Applications are now open for the 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships. This highly prestigious industry initiative is specifically designed to transform ambitious postdoctoral scientists into elite transformation leaders through a structured and comprehensive development program.
Join our Telegram Channel for Instant Scholarship Updates
By joining this active global research network, successful candidates will learn how to turn academic theories into practical societal transformations. This pathway provides the robust multi million Euro funding, extensive project running costs, and state of the art laboratory resources needed to excel in the competitive global higher education and public policy sectors.
2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships Program Summary Table
| Detail Category | Value Information |
|---|---|
| Host Organisation | Volkswagen Foundation |
| Target Audience | Postdoctoral Researchers and Junior Professors |
| Primary Benefit | 1.5 Million to 1.8 Million Euros and Position Funding |
| Program Type | Transdisciplinary Transformation Fellowship |
| Required Partners | At least One to a Maximum of Three Partners Outside of Academia |
| Support Duration | Four to Five Years of Guaranteed Funding |
| Application Status | April 6, 2027. |
About the 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships Program
The 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships program represents a premier portal into world class research and academic inquiry. Offered by the Volkswagen Foundation as part of its societal transformations profile area, this competitive funding system supports outstanding scientists who plan to perform advanced research on transformation processes. The initiative recognizes that overcoming the multitude of crises facing society today requires systemic change, and expects research to uncover planetary boundaries, research fact based options for action, and help find practical solutions.
Prospective scholars joining this cohort become members of a highly selective intellectual community that values cross disciplinary innovation. The foundation provides extensive financial and academic support, allowing selected fellows to focus entirely on advanced research projects while based at accredited universities or non profit research institutions in Germany. The proposed research must actively address societal problems and examine the factors that support or suppress change, using transdisciplinary methodologies to induce processes of real world change.
Why This Program Boosts Your Future Career
Earning a position within this legendary research network acts as an exceptional catalyst for your global academic career and professional trajectory. By securing these highly competitive Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research Grants, selected scholars can establish their scientific independence within a dynamic and internationally recognized host department. Collaborating with non academic stakeholders enables researchers to secure prestigious Postgraduate Societal Transformation Funding, allowing scholars to build a highly distinguished portfolio of peer reviewed publications that commands respect across international academic and policy circles.
Additionally, participating in this German fellowship prepares you to lead future scientific breakthroughs and secure substantial global funding. The program offers invaluable European Postdoctoral Transformation Fellowships that cover salary and project expenses, granting complete intellectual freedom to focus on innovative discoveries. Leveraging this structured Action Research Collaboration Grants model ensures you develop the comprehensive expertise required to obtain senior tenure track faculty positions, direct international research consortia, and manage transformative scientific projects globally.
Benefits of the 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships Program
- Substantial Salary and Funding: Receive between one point five million and one point eight million Euros to cover your own research position and staff salaries.
- Extended Project Security: Benefit from four to five years of guaranteed funding to execute your transformation projects without financial worry.
- True Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Work directly with one to three partners from outside of academia, such as non governmental organizations, associations, or civil society networks.
- Complete Creative Freedom: Enjoy the flexibility to design your own original research theme across any academic or scientific discipline.
- Additional Open Data Funding: Access dedicated supplementary resources to prepare your research data for reuse and make generated data available as Open Data.
- Lifelong Alumni Integration: Stay connected through robust alumni programs, which include return fellowships and future short stays in Germany.
Eligibility and Requirements of the 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships Program
- Academic Level: Open exclusively to exceptionally qualified postdoctoral researchers who completed their doctorate two to fifteen years prior to the application deadline.
- Faculty Status: Junior professors and newly tenured professors up to three years after taking up their first permanent professorship are highly eligible.
- Disciplinary Inclusivity: The fellowship is open to outstanding scholars and scientists representing all academic disciplines and fields of study.
- Transdisciplinary Prerequisite: Applicants must involve at least one and a maximum of three partners from outside of academia to ensure real world impact.
- Geographic Mobility: Open to domestic and international applicants, provided that the main scientific research is conducted in cooperation with a German university or research institution.
- Academic Integrity: Candidates must adhere to the rules of good scientific practice and principles of scientific ethics, including disclosing the use of generative artificial intelligence in application materials.
Required Documents Checklist
- Completed Online Application: A finalized candidate registration profile submitted through the official Volkswagen Foundation portal.
- Core Application Template: A detailed research description outlining your transformation methodology, project goals, and timelines.
- Comprehensive Curriculum Vitae: An updated professional CV of the main applicant following the official template.
- Institutional Declaration: A formal written statement from the hosting German university or scientific institution.
