The FFVT Fellowship Programme 2027 invites international researchers in forced migration and refugee studies to spend a guest stay at bicc in Bonn (up to two months) or IMIS in Osnabrück (two weeks), Germany. The fellowship covers accommodation, per diem and travel expenses, and applications are open until 31 December 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we read the official call and gathered what the fellowship offers, who can apply and what to put in your email application.
About the FFVT Cooperation Project
The cooperation project "Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Knowledge Transfer" (FFVT) aims to strengthen interdisciplinary forced migration and refugee research in Germany. FFVT connects academic research and knowledge transfer on forced migration and refugee issues with related fields such as migration, development, conflict and violence, climate change, health, governance and human rights.
FFVT is a joint initiative by the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (bicc), the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN) and the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies at the University of Osnabrück (IMIS). It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
What the Fellowship Supports
To promote international networking in this field, FFVT offers a fellowship programme for international researchers working on issues related to forced migration and refugee studies. The fellowships support guest stays at the FFVT partner institutions bicc and IMIS.
The fellowships support the implementation, further development or conceptualisation of an individual research or knowledge transfer project, carried out in collaboration with the host institutions. bicc and IMIS provide on-site infrastructure and academic support throughout the stay.
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🌍 All opportunities in Germany →
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Where You Can Stay and for How Long
At present, fellowships are offered exclusively at two institutions:
🏛️ bicc, Bonn: up to two months
🎓 IMIS, Osnabrück: two weeks
📅 Period: fellowship stays take place in 2027, and you state your preferred period of stay, plus an alternative period, in your application
What the Fellowship Covers
🏨 Accommodation: covered by the fellowship
💶 Per diem: covered by the fellowship
✈️ Travel expenses: covered by the fellowship
Possible Research Topics
Possible thematic areas include, but are not limited to:
🔄 (Im)mobility
🛡️ Global standards of refugee protection
🌐 Postcolonial perspectives
📊 Data production and representation
🗣️ Refugee voices
🔎 Biases in forced migration research
⚖️ Research ethics
🏷️ Categorizations
🧩 Global governance and externalisation
🌡️ Climate change and forced displacement
🦠 Impacts and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic
Who Can Apply
The programme is aimed at international researchers working in academic or practice-oriented institutions in the field of forced migration and refugee studies. Applications are welcome from:
🎖️ Senior researchers
🔬 Postdoctoral researchers
📖 Doctoral candidates and junior researchers
What the Fellowship Offers Beyond Funding
🏫 An interdisciplinary research environment at renowned academic institutions
💡 Opportunities to develop, discuss and implement individual research and/or knowledge transfer projects
🎤 Participation in FFVT activities such as workshops, panel discussions and summer schools
🤝 Integration into the FFVT and FFVT alumni networks
📝 Opportunities for collaboration on joint project proposals and publications
What Makes an Application Stronger
Applicants outline how their research or knowledge transfer project aligns with the aims of the FFVT initiative or contributes to the research and transfer priorities of the participating institutions. Expected outputs, such as lectures, teaching contributions or the joint development of proposals, can be specified in the application.
FFVT particularly encourages applications that:
🎯 Are relevant to the field of forced migration and refugee studies beyond the applicant's own project
❓ Address fundamental questions in the field
🧪 Apply reflexive and innovative methodological or theoretical approaches
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted in English as a single PDF file by email. The PDF should include:
📨 Motivation letter (2-4 pages): a brief description of your current project, your preferred period of stay (plus an alternative period), your choice of FFVT institution with reasoning, and your full contact details
🗂️ Project outline (4-6 pages including references): the project to be developed or carried out during the fellowship stay, its relevance to the FFVT framework, and a proposed timeline
👤 Academic CV: including a list of key relevant publications
Not an Erasmus+ or ESC Programme
This is a research fellowship funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. It is not part of Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps. If you are comparing paths, our guides on what a fellowship is and how it differs from a scholarship and on fellowship vs internship vs traineeship explain the differences, and you can browse similar openings in the Fellowships section of Youth Works Hub.
Data Protection
The personal data you submit is stored for the purpose of awarding the fellowship in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) and deleted at the latest six months after the end of the selection process. The data collected includes your name, address and professional-biographical data (CV, certificates). Only the project staff responsible for selecting the fellows at the four project institutions (BICC, CHREN, IDOS, IMIS) have access to the confidential data, and it is not passed on to third parties. If you are selected, the necessary data is used for the administrative implementation of the fellowship and deleted afterwards. Questions about your data can go to ffvt@uos.de.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the FFVT fellowship take place?
Fellowships are offered exclusively at bicc in Bonn (up to two months) and at IMIS in Osnabrück (two weeks), both in Germany.
What does the FFVT fellowship cover?
The fellowship covers accommodation, per diem and travel expenses.
Who can apply?
International researchers working on forced migration and refugee studies in academic or practice-oriented institutions: senior researchers, postdoctoral researchers and doctoral candidates or junior researchers.
How do I apply?
Send a single PDF in English by email to fellowships@ffvt.net, containing a motivation letter (2-4 pages), a project outline (4-6 pages including references) and an academic CV with a list of key relevant publications.
When do applications close?
The application process for a fellowship in 2027 remains open until 31 December 2026.
Who can I contact with questions?
General questions go to fellowships@ffvt.net. Host-specific questions can go to Maarit Thiem at bicc (maarit.thiem@bicc.de) or Franck Düvell at IMIS (franck.duvell@uni-osnabrueck.de).
Deadline
⏳ 31 December 2026
Links
🔗 Official call: https://ffvt.net/en/fellowship/call-for-applications
📧 Application email: fellowships@ffvt.net
📧 bicc contact: maarit.thiem@bicc.de
📧 IMIS contact: franck.duvell@uni-osnabrueck.de
