Fellowships

From 2025 to 2029, the University of Münster will host 17 fellows who will join the COFUND Postdoctoral Programme "Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship" (MDC). Each fellow will have the opportunity to pursue an individual research project, (co-)organise workshops and guest lectures, improve their research and transferable skills, and expand their international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral networks. The programme offers two types of fellowship for early-career and senior postdocs.
 

Postdoctoral Fellows

  • early-career postdocs with no or up to six years of research experience after receipt of their PhD degree

  • duration of the fellowship: 24 months

  • start dates: 1 May 2025, 2026, 2027

 Senior Fellows

  • experienced postdocs with more than six years of research experience after receipt of their PhD degree

  • duration of the fellowship: six months

  • start dates: 1 May 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028

Eligibility Requirements and Criteria

General Requirements

  1. Compliance with the MSCA Mobility Rule: Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Germany for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the programme’s call deadline.
  2. Completed PhD degree at the deadline of the co-funded programme’s call: Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet been formally awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered as postdoctoral researchers and are eligible to apply; the successful defence must be unconditional (no further requirements/corrections that need to be addressed) and take place before the call deadline; supporting documentation may be requested.

 

Additional Criteria for Each Type of Fellowship

  • Postdoctoral Fellows

    Publications: 1 monograph or 3 major articles, especially in migration, diaspora, and citizenship studies

    Project experience: involvement in projects (especially ongoing projects in migration, diaspora, and citizenship studies) is expected, even if not in a leading position (Principal Investigator or similar)

    Networks: connection to an international network is expected

    Further pertinent merits (prizes, honours, distinctions, intersectoral expertise): bonus, but not required

  • Senior Fellows

    Publications: a) 1 monograph or 3 major articles, as well as b) 3 further publications, especially in migration, diaspora, and citizenship studies

    Project experience: extensive project experience, especially in migration, diaspora, and citizenship studies is expected (PI or similar); ongoing projects should be pertinent to the MDC programme.

    Networks: active, multiple memberships in international networks is vital

    Further pertinent merits (prizes, honours, distinctions, intersectoral expertise): one further distinction and/or intersectoral experience is expected