Congratulations to the extension of the IFI programme! The programme “Internationale Forschungsaufenthalte für Informatikerinnen und Informatiker“ (International Research Stays for Computer Scientists) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is now running until 2029. It is also funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and has been in cooperation with us, the Software Campus, since 2021.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) promotes the international mobility of German experts through international research stays and specifically supports doctoral students and post-docs from all areas of computer science. They can acquire scholarships with flexible terms, and make new contacts, and thus, advance their career. Software Campus participants have also excellent prospects of IFI funding, due to their excellence already established during the Software Campus selection process.
With the extension, the benefits have been slightly changed; new for doctoral students is the doubling of the funding period to 12 months, and the possibility to apply for family benefits. Here is an overview of the two funding lines:
As doctoral student
Funding is provided for a scholarship for research stays as part of the doctorate for 1-12 months worldwide at a university of your choice, a non-university research institute or an industrial research laboratory. Scholarship recipients receive a scholarship instalment (depending on the destination country), a travel allowance, benefits for health, accident and personal liability insurance, as well as a lump sum for research/conference costs. Further benefits and details on requirements and application here. (Notice, information is only available in German)
As Post-Doc
Funding is provided for a scholarship for research lasting 3-24 months at one of the DAAD partner institutes:
- Berkeley, USA: International Computer Science Institute (ICSI)
- Haifa, Israel: Technion Haifa – Israel Institute of Technology
- Montreal, Kanada: Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
- Pohang, Republik Korea: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
- Seoul, Republic of Korea: Seoul National University (SNU)
- Tokyo, Japan: National Institute of Informatics (NII)
The scholarship benefits include a monthly basic amount, family benefits for accompanying spouses or partners and/or children, a lump sum for travelling expenses, the acceptance of research/conference costs, and a return scholarship. Further benefits and details on requirements, and how to apply, can be found here. (Notice, information is only available in German)
Software Campus participants go through a simplified selection process
An independent selection committee of computer scientists decides on funding on behalf of the DAAD. Current and former participants of the Software Campus program can reduce the IFI selection process. By indicating the Software Campus participant or alumnus status, the application will be reviewed by only one instead of two examiners – a faster way to get funded. Click here, to go to the application platform of the IFI program, applications are possible at any time.
