Humboldt Residency Programme 2027 – Oceanic Horizons: Navigating the Future of Our Blue Planet

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s 2027 Residency Programme will bring twelve researchers, creatives and civil society practitioners together in Germany to explore Oceanic Horizons: Navigating the Future of Our Blue Planet. If your work connects with marine ecosystems, coastal communities, ocean governance, the blue economy or ocean-related culture, this may be relevant to you.

Applicants in Nigeria can consider the international call, but you must qualify through one of three participant tracks. You must also attend the entire in-person residency from 2 August to 10 September 2027. Applications are online only, with a deadline of 14 December 2026. Assessment is rolling, so prepare promptly without sacrificing the quality of your submission.

Opportunity Summary

About the Opportunity

The programme examines how ocean health, human activity and planetary futures interact. Its questions cover marine protection, sustainable resource use, renewable energy, biotechnology, coastal adaptation and competing interests in ocean governance. It also welcomes cultural, ethical and creative perspectives on humanity’s relationship with the ocean.

Participants will work together daily across disciplinary boundaries. The residency begins at Schloss Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg from 2–13 August, followed by Berlin from 13 August–10 September. Excursions to Northern Germany and the North and Baltic Sea coasts are planned; the call provisionally describes two trips lasting two to three days each.

The wider schedule includes a virtual kick-off on 29 June, remote finalisation of outputs during September–October and a virtual wrap-up on 26 October 2027. This is therefore not a remote-only opportunity or simply a six-week visit: you should plan for collaboration before and after your stay.

Funding and Benefits

• A monthly allowance during the six-week residency in Berlin and Brandenburg. The amount is not stated, so do not assume it covers every personal expense.
• A travel allowance for the journey to and from Germany. The amount and payment arrangements are not stated.
• Accommodation for two weeks 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. Childcare assistance should not be interpreted as confirmed payment of all childcare costs.

Who Can Apply?

• All applicants must demonstrate a relevant connection to the annual theme through their work or other engagement. All disciplines are welcome, including innovative and creative approaches.
• Five places are for Humboldt Foundation alumni with relevant academic or professional expertise. Applicants must have previously received a Foundation fellowship or award, hold an academic position, currently be based outside Germany, and not be receiving funding through another Foundation programme at the start of the residency 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 are pursuing a PhD or will have completed it less than four years before the residency starts in August 2027. They must hold an academic position, currently be based outside Germany, have a clear theme-related academic profile and academic-career potential, and have experience in science communication or connecting research with wider social and political contexts.
• Four places are for civil society practitioners who do not currently hold an academic position. Applicants must demonstrate theme-related previous work and potential to spread the residency’s ideas. Relevant profiles include creatives, journalists, artists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, campaign or NGO representatives and consultants.
• Full in-person participation from 2 August to 10 September 2027 is mandatory.

What Nigerian Applicants Should Know

• Citizenship: the call is international and provides no explicit nationality list or Nigeria-specific statement. Applicants in Nigeria may apply if they meet the relevant participant-track criteria.
• Residence: Humboldt alumni and early career researchers must currently be based outside Germany and hold an academic position. Civil society practitioners must not currently hold an academic position.
• Location: applying from Nigeria does not permit remote attendance instead of the German residency. Full physical attendance is mandatory; only specified meetings and output-finalisation work are remote.
• Immigration and work permission: visa support, sponsorship and applicable permission requirements are not stated. Verify the arrangements with the Foundation and relevant official authorities before making travel commitments.
• Professional recognition: the supplied call does not state any Nigerian qualification-recognition or professional-registration requirement. Ask the Foundation if your circumstances need clarification.
• Budgeting: allowance amounts and complete expense coverage are unknown. Confirm payment timing, travel arrangements and any costs you would bear before accepting a place.

Required Documents

• Curriculum vitae: maximum three pages, in PDF format.
• Introduction video: maximum 60 seconds, explaining who you are and why you are suited to the programme. Accepted formats are mp4, mov, avi and mpeg. Record horizontally in 16:9 format, upload to Smash and share the link in the application form.

How to Apply

1. 1. Read the official call and its linked frequently asked questions. Identify your participant track and check any uncertainty about your position, PhD timing or previous Humboldt funding before proceeding.
2. 2. Confirm your availability for the virtual meetings, the full German residency and subsequent output work. Arrange any necessary discussion about leave from your current responsibilities before committing.
3. 3. Prepare your three-page maximum PDF CV and introduction video. Use relevant examples to make your thematic connection clear, while following the stated video format and length requirements.
4. 4. Upload the video to Smash and retain the sharing link. Check that it opens and plays before adding it to the application.
5. 5. Complete the Foundation’s online application, upload your CV and provide the video link. The supplied call identifies these two required items; verify any additional form requirements directly rather than assuming other documents are necessary.
6. 6. Review and submit by 14 December 2026. 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

Start by checking your participant track before drafting your application. A connection to the ocean theme is essential, but it does not replace the academic-position, career-stage or professional-profile rules. If your role combines academic and non-academic work, seek clarification rather than assuming you fit the civil society track.

Optional preparation advice: choose two or three examples that show what you have done, how it relates to the theme and what perspective you could contribute. Hypothetical example: a filmmaker documenting coastal erosion could explain how community storytelling might inform a public discussion on adaptation. This illustrates relevance; it is not a prescribed project topic.

For the video, practise a short introduction covering your work, thematic connection and reason for joining. Production quality is not assessed, so prioritise clear speech and a focused message over elaborate editing. Use a quiet, well-lit setting, avoid backlighting and distracting noise, and record horizontally in 16:9 format.

Final submission check: confirm your CV is a PDF of no more than three pages, your video is no longer than 60 seconds, and the shared video link works. Check that your application accurately describes your current position and availability for all six weeks. Submit by 14 December 2026; rolling assessment does not remove that deadline. Decisions are expected at the end of February 2027.

Information checked 10 November 2026.