ERA Green Hydrogen Fellowships for international PhD students

Overview

Objective

Climate neutrality by the middle of the 21st century is the declared goal of Germany and the EU. Green hydrogen is an important component in the transformation of the energy sector and the decarbonization of emission-intensive sectors. Within the framework of the German and the European hydrogen strategies, we intend to recruit and qualify future specialists and young scientists. In addition, international cooperation, especially in the European Research Area, shall be strengthened and interdisciplinarity and innovative capabilities promoted. The "ERA Fellowships – Green Hydrogen" programme, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), is complemented by comprehensive networking measures and the establishment of four working groups. The working groups will focus on: production, transport and infrastructure, market stimulation (i.e. further development of the market for hydrogen) and cross-cutting issues (i.e. regulation, socio-economic and legal framework). Fellows will continue to be involved in those after the end of the funding period and thus will both receive and offer long-term support from and to the German research and innovation location for green hydrogen.

Who can apply?

PhD students in the field of Green Hydrogen (GH2) from universities in the extended European Research Area (ERA) who want to be an active part in one of the four working groups after the end of the fellowship. Applicants from the following countries are eligible to apply for a fellowship: EU member states, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Israel, Kosovo, Morocco, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

What can be funded?

The programme provides funding for

• a research project or continuing academic training at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education in Germany or a non-university research institute, which is being carried out in agreement with a supervisor in Germany or
• a self-organized internship in a German company or a non-university institution in the field of GH2. The fellowship grants access to international working groups and allows for active participation and involvement in a group that can continue after the fellowship ends.

Duration of the funding

1 to 24 months for research fellowships and 2 to 3 months for internships.

The fellowship cannot be extended.

Value

The fellowship covers:

• a monthly fellowship instalment of 1,200 Euros
• payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
• a lump sum towards international travel costs
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: one-off study allowance (usually 260 Euros; if you come from a DAC country, you will receive an allowance of 460 Euros) Under certain circumstances, fellowship holders may receive the following additional benefits:
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: Monthly rent subsidy
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family. Please also read our Important Scholarship Information / section F, point 3
• In the case of a disability or chronic illness: subsidy for additional costs which result from the disability or chronic illness and are not covered by other funding providers: Further information
• Green Mobility Top Up (Support for climate-friendly travel) or partial reimbursement of carbon offset payments for air travel
• grant for active participation in a conference To allow you to improve your language skills in preparation for your stay in Germany, the DAAD offers the following benefits:
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: Payment of course fees for an online German language course after receipt of the Fellowship Award Letter
• if necessary: German language course (2 or 4 months) before the start of the study stay in Germany; the DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long depending on German language skills and project. Participation in a language course is compulsory if the study programme is taught in German.
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the fellowship period
• if the fellowship is awarded for more than six months: reimbursement of the fee for a TestDaF or DSH test, which you can take either in your home country after you have received your Letter of Award or in Germany during your funding period. Please note that the DAAD does not cover tuition fees.

Selection

The selection committees are composed according to subject and, if applicable, regional criteria. The committee members are appointed by the DAAD Executive Board and are primarily university teachers from German universities. They evaluate the applications and decide on the awarding of the fellowships. DAAD staff members organize the meeting but have no voting rights.

Special consideration will be given to:

Academic qualifications

• academic performance and progress (incl. grade point average, grade progression)
• Knowledge of the language of instruction or working language
• If applicable, scholarly achievements after graduation, (e.g. publications, lectures, conference papers) Quality of research project
• Quality of research proposal and preparation (originality, topicality and relevance of the project, choice of host institution and first contacts)
• Feasibility and consistency of study plan and schedule (analysis and evaluation stages)
• Incorporation of project within the overall doctorate (in terms of content and time) Potential of the applicant
• Suitability of the applicant’s profile and the research project/internship to the objectives of the program (potential for personal and professional development, use of international networking in the working groups as well as own active contributions in the working groups)
• Motivation: professional and personal reasons for the stay abroad and the host university/the internship provider, knowledge of the local language (if different from the working language); regional knowledge
• Extracurricular commitment: extracurricular knowledge and skills, social commitment In addition, the selection committee will give due consideration to aspects of equal opportunities, on which you can provide information in the application form.