities or research institutions in Berlin are not considered for Wissenschaftskolleg fellowships.

Research and Publication Expectations

The programme seeks applicants who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, creativity and an interest in academic disciplines beyond their own.

The proposed project should introduce new questions, hypotheses, concepts or research directions. It should also be suitable for discussion within a multidisciplinary community.

Applicants should have a publication record appropriate to their discipline and career stage. At least one of the major publications identified in the application must be available in English.

Check: Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship Program 2027–2028

Required Application Information

Applicants must provide the following information through the electronic application platform:

• Personal and institutional information
• Academic degrees and degree dates
• Proposed project title
• Short professional biography
• Bibliographical information for at least three major publications
• At least one major publication available in English

Applicants must also upload four documents in PDF format:

• A detailed curriculum vitae with a publication list
• A research project description of approximately 500 words, including ten references
• A recent article that represents the applicant’s academic work
• A motivation letter of approximately 200 words

Each uploaded file must not exceed 10 MB.

The recent article may be submitted in German, English or French. Applications are also accepted in these three languages.

Application Process

Applicants should complete the following steps:

• Confirm that their doctorate and academic discipline meet the eligibility requirements.
• Prepare a residential research project suitable for completion in Berlin.
• Collect the required personal, institutional and publication information.
• Prepare the curriculum vitae and complete publication list.
• Write the approximately 500-word project description.
• Select a recent article that represents their research.
• Prepare the approximately 200-word motivation letter.
• Convert the required documents into PDF format.
• Complete the electronic application form.
• Upload all required documents to the official platform.
• Submit the complete application by September 1, 2026.

Incomplete or late applications cannot be considered.

Selection Process

Applicants are assessed according to their individual academic achievements and career stage.

The selection process considers:

• The applicant’s academic qualifications
• The quality of previous publications
• The originality and strength of the proposed project
• The project’s potential to explore new research directions
• The applicant’s ability to participate in multidisciplinary discussions
• The contribution the applicant could make to an intellectually diverse fellowship group

The Wissenschaftskolleg evaluates publications according to the standards of the applicant’s discipline. In fields where monographs are important, major book publications receive particular attention.

External experts may assess candidates’ disciplinary profiles. The Academic Advisory Board discusses the applications and recommends candidates, after which the Rector issues the fellowship invitations.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome before the end of the current year.

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Important Dates

• Application deadline: September 1, 2026
• Fellowship academic year: 2027/2028
• Fellowship start: September 2027
• Fellowship end: End of June 2028
• Duration: 10 months

Application Deadline

Complete applications for the Wiko Early Career Call Humanities and Social Sciences must be submitted electronically by September 1, 2026.

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Official Link

Submit your application through the official application link below.

Apply for the Wiko Early Career Call Humanities and Social Sciences