Leibniz Institute Of European History Fellowships For Doctoral Students 2027 | Study in Germany — Leibniz Institute of European History, Mainz
⚠️ This scholarship's deadline has passed and it's no longer accepting applications.
Doctoral students researching Europe’s past do not need to be European themselves to spend meaningful time at one of the continent’s dedicated history institutes, and IEG Mainz makes that point directly through its open international fellowship calls.
About the Scholarship
The Leibniz Institute of European History, known by its German initials IEG, awards fellowships to doctoral students working in European history, the history of religion, historical theology, or other historical disciplines. Calls for applications go out twice a year, and fellowships run for six to twelve months, giving doctoral candidates dedicated time to use the institute’s library, archives, and researcher community in Mainz.
Scholarship Benefits
The fellowship is structured around focused research time rather than full doctoral funding.
- A monthly stipend, with the related Digital Humanities track paying 1,650 EUR per month
- Fellowship duration of six to twelve months
- Access to IEG’s specialized historical library and research collections
- Integration into the institute’s community of visiting and resident researchers
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must hold at least a Master’s level degree in history, theology, or another historically oriented discipline, and must have been pursuing their doctorate for no more than three years at the time the fellowship begins, with exceptions possible in unusual circumstances. The fellowship is explicitly open to PhD students from Germany and abroad, with no nationality restriction.
Fields of Study Covered
Research areas include European history across different periods, the history of religion, historical theology, and related interdisciplinary historical research connecting to IEG’s core mission.
Required Documents
- Fellowship application form
- Doctoral research proposal
- CV and list of any publications
- Confirmation of current doctoral enrollment and starting date
- Letter of support from the doctoral supervisor
How to Apply (Step-by-Step)
1. Confirm the doctoral project fits within European history, religious history, or a closely related historical discipline.
2. Prepare a research proposal explaining how the planned fellowship period would advance the dissertation.
3. Secure a letter of support from the doctoral supervisor.
4. Submit the complete application by whichever twice-yearly deadline, February 15 or August 15, matches the intended start date.
5. Await the selection committee’s decision from the institute’s review panel.
6. Plan the research stay in Mainz around the approved six-to-twelve-month fellowship period.
Selection Process
IEG’s review panel evaluates the quality and feasibility of the research proposal, how clearly the fellowship period would advance the dissertation, and the applicant’s academic trajectory to date, including progress within the three-year doctoral window the fellowship typically expects.
Tips to Improve Your Chances
A proposal that explains specifically which IEG resources, archives, library holdings, or faculty expertise, the research would draw on tends to read as more serious than a general description of the dissertation topic. Being clear about the stage of the doctorate and how the fellowship period fits into the overall timeline helps reviewers judge feasibility. Doctoral students in the historical sciences considering longer-term funding might also compare this shorter fellowship with the Gerda Henkel Foundation PhD Scholarship for Historical Sciences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the fellowship fund an entire doctorate?
No, it funds a focused research period of six to twelve months rather than the full multi-year doctoral programme.
Can applicants from outside Europe apply?
Yes, the fellowship is open to doctoral students from Germany and abroad with no nationality restriction, as long as the research topic fits the institute’s historical focus.
How many times a year can I apply?
Calls for applications go out twice a year, in December and June, with deadlines of February 15 and August 15 respectively.
Is there a limit on how far into the doctorate I can be?
Applicants should generally be no more than three years into their doctorate at the time the fellowship begins, though exceptions are considered case by case.
Does the fellowship include conference or archive travel support beyond the stipend?
The structure centers on the monthly stipend for the fellowship period; additional travel support, if needed, should be discussed directly with the institute.
Is the Digital Humanities track a separate fellowship?
Yes, IEG also runs a related but distinct Digital Humanities fellowship track with its own stipend and focus on digital methods in historical research.
Can the fellowship be taken in two shorter stays rather than one continuous period?
Fellowships are generally awarded as a single continuous period, though exceptional circumstances can be discussed directly with the institute.
Does IEG provide office space or only library access during the fellowship?
Fellows typically receive both a workspace at the institute and full access to its library and archival collections during their stay.