Humboldt Residency Programme 2027: Oceanic Horizons

The Humboldt Residency Programme 2027 offers twelve participants an opportunity to work across disciplines on Oceanic Horizons: Navigating the Future of Our Blue Planet. Organised by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, it combines collaborative work in Germany with public communication beyond academia.

If you are applying from Nigeria, first check whether your background fits one of the three participant categories. You must also be available for the entire in-person residency from 2 August to 10 September 2027. International participation is confirmed, but Nigerian citizenship eligibility is not explicitly stated.

Opportunity Summary

About the Opportunity

The annual theme examines connections between ocean health, human activity and planetary futures. Relevant subjects include marine ecosystems, pollution, coastal adaptation, the blue economy, ocean governance and the ocean’s influence on culture and identity. Applications are welcomed across disciplines where a relevant connection can be demonstrated.

The programme begins with a virtual kick-off on 29 June. Participants spend 2–13 August at Schloss Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg, followed by four weeks in Berlin until 10 September, with excursions to Northern Germany and the North and Baltic Sea coasts. Outputs are finalised remotely during September–October, followed by a virtual wrap-up on 26 October.

This is a collaborative residency rather than an individual research stay alone. You will need to explain both your subject expertise and how you could help communicate shared ideas to audiences outside academia.

Funding and Benefits

• A monthly allowance during the six-week residency. The amount is not stated.
• A travel allowance for the journey to and from Germany; its amount and payment arrangements are not specified.
• Two weeks of accommodation at Schloss Wiepersdorf and four weeks at an aparthotel in Berlin.
• A budget for public event formats or end-of-year outputs.
• Suitable family accommodation and assistance arranging childcare for participants travelling with dependent family members. The evidence does not state that childcare costs are covered.
• These benefits should not be treated as confirmation that every expense is covered. Check allowance amounts and any remaining personal costs before committing.

Who Can Apply?

• All applicants must demonstrate a relevant connection to the annual theme through their work or other engagement and attend the full in-person residency.
• Five places are for Humboldt Foundation alumni with relevant academic or professional expertise. Applicants must hold an academic position, be based outside Germany, have previously received a Foundation fellowship or award, and not be receiving funding through another Foundation programme when the residency begins in August 2027. They must demonstrate willingness and ability to communicate beyond academia; previous communication experience is not required.
• Three places are for early career researchers who hold an academic position and are based outside Germany. You must be pursuing a PhD or have completed it less than four years before the residency begins in August 2027. Relevant academic expertise, academic career potential, and prior science communication experience or experience connecting research with wider social and political contexts are required.
• Four places are for civil society practitioners with a demonstrated thematic connection and potential to spread the residency’s ideas. Eligible profiles include creatives and practitioners such as journalists, artists, entrepreneurs, campaign or NGO representatives, and consultants. Applicants in this category must not currently hold an academic position.

What Nigerian Applicants Should Know

• Citizenship: the call describes an international group but does not explicitly confirm Nigerian nationality eligibility or provide a nationality list. Seek clarification rather than treating eligibility as guaranteed.
• Residence: alumni and early career researcher applicants must currently be based outside Germany. Being based in Nigeria fits that location condition, but does not establish eligibility on its own. No equivalent residence condition is stated for civil society practitioners.
• Work permission and visas: visa support, sponsorship and applicable permission requirements are not stated. Verify the arrangements relevant to your circumstances; a travel allowance is not evidence of visa sponsorship.
• Professional recognition: the evidence does not specify Nigerian credential recognition or how the Foundation assesses an academic position. Clarify any uncertainty about your appointment.
• Remote participation: the virtual meetings and remote output phase do not replace attendance in Germany. Check that your employment, academic and personal commitments allow the full absence.

Required Documents

• Curriculum vitae: maximum three pages, in PDF format.
• Introduction video: maximum 60 seconds, introducing yourself and explaining your suitability. Record horizontally in 16:9 format and use mp4, mov, avi or mpeg. Upload it to Smash and share the link in the application form.

How to Apply

1. 1. Choose the appropriate participant category. Read its requirements carefully rather than assuming that relevant ocean-related work alone establishes eligibility.
2. 2. Check the official application page and its Frequently Asked Questions for further selection criteria. If your nationality eligibility, academic-position status or category is unclear, ask the programme contact before proceeding.
3. 3. Prepare your CV and introduction video. For the recording, use a quiet, well-lit setting and avoid backlighting or distracting noise. A smartphone is acceptable.
4. 4. Complete the Foundation’s online application, upload your CV and provide the Smash video link as instructed. Applications are accepted online only; the supplied evidence does not detail every form field.
5. 5. Review and submit by 14 December 2026. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. The selection committee is scheduled to meet in mid-February, with decisions expected at the end of February 2027.

Visit the official application page

Application Tips

Optional preparation: identify one specific connection between your work and the theme, then select evidence that demonstrates it. For example, a hypothetical applicant studying coastal flooding could explain how their research connects environmental change with community adaptation. Avoid describing a new interest as established experience.

For the video, prepare a short introduction covering who you are, your connection to the theme and your potential contribution to the group. Production quality is not assessed, so prioritise clear speech and a focused message rather than elaborate editing.

Before submission, check that your CV is a PDF of no more than three pages, your video meets the technical requirements, and the shared video link works. Confirm your participant category, relevant PhD dates or previous Humboldt funding where applicable, and availability for every residency day. The deadline is 14 December 2026, but no closing time or timezone is stated. Submit early rather than relying on a last-minute time conversion.

Information checked 10 November 2026.