The German Chancellor Fellowship was a 12-month leadership programme for emerging leaders from Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the United States. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation now states that the programme has been discontinued and that there will be no further calls for applications.
What Was the German Chancellor Fellowship?
The German Chancellor Fellowship was created for university graduates with initial leadership experience who wanted to undertake a self-designed, societally relevant project in Germany with a host institution.
The programme focused on future decision-makers, multipliers and thought leaders rather than conventional academic research alone. It supported applicants from Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the United States.
The Humboldt Foundation selected a final 2024/25 cohort, while existing fellows and alumni continue to receive the support applicable to their cohort or alumni status.
Past Eligibility Framework
When the programme was active, applicants generally needed to:
- hold citizenship of Brazil, China, India, South Africa or the United States;
- show initial leadership experience in fields such as politics, business, media, administration, society or culture;
- have completed their first academic degree within the programme’s stated time limit;
- develop an independent project with a host in Germany; and
- have good knowledge of English and/or German.
What the Fellowship Provided
| Project period | 12 months in Germany |
|---|---|
| Monthly fellowship | Historically tiered by qualifications and career level |
| Language support | Intensive German language course and additional language training |
| Mobility | Mobility allowance and eligible project-related travel support |
| Insurance and family support | Health/insurance-related and family benefits under the programme rules |
| Network | Long-term access to the Humboldt alumni network and eligible alumni sponsorship |
The official programme page currently references monthly fellowship amounts of €2,200, €2,500 or €2,700 depending on training and career level for the final programme framework.
What Kind of Project Did the Programme Support?
The fellowship was built around a self-developed project with public or societal relevance. Projects could be hosted by universities, think tanks, public institutions, civil-society organisations, media organisations or companies in Germany.
Strong projects typically combined a clear social challenge, a practical output, credible host support and a realistic 12-month implementation plan.
What Should Prospective Applicants Do Now?
Do not wait for a new German Chancellor Fellowship call unless the Humboldt Foundation explicitly reverses its current position. Instead:
- Use the Humboldt Foundation’s current sponsorship-programme search to identify active fellowships or awards.
- If your profile is academic or research-focused, review the Humboldt Research Fellowship and other current programmes for which you may be eligible.
- Maintain any German host relationship you developed, because the same partnership may support another fellowship, visiting-research scheme or externally funded project.
- Reuse the strongest parts of your former GCF project concept—problem statement, leadership narrative, host fit and impact plan—for other leadership or mobility programmes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the German Chancellor Fellowship open?
No. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation states that the programme has been discontinued and that there will be no further calls.
Will there be another 15 October application deadline?
No new annual deadline should be assumed. The former application timetable is historical because the programme has been discontinued.
What happens to existing fellows and alumni?
The Foundation stated that existing cohorts would continue unchanged and alumni remain eligible for Humboldt alumni sponsorship according to the applicable rules.
Which countries were eligible when the programme was active?
Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the United States.
What should interested applicants do instead?
Use the Humboldt Foundation’s current sponsorship-programme search to identify active alternatives that fit your career stage and project.
Official Source
| Current status | Discontinued / no further calls |
|---|---|
| Final cohorts | Existing/final cohorts continue under their applicable terms |
| Alumni support | Continues under Humboldt alumni sponsorship |
| Last verified | 4 October 2026 |
