EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships — Call for Applications

EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships support excellent postdoctoral researchers throughout Europe and worldwide for up to two years. International mobility is a key requirement. The fellowship includes a salary or stipend, a relocation allowance, and support for fellows with children. Awardees can attend an EMBO Laboratory Leadership course and become part of the global EMBO Fellows network.

EMBO considers a first-author refereed preprint equivalent to a first-author publication as one of the eligibility and assessment criteria for the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme. Please read the EMBO guidelines for the definition of a refereed preprint.

Applications accepted throughout the year.
Next cutoff date (hard deadline): Friday, 23 January 2026, 14:00 CEST.

Application details: https://www.embo.org/funding/fellowships-grants-and-career-support/postdoctoral-fellowships/

EMBO Fellowship Benefits

EMBO provides grants for host institutions in EMBC Member States to issue employment contracts to EMBO Fellows. Fellows working in countries outside EMBC Member States will receive a stipend. EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships are normally awarded for two years, although shorter durations can be requested. The minimum fellowship duration that can be requested is one year. Fellowships must be started within one calendar year from the relevant evaluation cut-off.

Eligibility — Main Criteria

• Applicants must hold a doctorate or equivalent at the start of the fellowship.
• Applicants who already hold a PhD are eligible only if they obtained it during the two years prior to the application submission date.
• Applicants must have at least one first-author publication accepted in, or published in, an international peer-reviewed journal at the time of application. A first-author preprint with public in-depth peer reviews is also sufficient for eligibility provided the reviews were verifiably obtained from an independent peer review service. Informal comments, highlights and reviews posted by individuals are excluded. See EMBO preprint guidelines for details.
• International mobility is mandatory. Applications must involve movement between countries. (See the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships guidelines for full mobility rules.)
• Applications to go to the country in which the PhD was obtained will not be considered.
• Applications to return to a laboratory where the candidate has worked in the past for more than six months (in one or several visits) will not be considered.
• Applications to be held in the laboratory, institute or department in which the candidate obtained the PhD, or to work again with the candidate’s PhD supervisor, will not be considered.
• Candidates who have already started working in the host laboratory can apply only if they have been working there for less than six months at the time of application.
• Candidates may submit only one application for one project at one host laboratory per selection round.
• Reapplication is permissible only once.
• Projects that are a direct continuation of the PhD work are not eligible.

Exceptions to the eligibility rules may be made for applicants with extraordinary personal circumstances (e.g., parental leave, severe illness, military service). These are assessed case-by-case and must be discussed with the Fellowship Office prior to applying. Submitted applications outside eligibility criteria will be deemed ineligible unless prior approval from the Fellowship Office has been obtained.

For full details, read the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships guidelines:
http://www.embo.org/documents/PDF/Postdoctoral_Fellowships_guidelines.pdf

Application Process

Applications and supporting documentation (including two references and host institute acceptance) are accepted only via the online application system. Only fully completed applications will be considered. Carefully read the FAQs and the EMBO guidelines before applying.

Important notes on timing and rounds:

• The date (CEST/CE(S)T) when a candidate confirms their application is complete is the reference date for eligibility and evaluation.
• EMBO accepts applications throughout the year and routes them into one of two evaluation cycles depending on submission timing:
  • Spring evaluation: includes all eligible applications submitted by the second Friday of February, 14:00 CET. Results announced end of May / early June.
  • Autumn evaluation: includes all eligible applications submitted by the second Friday of July, 14:00 CEST. Results announced end of November / early December.
• Registration alone is not sufficient to enter an evaluation round — the application must be completed and confirmed before the deadline. Applications completed after the deadline will enter the next evaluation round. No exceptions.

Apply here:
https://www.embo.org/funding/fellowships-grants-and-career-support/postdoctoral-fellowships/application/

Selection Process

1. All applications are initially reviewed by the EMBO Fellowships Office for completeness and eligibility.
2. Eligible applications are sent to the Fellowship Committee for pre-screening. About twice the number of available fellowships are selected for an interview (~25% of applications). During pre-screening the committee reviews a condensed application form including the applicant’s main achievements, three key publications, summary and significance of proposed work, justification for the host lab choice, and reference/acceptance letters.
3. Applicants passing pre-screening are assigned an interviewer selected from EMBO Members and EMBO Young Investigators. If a personal or video interview cannot be arranged, the application may be sent for written evaluation.
4. The Fellowship Committee evaluates based chiefly on:
   • Previous scientific achievements of the applicant
   • Novelty and biological significance of the proposed research (projects that directly continue the PhD topic usually receive lower priority)
   • Appropriateness of the host laboratory for the proposed research and training
5. The Fellowship Committee then meets to make final funding decisions. Typically, the outcome is known 16–18 weeks after the evaluation deadline and is communicated to applicants by email after the committee meeting.

Interviews: Normally scheduled 6–12 weeks after the evaluation deadline. Interviews are conducted remotely and last 90 minutes. The interview is arranged at the interviewer’s convenience; the applicant is responsible for contacting the interviewer to schedule.

Read the full guidelines for more information.

FAQs

PhD and degree related questions

Q: I am still pursuing my PhD studies. Can I apply?
A: Yes. If awarded, you must provide your PhD degree before the fellowship start date. You must also start the fellowship within 9 months of the offer.

Q: I already have a PhD. Can I apply?
A: Yes, but you are eligible only if you submit your application within two years of your PhD award date. Example: if your PhD was awarded on 1 January 2021, you must submit by 1 January 2023.

Q: I missed the two-year limit after my PhD. Can I get an exception?
A: Exceptions may be granted for official career breaks (parental leave, mandatory military service, severe illness, etc.). Contact the Fellowships Office before applying — applications without prior approval for an exception will be deemed ineligible.

Q: I have an MD rather than a PhD. Can I apply?
A: Yes, if you have research experience comparable to a PhD and meet other eligibility criteria. If uncertain, contact fellowships@embo.org with an updated CV and a short summary proposal. Ensure your CV lists current/past positions, publications and previous funding.

Q: What counts as the date of PhD award?
A: Doctoral systems differ by country. Check with the institution that awarded your degree for the official date used on your diploma.

Mobility-related questions

Q: I want to pursue my fellowship in a non-EMBC Member State (e.g., US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand). Can I apply?
A: Yes, but only if all three conditions are met: (1) you are a national of an EMBC Member State; (2) you completed your PhD in an EMBC Member State; and (3) you are moving from an EMBC Member State. See the list of EMBC Member States on the EMBO website.

Q: I want to pursue my fellowship in an EMBC Member State. Can I apply?
A: Yes — regardless of nationality or PhD country — provided there is a change of country and you meet other eligibility requirements.

Q: I have been living or working in the country where I obtained my PhD. Can I apply to pursue my fellowship there?
A: No. Applications to work in a country where you obtained your PhD are not eligible.

Q: I am already at my host institute/country. Can I apply?
A: Yes, only if you have been in the institute/country for less than six months. For example, if you started at the institute on 1 June 2022, you must submit the application by 1 December 2022 to remain eligible.

Q: I previously conducted research visits in the country where I intend to undertake my fellowship. Can I apply?
A: Yes, provided those visits total less than six months (combined) in that country.

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