FAQ

The Call for Applications for fellowships in the academic year 2025/26 has been published and can be found here.

Thank you for your interest. On this page you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions concerning the application for the fellowship program.

If you would like to stay updated with everything that happens at c:o/re, please subscribe to our newsletter.

What do I need to know about the Käte Hamburger Kolleg: Cultures of Research (c:o/re)?

The Käte Hamburger Kolleg: Cultures of Research (c:o/re) is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). It is an international center for advanced studies at RWTH Aachen University, one of the largest and a leading technical universities in Germany. The center aims to strengthen the link between philosophy, sociology as well as history of science and technology with science and technology studies (STS) on the one side and with science and engineering on the other side. (In this video summary of the Center’s inauguration, you can get a first impression of its research program.)

Who is eligible to apply for the fellowship program?

All applicants must have a completed PhD degree with above average grades in a relevant academic field. For junior fellows a successfully completed PhD is a formal requirement; for senior fellows a professorship or comparable position is expected (full or associate professorship or senior lecturer). We particularly encourage interdisciplinary proposals.

I am about to submit/I have submitted my PhD thesis but will defend it after the deadline. Is it possible for me to apply?

No, unfortunately not. All applicants must have completed their PhD by the time of their application. The completed PhD will be verified through the upload of the PhD certificate (as pdf) in the application portal.

I am a German citizen/I am based at a German university. Am I eligible to apply for the international fellowship?

Yes. The fellowships are open to researchers of all nationalities and university affiliations.

What do I need to include in my application?

Your application should include a letter of motivation (1 page), your CV, a project proposal including intended goals/outcome of the fellowship (max. 3 pages), your list of publications, and a writing sample (journal article or book-chapter). All documents should be submitted as pdf files. During the online application process, you will be asked to upload a copy of your university PhD degree, too. The application should be written in English.

Who should I address my cover letter to?

You may address your cover letter to the selection committee or to both directors, Professor Gabriele Gramelsberger and Professor Stefan Böschen.

Can the writing sample that is requested as part of the application be a co-authored paper? Would you mind if it is currently under review?

Of course you can submit a co-authored paper as a writing sample. If it is currently under review, please add relevant additional information such as the name of the journal and the name of your co-author. Please keep in mind that our scientific advisory board consists of international members, therefore the writing sample should be in English, too.

What is the timeline for the application process?

The Calls for Application are usually published by the end of October and the application deadline will be December 31. Fellowships are very competitive and will be reviewed together with the international scientific advisory board. The selection will be made in early March and all applicants will be informed about the results in the second half of March.

Is it still possible to consider my application after the deadline?

No. The online application form will no longer be available after the expiration of the application deadline.

What are the main criteria for a successful application?

The main selection criterion is the strength of the individual research proposal. The well-written proposal should clearly fit into the research agenda of c:o/re and make an original contribution to at least one of the thematic fields.

Am I expected to have teaching experience for the application?

No, these are research fellowships; a teaching background is not required.

Can I submit my application via email?

Sorry, this is not possible. In order to process your data properly, we kindly ask you to apply via the online application form only. Please note that towards the end of the application deadline, there is usually larger number of applicants trying to submit their application which might cause technical difficulties. Therefore, we recommend to not submit your application last minute. If you have applied for the previous call you may use your login details for the application platform again.

When will I be notified whether my application was successful?

Shortlisted applications will be reviewed in close cooperation with the Scientific Advisory Board based on the strength of their research proposal and will be invited to an interview. All applicants will be notified about the results by email.

My application was not successful. Is it possible to apply again?

Yes, if your application also meets the requirements of the next call for applications, you are welcome to apply again. If you have already registered for the application platform in the previous call, you may use your login details again.

Are the fellowships in residence?

Yes, fellows are expected to take residence in Germany (we recommend in Aachen or the surrounding areas) and be regularly present at the KHK during the entire fellowship; the center does not fund archival or field research trips.

What are the (financial) benefits of the fellowship?

