DAAD ERA Green Hydrogen Fellowships 2025 for Foreign PhD Students
Are you a passionate PhD student ready to work on cutting-edge climate solutions? Here’s a high-impact opportunity you shouldn’t miss! The ERA Fellowships – Green Hydrogen Programme is now open for international PhD students interested in joining Germany’s green transition through research or internships focused on green hydrogen technologies.
This prestigious programme, administered by DAAD and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), offers comprehensive financial support and a chance to join elite international research working groups tackling climate challenges head-on.
About the Programme
Germany and the EU are aiming for climate neutrality by mid-21st century, with green hydrogen playing a pivotal role. The ERA Green Hydrogen Fellowships are designed to:
- Empower early-career researchers working on hydrogen production, infrastructure, market stimulation, and cross-cutting issues like regulation and policy.
- Promote international cooperation, strengthen the European Research Area, and foster interdisciplinary innovation.
- Establish sustainable working groups where fellows collaborate during and beyond their funding period.
Who Can Apply?
PhD students currently enrolled at universities in:
- EU member states, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and many other eligible countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
- Students must be working on topics related to Green Hydrogen and express willingness to actively participate in one of the four designated working groups:
- Green Hydrogen Production
- Transport & Infrastructure
- Market Stimulation
- Cross-Cutting Issues (policy, regulation, socio-economics)
What’s Funded?
Applicants can choose between:
- A research project at a university or research institution in Germany, or
- A self-organized internship in the Green Hydrogen field at a non-university institution or company.
Fellowship Benefits
The ERA Green Hydrogen Fellowship offers a comprehensive funding package designed to support international PhD students during their research or internship stay in Germany. Fellows receive a monthly stipend of €1,300, which covers living expenses. In addition, the fellowship includes full insurance coverage for health, accidents, and personal liability, ensuring a secure and worry-free stay. A travel allowance is also provided as a lump sum to cover international airfare.
For stays longer than six months, recipients are granted a one-time study allowance of €460. Furthermore, several additional benefits are available for longer fellowships, including a monthly rent subsidy and a family allowance for accompanying dependents. To ease the transition to Germany, selected fellows may take part in a pre-arrival German language course (2 to 4 months), with full coverage of course fees and continued language support through online courses or in-person training during the fellowship period. The fellowship also offers reimbursement for TestDaF or DSH exams, taken either in the home country or in Germany.
Additional benefits include support for carbon offset payments to encourage climate-friendly travel, a grant for conference participation, and financial support for fellows with disabilities or chronic illnesses to cover additional expenses not met by other sources.
Programs Offered (Research Themes)
Fellows contribute to one of the following interdisciplinary groups:
- Hydrogen Production – innovations in electrolysis, biohydrogen, etc.
- Transport & Infrastructure – storage, pipelines, distribution.
- Market Development – policy design, business models, incentives.
- Cross-Cutting Themes – regulatory, legal, socio-economic frameworks.
Eligibility Criteria
- PhD students must have:
- Graduated within the last 6 years
- Started their PhD no more than 3 years ago
- Not resided in Germany for over 15 months by the application deadline
- English proficiency required, but no formal test needed (must be confirmed in your invitation letter).
- Internship applicants must be currently enrolled and provide details of their self-organized internship in Germany.
Application Timeline
- Applications Accepted: Ongoing — Apply Anytime!
- Start Date: Fellowship can begin at the start of any month
- Deadline: Applications must be submitted at least 4 months before your intended start date
- Programme Funding Validity: Until End of 2026.
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