Minerva Fellowship Commission Meeting for the spring call 2026

Selection of 13 new Minerva Fellows

Due to the war situation in the Middle East region, the selection procedure had to be adjusted. 13 new Fellows were selected in this spring call.

Once again, the Minerva Foundation Fellowship Programme has awarded fellowships to outstanding German and Israeli researchers. 13 new Fellows started or are about to start their fellowship after the latest call. Due to the war situation, the commission meeting had to be postponed by several weeks. 
Originally the selection meeting was planned for March in presence. Because of the outbreak of the war in the Middle East Region, the selection procedure had to be adjusted. 

Since the outbreak of the current crisis, the Fellowship Programme has faced some of the greatest challenges in its more than 50-year history. As a result, the selection procedure for this call had to be adapted to the exceptional circumstances. The usual interview stage with members of the Minerva Fellowship Committee or external reviewers was omitted. In addition, the final selection meeting of the Minerva Fellowship Committee had to be conducted online rather than in person.

Despite these adjustments, the programme maintained its high academic standards and the careful evaluation of all applications. This year’s call once again attracted many highly qualified applications.

Since the programme was established in 1973, more than 2,000 fellowships have been granted, reflecting over five decades of successful academic exchange and cooperation. 

Due to various circumstances, the current call of the Minerva Fellowship Programme had to be postponed. The next call will be published in October 2026 and will include the link for the application platform. The deadline will be around mid-November 2026.

Further information about the Minerva Fellowship Programme and regarding the next deadline can be read here.