Bayer Foundation Scientific Fellowships Offer Up to €10,000 for International Research Placements

Bayer Foundation Scientific Fellowships provide up to €10,000 for eligible international research placements lasting up to six months.

What Bayer Foundation Scientific Fellowships support

Funding supplements research projects, internships and related placements within an existing study programme. Relevant streams cover drug discovery, agricultural science, medical sciences, and climate and health. This is not a general award to finance an entire degree.

Eligibility and mobility rules

The programme serves qualifying master’s, doctoral and medical students. Discipline eligibility differs between fellowship streams. Students studying in Germany must undertake their placement abroad. Those studying outside Germany must undertake the placement at a German research institution.

Application window

The current call runs from 10 November 2026 to 18 January 2027. The guidelines specify a closing time of 23:59 CET. Read the complete guidelines and application preview before completing the online form.

Preparing a suitable proposal

Identify the fellowship stream that actually matches your studies. Explain the proposed placement, its connection to your academic work and the costs for which you seek support. The maximum award is a ceiling, not a guaranteed payment to every applicant.

Build the placement around a research need

A useful placement proposal explains what you can learn or achieve at the host that complements your current studies. Identify the research question, methods or specialist resources involved, and explain how the work connects to your degree. Do not treat the maximum funding amount as the starting point for inventing a project.

Discuss feasibility with the host

Before submitting, clarify the proposed dates, supervision and practical access to facilities or data. Describe host support accurately: an initial conversation is not the same as a confirmed invitation. Make sure the proposed activity fits the programme’s study-country and destination rules rather than assuming any international visit is eligible.

Prepare a transparent budget

Separate travel, accommodation and other proposed costs, using realistic estimates and noting which costs another organisation would cover. The advertised maximum is a ceiling, not an automatic award for every applicant. Avoid double-counting costs already funded elsewhere. Check the guidelines for eligible expense categories and retain the evidence used to build your estimate.

Distinguish placement funding from full-degree funding

This opportunity supports a limited placement; it should not be presented as funding for an entire degree. Consider how the visit fits your academic timetable and whether your home institution must approve it. These planning questions help avoid accepting dates that conflict with examinations, required coursework or other responsibilities.

Compare the right opportunity

For a separately organised research internship with its own timetable and eligibility criteria, see Max Planck. Compare the activity and restrictions rather than assuming the two programmes fund the same kind of placement. Read our Max Planck international research internship guide for the separate eligibility and application process.

Official application information

Read the official opportunity and application instructions.

Application form

Prepare your application against the organiser’s requirements, rather than relying on the headline alone. Check that documents are complete and that the application reaches the specified destination before the deadline. An application does not guarantee selection.

Independent publisher: Opportunities Feed shares information and is not affiliated with the organisation or recruiting on its behalf. Apply directly through the official channel.