SAFE Supporting Researchers at Risk in Europe Fellowship 2025

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About SAFE Supporting Researchers at Risk in Europe Fellowship

The SAFE Fellowship is an experimental initiative to protect researchers by offering 60 fully funded fellowships. The number of awards and their distribution depends on the selection committee’s decision and the fellowship duration, which ranges from 12 to 24 months and ends by August 2027. Fellowships conclude once a doctoral candidate defends their thesis, with funding continuing until the month after the degree is awarded.

With support from the Europen Union (EU) and a group of partners, the program addresses the critical need for protecting and including at-risk scholars in all fields of research and innovation. Eligible researchers can benefit from this opportunity, whether inside or outside the EU.

Host institutions will support the researchers with academic and research efforts. Only EU-based host institutions can apply on behalf of at-risk researchers, submitting one application per researcher. Additionally, host institutions in EU Member States receive and manage the fellowship funds, disbursing them to researchers via formal employment contracts. Institutions must ensure payments align with the specified amounts.

SAFE Fellowships has two tracks:

• Track 1: Non-EU at-risk researchers outside the EU, facing threats or recently fled without refugee or subsidiary protection status.
• Track 2: Non-EU at-risk researchers already within the EU with refugee/subsidiary protection or temporary permits/visas.

• Sponsor Organisation: European Union

Benefits of SAFE Supporting Researchers at Risk in Europe Fellowship

The EU provides the researchers with the following values through SAFE Fellowship:

PhD Researchers:

• • Gross Salary: €3,400/month
  • Mobility Allowance: €600/month
  • Family Allowance: €660/month (if applicable)

Postdoctoral Researchers:

• • Gross Salary: €5,080/month
  • Mobility Allowance: €600/month
  • Family Allowance: €660/month (if applicable)

For the host Institutions:

• • Research, Training, and Networking Costs: €1,000/month
  • Management and Indirect Costs: €650/month

Note: The host institution may request additional allowances for special needs.

SAFE Supporting Researchers at Risk in Europe Fellowship Requirements

Applicants and host institutions must meet these requirements to apply for the 2025 SAFE Fellowship:

Researchers: 

• Doctoral/PhD Candidates:
  • Enrolled in or recently started a doctoral/PhD program (within the last 5 years).
• Postdoctoral Researchers:
  • Possess a doctoral degree with up to 8 years of research experience.
  • Candidates who have defended their thesis but haven’t received the degree are eligible.
• Must possess necessary language skills for research at the host institution.
• Must be non-EU citizens.
• Must face or have faced risks such as discrimination, persecution, violence, etc., due to:
  • Armed conflict, civil unrest, or low academic freedom.
  • Academic work, political/social activities, or associations with threatened groups.
  • Personal identity (ethnicity, gender identity, religion, etc.).
• Track 1: Researchers outside the EU and the refugee process.
• Track 2: Researchers within the EU with protection status or temporary visas.

Host Institutions:

• Academic or non-academic research organizations must be established in an EU Member State.
  • Academic: Public/private higher education institutions or non-profit research organizations focused on research or technological development.
  • Non-Academic: Any socio-economic organization outside the academic sector.
• Must apply on behalf of the researcher and sign an employment contract covering the fellowship duration, including social security and benefits.
• Institutions without a suitable researcher can use the SAFE matchmaking service.

Required Documents 

The application documents checklist is as follows:

General Documents:

• Online Application: Complete via the online platform.
• Consent Form: Signed data processing consent (provided on the SAFE website).
• ID/Passport: Copies for the researcher and accompanying family members.
• Residence Permit: Current permit or visa (mandatory for Track 2 and Track 1 if based in a third country).

In addition to the general documents, applicants must submit the following criteria-based documents, too:

1. Excellence Criteria:

• Motivation Letter: Max 2 pages.
• CV: Max 3 pages, including academic achievements.
• Publication List: Max 10 pages, categorized with status (published, submitted)
• Top 3 Publications: 1-page explanation of key publications (mandatory for postdocs)
• External Assessment: Confidential letter from an academic in the same field.
• Academic Certificates:
  • PhD applicants: Master’s degree, transcript, proof of doctoral project start, progress report (3 pages)
  • Postdocs: Master’s, PhD certificate, and a 3-page PhD summary.

1. Implementation Criteria:

• Supervisor Statement: Confidential evaluation of the researcher and project alignment.
• Research Proposal: Max 15 pages.
• Time Plan: Include short-term visits or fieldwork if applicable.
• Hosting Plan: Signed by the host institution, detailing support and post-fellowship plans.
• Ethics Form: Self-assessment (provided on the SAFE website) and any necessary ethical documentation.

1. Impact Criteria:

• Risk Description Form: Details on the researcher’s risk status.
• Supporting Evidence: Dismissal notices, court documents, threats, or related humanitarian documentation (if available)

What should the Host Institution Confirm before applying on behalf of the at-risk researchers?

• The researcher meets eligibility and language requirements.
• Verify non-EU citizenship and valid travel documents
• Support for visas and residence permits.
• Employment contract with social security and adequate facilities
• Adherence to open science, EU visibility guidelines, and SAFE project communication standards

Selection Process and Criteria

The DAAD oversees a six-step selection process for the 2025 SAFE Fellowship as follows:

1. Eligibility Check: Applications review for completeness and adherence to eligibility criteria.
2. Preliminary Assessment: If applications exceed a 2:1 ratio (e.g., 120 applications for 60 spots), DAAD scores applications (up to 30 points) based on excellence, implementation, and impact.
3. External Evaluation: Independent experts score eligible applications (up to 100 points). Applications must score at least 60% per criterion and overall to proceed. A third review may be conducted in case of scoring differences.
4. Final Selection: A selection committee, including ethics advisers, ranks applications. The top 60 are funded, with 30 placed on a reserve list.
5. Notification: Results are sent to host institutions responsible for informing applicants. Institutions must accept funding within two weeks.
6. Fellowship Agreements: Campus France provides agreements outlining financial and reporting requirements.

Application Appeal Procedure:

Applicants may request a review within two weeks if they believe procedural errors occurred. Final decisions are binding.

Application Date and Process

Host institutions may submit only one application per researcher, which the institution’s head must endorse. Multiple submissions from the same institution or for the same researcher are unacceptable. The selection committee will evaluate only the first application. Applications must be complete and submitted in English (with English translations for non-English documents, except identification documents).

To apply, follow these steps:

• Applications must be submitted online by the host institution through the application platform using the link below, with a designated contact person employed by the institution.
• Required forms and documents, including an external assessment letter, will be available on the SAFE website. The host institution must submit the assessment letter separately.
• The online application platform will be open from 18 November 2024 to 20 January 2025, 23:59 CET. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• No changes or additional documents are submitable after the application is submitted, so ensure all documents are ready before submission. You can save drafts for later completion within the deadline.

Application Deadline

20 January, 2025

Scholarship Application Portal

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