Research School PLUS offers a bridge financing for those who just obtained their doctorate from Ruhr University. The Gateway Fellowships (GFs) grant a funding period of up to 9 months to provide excellent early career researchers with the opportunity to go to outstanding international host institutions for preliminary studies or preparing a postdoc project. In this way a GF fosters the development of your research profile and enables you to collaborate with the world’s best in your field of interest.

GFs serve as a bridge between the doctorate and the extended post-doctoral period of research careers and thus encourage and support you to pursue your scientific goal. A GF enables you to continue your research career at a very early stage, with the aim of obtaining a substantial international postdoctoral grant or research funding or a contract outside the RS PLUS program (via DFG, EU, DAAD etc.).That`s why we would like to send you “into the world” as early as possible after obtaining the doctoral degree.

GFs support research stays at renowned international universities, institutes or other organizations for six to nine months. You will receive a monthly stipend, depending on the host country, your age, marital status and children. Check this website to calculate your amount. The destination round trip is reimbursed separately.

Please also consider our Rules for Supplementary Work for Gateway Fellows.

Applicants must obtain or have obtained their doctoral degree from RUB recently. You can hand in your GF application prior to submitting/defending your dissertation. However, you must have submitted your thesis by the time the GF selection colloquium takes place. The final doctoral examination/defence must take place before the start of your GF project. The time period between obtaining your doctoral degree (date of final examination/defence) and the start of your intended fellowship project at the host institution must be in a time frame of 12 months and may not exceed this frame.

Any exceptions concerning the above regulations will only be conceded due to social criteria in line with the RS PLUS mission statement.

The reviewers will evaluate all applications according to the following criteria:

• Formal completeness of the application
• Comprehensibility of the application to a general audience
• International and scientific profile of the applicant
• Scientific quality and innovation of the project
• Fitting of the host (institution) to the research project
• Relationship between the project and the candidate’s previous research:The GF is not intended to fund incremental continuation or completion of your previous work.
• Importance of the project for the scientific career and international network of the applicant (perspectives to obtain third party funding, or job offers after the GF)
• Sustainable impact of the project on RUB’s international network
• Indication why your application supports your early international research career at this very moment.

Your application must contain the following documents:

• Doctoral certificate OR confirmation of thesis submission OR your supervisor’s confirmation that the thesis will be submitted prior to the selection colloquium
• Two letters of recommendation (one from your first PhD supervisor and from another experienced researchers in your field)
• An invitation letter from the prospective host organization
• References/literature

The review process lasts around 3 months and consists of two steps. On the basis of the written applications and expert reviews, the Executive Board selects outstanding candidates for an oral presentation of their proposed project. The colloquium takes place in front of an extended Executive Board Meeting including members of the Early Career Researchers Board and an additional expert of the respective research field. The colloquium will be announced at the RS homepage and will be open to RUB members. Taking the written applications, reviews, and the oral presentation into account the Executive Board will make the final decision.

You can access the online application form here.