At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed this fellowship so you know exactly what the Max Weber Programme offers, who can apply from anywhere in the world, and the grant and benefits attached before the 16 October 2026 deadline. Based at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, the Max Weber Programme is one of the largest and most selective postdoctoral programmes in the social sciences and humanities, built to help early-career researchers become full members of a global academic community.
What the Programme Is
📚 The Max Weber Programme (MWP) at the EUI is a unique postdoctoral programme in the historical, humanities and social sciences, open to applicants within five years of completing their PhD, from anywhere in the world, regardless of nationality.
🎯 It is highly selective, with an annual acceptance rate below 2%. A cohort typically consists of around 65 Fellows across the EUI's academic units: Economics, History, Law, Political and Social Sciences, the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, and the Florence School of Transnational Governance.
⏳ The programme awards one- and two-year fellowships according to the hosting unit; only in exceptional cases is support extended to a third year (for example, Fellows in Economics, or those selected for the CIVICA exchange). Preference is given to applicants who have only just completed their doctorate and have not held a postdoctoral fellowship before.
The Grant and Benefits
💶 The grant is currently €2,500 per month, plus family allowances where appropriate.
🩺 Further benefits include health insurance and mission and research funds, along with a personal mission and research fund of €1,500.
👨🏫 During the second year, qualifying Fellows can apply for a part-time assistant professor contract (level ASSPR6/3) for 12 months, involving some teaching and mentoring of PhD researchers, with net remuneration of approximately €850 in addition to the monthly grant. The programme also operates a parental leave policy.
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Special Grants and Extra Opportunities
🌍 Beyond the MWP's own scholarships, additional grants are funded by governments and foundations in Finland, Germany, Greece, Poland and Japan, to which nationals (and in some cases residents) of those countries may also apply.
🇨🇭 Suitable applicants of any nationality may also apply for an additional year at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva (IHEID); one Fellow is selected per year for this.
📌 The availability of special grants varies year to year, and eligible applicants are automatically considered for them. The Programme additionally encourages candidates from the Widening countries (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine) to apply, though the programme is open to all nationalities.
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Eligibility and Documents
🎓 You must be within five years of completing your PhD, from anywhere in the world, regardless of nationality. Per the call, the PhD should have been obtained or submitted between 1 September 2022 and 1 September 2027, with the defence by 31 December 2027 at the latest (with exceptions for parental leave, illness or military service).
📄 According to Youth Works Hub's review, the application requires a CV (max 2 pages, with publications), an Academic Career Statement (1 page), a Research Proposal (2 pages; for a two-year fellowship, the goals for both years plus a reflection on gender and diversity), a passport image, and two to three referees, with at least two reference letters uploaded online by the deadline.
What Fellows Get Beyond the Grant
🏛️ Superb EUI research facilities, including an outstanding library and shared working space.
🎤 Training and support in every aspect of an academic career, from publishing and presenting to teaching and applying for research grants and jobs, with a particular focus on communicating effectively in English. The programme's placement record is second to none, with most Fellows securing academic positions at leading institutions worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Who can apply? Researchers within five years of their PhD, of any nationality, from anywhere in the world.
❓ What does it pay? €2,500/month plus family allowances where appropriate, health insurance, mission and research funds, and a €1,500 personal research fund; second-year Fellows may earn about €850 more via a part-time teaching contract.
❓ How long is it? One or two years, exceptionally three (for example in Economics or via CIVICA).
❓ How competitive is it? Highly, with an acceptance rate below 2%.
❓ When is the deadline? 16 October 2026, 14:00 CEST, with reference letters due by the same time.
Deadline
⏳ 16 October 2026, 14:00 CEST
Links
🔗 Apply here: https://apply.eui.eu/osiris_aanmeld_euiprd/Welkom.do
🔗 Official page: https://www.eui.eu/apply?id=max-weber-fellowships
For more postdoctoral fellowships and funded research opportunities, explained in plain language, visit Youth Works Hub.
