Postdoctoral Fellowships

EMBO stands for excellence in the life sciences.

EMBO is an organization of more than 1800 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a research environment where scientists can achieve their best work.

Young scientists actively seek EMBO Long-Term Fellowships for postdoctoral research to fund and support their internationally mobile careers. Hundreds of scientists also benefit each year from EMBO Short-Term Fellowships, returning to their home laboratories with new skills as well as contacts for future collaborations.

A core programme since the 1960s, EMBO Fellowships has benefited thousands of early career scientists; find out more.

The DFG is the self-governing organisation for science and research in Germany. It serves all branches of science and the humanities. Its membership consists of German research universities, non-university research institutions, scientific associations and the Academies of Science and the Humanities.

DFG Research Fellowships are intended to help early career researchers to conduct a defined project at a location of their choice in a country other than Germany and to use it as an opportunity to familiarise themselves with new research methods or to bring a large project to a conclusion.

Wellcome exists to improve health for everyone by funding research, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building global partnerships. They work with people and organisations using science to solve health challenges. They fund discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and they support research to find solutions to three health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate.

The Wellcome Early-Career Awards scheme provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. By the end of the award, they will be ready to lead their own independent research programme. 

Applications are considered by Wellcome in October and February each year.

The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) is an international program of research support, funding frontier research on the complex mechanisms of living organisms. Research is funded at all levels of biological complexity from biomolecules to the interactions between organisms.

HFSP postdoctoral fellowships encourage early career scientists to broaden their research skills by moving into new areas of study while working in a new country.

HFSP fellowships are for three years. Fellows may choose to stay for up to three years in the host country or use the last year of their fellowship to return to their home country or to move to another HFSPO member country.

The Humboldt Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany.

A Humboldt Research Fellowship allows postdoctoral researchers to carry out long-term research (6-24 months) in Germany. Applicants choose their own topic of research and their academic host.

The Lundbeck Foundation is one of Denmark’s largest commercial foundations, worth over DKK 60 billion.  They award research grants of around DKK 500 million each year to Danish-based, biomedical sciences research primarily in the field of brain research.

Lundbeck Foundation Fellowships further research of the highest international standard, primarily in biomedical sciences; this includes projects in natural sciences that have a distinct biomedical focus and research content.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions support researchers at all stages of their careers, regardless of age and nationality. Researchers working across all disciplines are eligible for funding. The MSCA also support cooperation between industry and academia and innovative training to enhance employability and career development.

Both European and Global individual fellowships are available to experienced researchers looking to work abroad.

The NHMRC is Australia’s leading expert body in health and medical research.

NHMRC Research Fellowships are funded for five years and support leading health and medical researchers in full-time research.

The objectives of the Research Fellowships scheme are to foster an intellectual environment which supports and builds the capacity of Australian research for the future and to create knowledge through investment in research which improves health and thus contributes to Australia’s prosperity.