Research stays abroad are very well suited for making new contacts and thus advancing one’s career – both in scientific and entrepreneurial terms. In the new scientific everyday life you can get to know new colleagues as well as new approaches and thus improve your scientific competence. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) promotes the international mobility of German experts through international research stays. With the IFI program – International Research Stays for Computer Scientists – doctoral students and post-docs from all areas of computer science can acquire scholarships with flexible terms. The program is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Software Campus participants also have excellent prospects of IFI funding due to their excellence already established during the Software Campus selection process.
IFI: DAAD scholarship for research stays abroad
The IFI program offers these funding lines:
As a doctoral student: Short-term scholarships for research stays worldwide as part of the doctorate
Where to go?
- Scholarships are offered for all countries
- The research project abroad can take place at a university, a non-university research institute or an industrial research laboratory
What is funded?
- Basic amount (depending on the destination country)
- Lump sum for research/conference costs
- Travel allowance
- Health, accident and personal liability insurance
How long is funded?
- 1-6 Months
Prerequisites & Application
- University degree or comparable qualification entitling the holder to a doctorate
- Formal acceptance as a doctoral candidate
- Proof of acceptance by a host institution abroad
- Academic qualification and convincing planning of the research project
As a post-doc: scholarships for research at one of the seven DAAD partner institutes
Where to go?
To one of the seven 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)
- Toronto, Kanada: Vector Institute
What is funded?
Depending on age, family situation and destination country, funding is provided:
- Basic amount
- Family benefits for accompanying spouses or partners and/or children
- Additional benefits (e.g. for research visits, congress participation and job interviews)
How long is funded?
- 3-24 months
Prerequisites & Application
- Very good doctoral degree (completed before the start of the fellowship and no longer than four years ago)
- Above-average scientific qualification
- Research plan coordinated with partner institution
There are no application deadlines, applications can be submitted at any time.
Software Campus participants go through a simplified selection process
An independent selection committee of computer scientists decides on funding on behalf of the DAAD. As a new feature, 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 persons – a faster way to funding. Click here to go to the application platform of the IFI program.
IFI in the current pandemic situation
Even in the current difficult situation worldwide, the application is open and scholarships are approved. The DAAD has compiled here all the information that needs to be considered when starting a scholarship.
