Postdoctoral fellowships are assessed on your research record and your proposed project together with the fit of your host. The eligibility window measured from your doctoral award date is usually the hardest constraint, and it is not negotiable.
EPFL offers postdoctoral fellowships for outstanding AI researchers to develop interdisciplinary research with at least two EPFL AI Center laboratories.
EPFL offers postdoctoral fellowships for outstanding AI researchers to develop interdisciplinary research with at least two EPFL AI Center laboratories.
DestinationSwitzerlandStudy levelPostdoctoralFundingTuition and stipendApply byNov 9, 2026
Slovak government-funded mobility scholarships administered by SAIA for international master's-level students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists undertaking eligible stays at institutions in Slovakia.
Slovak government-funded mobility scholarships administered by SAIA for international master's-level students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists undertaking eligible stays at institutions in Slovakia.
Campus France administers the French-government-funded 2027 Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) visiting research fellowships for eligible early-career international PhD holders undertaking a 12-month environmental or climate research stay at a French host laboratory. Applications close 15 December 2026. This fellowship is neither a degree scholarship nor a French employment contract.
Campus France administers the French-government-funded 2027 Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) visiting research fellowships for eligible early-career international PhD holders undertaking a 12-month environmental or climate research stay at a French host laboratory. Applications close 15 December 2026. This fellowship is neither a degree scholarship nor a French employment contract.
OeAD – Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
The Ernst Mach Grant – Worldwide supports eligible PhD students, early-career researchers and university lecturers from outside Austria undertaking a 1–9-month supervised research stay at an Austrian university in academic year 2027/28. This is not a full-degree scholarship; applications close on 1 December 2026.
The Ernst Mach Grant – Worldwide supports eligible PhD students, early-career researchers and university lecturers from outside Austria undertaking a 1–9-month supervised research stay at an Austrian university in academic year 2027/28. This is not a full-degree scholarship; applications close on 1 December 2026.
DestinationAustriaStudy levelDoctoral, Postdoctoral, Other levelFundingNot specified by providerApply byDec 1, 2026
King Abdulaziz University and its Scientific Endowment support publication fees for eligible scientific research by KAU faculty members, postgraduate students, and KAU scholarship students abroad, with separate eligibility conditions for each track.
King Abdulaziz University and its Scientific Endowment support publication fees for eligible scientific research by KAU faculty members, postgraduate students, and KAU scholarship students abroad, with separate eligibility conditions for each track.
The Indian Institute of Science is accepting applications for its Institution of Eminence Postdoctoral Fellowship. IISc departments state that applications are accepted throughout the year, with candidates first identifying a faculty member whose research aligns with the proposed postdoctoral work.
The Indian Institute of Science is accepting applications for its Institution of Eminence Postdoctoral Fellowship. IISc departments state that applications are accepted throughout the year, with candidates first identifying a faculty member whose research aligns with the proposed postdoctoral work.
The Indian Institute of Science is accepting rolling applications for the highly selective C.V. Raman Postdoctoral Fellowship. IISc states that the programme has 50 postdoctoral positions and accepts applications at any time during the year.
The Indian Institute of Science is accepting rolling applications for the highly selective C.V. Raman Postdoctoral Fellowship. IISc states that the programme has 50 postdoctoral positions and accepts applications at any time during the year.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation is accepting 2026 nominations for the Ramanujan Fellowship, a five-year fellowship designed to bring outstanding Indian and Indian-origin scientists and engineers working abroad into scientific research positions in India. Nominations remain open through 31 December 2026.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation is accepting 2026 nominations for the Ramanujan Fellowship, a five-year fellowship designed to bring outstanding Indian and Indian-origin scientists and engineers working abroad into scientific research positions in India. Nominations remain open through 31 December 2026.
DestinationIndiaStudy levelPostdoctoral, Other levelFundingStipend fellowshipApply byDec 31, 2026
EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships support international mobility and advanced postdoctoral research in the life sciences for up to two years at an eligible host laboratory.
EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships support international mobility and advanced postdoctoral research in the life sciences for up to two years at an eligible host laboratory.
DestinationEMBC member states, Associated global destinationsStudy levelPostdoctoralFundingStipend fellowshipApply byJan 22, 2027
The DAAD United States applicant route funds eligible doctoral researchers and recent postdoctoral researchers undertaking a defined research project in Germany beginning in 2027.
The DAAD United States applicant route funds eligible doctoral researchers and recent postdoctoral researchers undertaking a defined research project in Germany beginning in 2027.
The 2027 MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowship supports an experienced researcher and host organisation carrying out an international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral research and training project. Researchers of any nationality undertake a 12–24 month fellowship in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country.
The 2027 MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowship supports an experienced researcher and host organisation carrying out an international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral research and training project. Researchers of any nationality undertake a 12–24 month fellowship in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country.
DestinationEuropean Union, Horizon Europe associated countriesStudy levelPostdoctoralFundingTuition and stipendApply bySep 8, 2027
The 2027 MSCA Global Postdoctoral Fellowship supports an experienced researcher and host organisation carrying out an international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral research and training project. European nationals or long-term residents undertake a 12–24 month outgoing phase outside Europe followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase.
The 2027 MSCA Global Postdoctoral Fellowship supports an experienced researcher and host organisation carrying out an international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral research and training project. European nationals or long-term residents undertake a 12–24 month outgoing phase outside Europe followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase.
DestinationGlobal, European UnionStudy levelPostdoctoralFundingTuition and stipendApply bySep 8, 2027
Ministry of Education Culture Sports Science and Technology Japan
The official MEXT 2027 embassy-recommendation route covers research students arriving in April or September/October 2027. Embassies and consulates set country-specific application deadlines and first-screening schedules.
The official MEXT 2027 embassy-recommendation route covers research students arriving in April or September/October 2027. Embassies and consulates set country-specific application deadlines and first-screening schedules.
DestinationJapanStudy levelMaster’s, Doctoral, PostdoctoralFundingFully fundedApply byDeadline to be confirmed
Fellowships normally provide a salary or stipend for one to three years, research and mobility costs, and sometimes a contribution to the host institution. Some are portable across institutions; others are tied to a named host and cannot be transferred.
Eligibility
Eligibility patterns to check first
Eligibility windows are measured in years since the doctoral viva or award date, commonly two to eight.
Mobility rules frequently exclude applicants who have recently worked in the host country.
A confirmed host supervisor and institutional support letter are usually mandatory.
Career-break extensions to the eligibility window normally require documentation.
Some schemes exclude applicants who already hold a permanent academic position.
Deadlines
How the deadlines work
Major fellowship schemes run annual rounds with deadlines concentrated between September and December. Host institutions typically impose internal deadlines several weeks earlier for institutional endorsement.
Applying
Application advice for this search
Confirm your eligibility window against the exact date definition the scheme uses.
Approach hosts at least three months before the deadline; institutional endorsement takes time.
Document any career break early, as retrospective extensions are difficult.
Check whether the fellowship is portable before committing to a host.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How is the postdoctoral eligibility window measured?
Schemes differ: some count from the viva date, some from the formal degree award, and some from thesis submission. The difference can be several months, so read the definition rather than assuming.
Can I apply for a fellowship in the country where I did my PhD?
Often not, or at a disadvantage. Mobility rules in European schemes commonly exclude applicants who have spent more than a set period in the host country in the preceding years.