Fellowships are usually awarded for a period of twelve months but also shorter stays can be arranged. At the KHK c:o/re fellows are provided with working space in fully equipped shared offices, administrative and IT support as well as library service, and access to the interdisciplinary research environment as well as research labs at the RWTH Aachen University. Three different financial arrangements are available: a) fellows who take unpaid leave during their fellowship will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with their level of professional experience as well as a monthly allowance to cover their housing expenses; b) fellows who spend their sabbatical at c:o/re will receive a monthly allowance to cover their living and housing expenses; and c) for fellows who continue to receive their regular salary, c:o/re can pay for a teaching replacement at the fellow’s home institution. All financial arrangements will be individually negotiated after the fellowships have been awarded.

Do I need a visa?

As a resident of the European Union you don’t need a visa. Fellows from non-EU countries have to apply for a visa and it is strongly recommended that you do so as soon as possible after having been awarded the fellowship at c:o/re. We will provide you with all information and an official invitation letter and fellowship agreement in due time. You can find further information on visa regulations at the German Foreign Ministry’s website.

How can I find accommodation in Aachen?

Both, c:o/re and the Welcome Service for international guest researchers at RWTH’s International Office offer support for finding suitable accommodation in Aachen. The Housing Guide provides a lot of helpful information to start off with. Further, Milestone Aachen-West is offering fully-furnished student and guest apartments (including WLAN, heating, electricity, etc.) in a recently renovated cloister close to the center of Aachen, which fellows might want to consider. Further information can be found at the website of the location. In all cases, fellows have to rent a place themselves, RWTH Aachen University and c:o/re cannot provide accommodation.

What housing and living cost can I expect in Aachen?

Important to consider in your financial plans is the cost of accommodation: furnished accommodation in Aachen is usually around 700 to 900 euros for a studio apartment and up to 1,000 euros and more for a two-bedroom apartment. There are many attractive neighborhoods in the city and public transport is good. With regard to further costs, grocery shopping is relatively inexpensive in Germany and costs range between 400–800 euros per month, depending on the number of people in the household. Public transportation is also quite reasonable – a monthly ticket costs about 60 euros.

How is living in Aachen?

Aachen is a lively city with more than 50,000 students. It is the westernmost city in Germany directly at the boarder to Belgium and The Netherlands. It is known as medieval imperial residence of Emperor Charlemagne of the Frankish Empire. It takes one hour by train to Liège, Maastricht, Brussels, Cologne and Düsseldorf, two hours to Frankfurt, two and a half hours to Paris and Amsterdam, and four hours to London. The Käte Hamburger Kolleg: Cultures of Research is just a five-minute-walk from Aachen central station and about ten to fifteen minutes from the city center. The nearest international airports are at Maastricht, Düsseldorf, Cologne-Bonn, and Frankfurt.

How are my data processed and protected?

Handling application data for employment
Personal data of applicants are collected and processed to properly conduct and complete an application procedure based on finding the most suitable applicant and the possibly ensuing fellowship. Processing this data is based on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Informationsfreiheitsgesetz Nordrhein-Westfalen – IFG (North Rhine-Westphalian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act).
The collected application data will be saved for as long as necessary subject to relevant retention periods for completing certain tasks and, if necessary, also for meeting documentation duties. Every six months at the latest any transferred / provided data will be deleted if the application does not result in a fellowship.
Recipients of personal data (Art. 4 no. 9 GDPR)
Application data is transferred to:
– The department, the directorate, the services or unit where the applicant has applied for fellowship,
– The Directorate of Human Resources Management and Development,
– The staff council, the gender equality officer and as necessary the representative body for severely disabled persons and/or the representative body for youth and trainees to observe respective participation rights.
For further information please see the Privacy Policy of RWTH Aachen University.

My question has not been answered here. Who can I contact?

In case your question has not yet been answered here or you have any other concern regarding the fellowship program, please contact the coordinator of the fellowship program Dawid Kasprowicz at dawid.kasprowicz@khk.rwth-aachen.de.