- Partner Letters of Intent: A signed letter from each non academic partner confirming their commitment to the joint research.
- Partner Affiliation and CV: Detailed background and resume information for each partner outside of academia.
- Data Management Plan: A written description of activities you will facilitate to manage, store, and reuse research data.
Five Phase Application Guide for the 2027 Volkswagen Foundation Change Fellowships Program
Phase 1: Research Design and Partner Outreach
- Identify an original, high impact transformation research topic that addresses a major societal challenge or crisis.
- Explore prospective non academic partners, such as civil society networks, non governmental organizations, or small businesses, and identify potential collaborators.
- Contact your chosen partners to discuss your proposed project and request their active participation and formal letters of intent.
- Ensure you obtain the full guidelines and templates from the Volkswagen Foundation portal to align your application materials.
Phase 2: Proposal and Template Preparation
- Draft your detailed research project proposal, ensuring it clearly emphasizes the transdisciplinary aspects of your work.
- Format your academic curriculum vitae and your non academic partner profiles according to the required templates.
- Secure the official institutional declaration from your hosting university or scientific department in Germany.
- Save all your prepared files as clear, high resolution PDF and DOCX documents on your primary device.
Phase 3: Online Portal Access and Registration
- Visit the official Volkswagen Foundation electronic application and grant management platform.
- Create your unique applicant profile using a professional and active academic email address.
- Confirm your registration by clicking the secure verification link sent to your email inbox.
- Locate the Change Fellowships funding opportunity within the system.
Phase 4: Profile Details and Document Upload
- Log in to your candidate account and fill out your personal information fields accurately.
- Upload your application template, curriculum vitae, institutional declaration, and partner letters of intent.
- Submit your data management plan detailing how you will store and share generated research data.
- Double check that all uploaded files are easily readable and completely free of password protections.
Phase 5: Selection Committee Review
- Monitor your registered email address regularly for updates from the evaluation board.
- Shortlisted proposals will be reviewed by an external scientific committee appointed by the foundation.
- Prepare to demonstrate your leadership skills, as the selection process focuses heavily on identifying individuals who can act as Change Agents.
Success Strategies
- Focus on Joint Knowledge Production: Do not treat your non academic partners as passive subjects. Clearly demonstrate how you will co design and co deliver the research alongside civil society stakeholders.
- Address the Translation of Findings: Explain exactly how the findings and strategies from your joint research activities will actively induce processes of societal change.
- Submit Your Portal Profile Early: Do not wait until the final hours to upload your documents, as server traffic can cause communication delays during submission.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Applying Without Non Academic Partners: Proposing a narrow, purely academic project that fails to involve the mandatory one to three partners from outside of academia.
- Neglecting Doctoral Graduation Timelines: Submitting an application if your doctorate was awarded less than two years or more than fifteen years prior to the proposal cutoff.
- Exceeding Specific Budget Ranges: Requesting funding that falls outside the specified limits of one point five million to one point eight million Euros.
- Omitting the Data Management Plan: Uploading an application package without the mandatory data management plan document.
- Failing to Disclose AI Tools: Using generative artificial intelligence tools during proposal development without declaring their use to the selection committee.
Application Deadline: April 6, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the main objective of the Change Fellowships? The program supports researchers from all disciplines who work alongside partners outside of academia to study transformation processes and induce positive societal change.
- Where is the fellowship hosted? Selected fellows will conduct their research at a university or recognized non profit research institution in Germany.
- What is the duration of the fellowship support? The program offers full funding and support for a duration of four to five years.
- What is the value of the fellowship grant? Successful applicants receive between one point five million and one point eight million Euros depending on their personal qualifications and project needs.
- Who is eligible to apply as a main applicant? Postdoctoral researchers two to fifteen years after their PhD, junior professors, and newly tenured professors up to three years after their first appointment are eligible.
- How many non academic partners must be involved? Applications must involve at least one and up to a maximum of three partners from outside of academia.
- What types of non academic partners can be included? Eligible partners include civil society networks, non governmental organizations, local associations, municipal authorities, and small businesses.
- Can international scholars apply for this program? Yes, the fellowship is open to qualified researchers of any nationality, provided the research is based at a German scientific institution.
- Is there extra funding for data reuse? Yes, the foundation provides additional resources to prepare research data for public reuse and to make generated data available as Open Data.
- Who should I contact for enquiries regarding this fellowship? For scientific questions, candidates can contact Dr Annabella Huefler Fick at huefler.fick at volkswagenstiftung.de (replacing the space in her name with a hyphen before sending), or call +49 511 8381 212. Administrative questions can be directed to Marjana Plazanic at plazanic at volkswagenstiftung.de or +49 511 8381 293.
