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KHK CURE Fellowships 2027/2028 in Germany: Funded Research Fellowships Offering Up to €7,200 Per Month

Muhammad Chishti
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Applications are now open for the 2027/2028 Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation (KHK CURE) Fellowship Programme at Saarland University in Germany. The internationally oriented programme will offer up to 12 research fellowships to scholars working in cultural studies, the humanities, and social sciences for the academic year running from October 2027 to September 2028. The fellowships are offered pending approval by the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Successful applicants can spend between six and twelve months in Saarbrücken, Germany, conducting an independent research project while participating in the interdisciplinary intellectual life of KHK CURE. Depending on the applicable funding arrangement and the Fellow’s qualifications, financial support may take the form of a monthly stipend of approximately €6,100 to €7,200 before taxes, or institutional compensation to enable a salaried scholar to take leave from their home institution. Travel to and from Saarbrücken is also reimbursed once in accordance with the applicable Saarland travel-expense rules.

The application deadline is 30 November 2026. Applicants must have completed, submitted, and successfully defended their doctorate by that date.

About the Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation

The Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation, commonly referred to as KHK CURE, is an institute for advanced study located at Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany.

The Centre has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space since 2024 and brings together international scholars from different academic traditions to investigate questions surrounding reparation and irreparability.

The Fellowship Programme is a central component of the Centre’s work. Each year, KHK CURE brings up to 12 international scholars from disciplines concerned with culture to Saarland University as visiting researchers. Fellows work alongside the Centre’s directors, academic staff, and other Fellows while pursuing their own research projects.

The Centre aims to establish an international and comparative research environment in which scholars from different intellectual traditions can examine how societies respond to historical, social, environmental, political, and cultural forms of harm.

KHK CURE Fellowship 2027/2028 Research Theme: “Things”

For the 2027/2028 academic year, applicants must develop a project related to the annual theme:

Things

The 2027/2028 theme places particular emphasis on the material dimensions of reparation. KHK CURE is interested in objects, artefacts, material environments, and practices through which repair, reuse, mending, and related processes acquire cultural and political meaning.

Applicants should therefore consider how material objects and environments can participate in processes of reparation, both practically and symbolically.

The “Things” theme forms part of a four-year thematic sequence within the Centre:

Applicants for the current call must specifically apply for the October 2027 to September 2028 Fellowship year.

Understanding KHK CURE’s Research on Reparation and Irreparability

KHK CURE’s broader research programme examines the fundamental problem that many forms of damage cannot simply be reversed.

Examples include:

The Centre approaches reparation not merely as an attempt to restore a previous state, but as a process of building a future while recognizing that the consequences of past harm may remain visible, experienced, or remembered.

Economic compensation and legal remedies may be important aspects of addressing injustice, but KHK CURE’s research focuses particularly on cultural and social practices of reparation.

These can include:

The Centre investigates how these practices can respond to damage and create possibilities for future life even when past harms cannot be completely repaired.

Three Main KHK CURE Research Areas

Applicants must connect their proposed project to at least one of the Centre’s three principal research areas while also engaging with the 2027/2028 annual theme of “Things.”

1. History

The history research area deals particularly with memory politics and cultural responses to traumatic or suppressed pasts.

Relevant areas may include:

Researchers may investigate how societies remember, reinterpret, display, preserve, reconstruct, or negotiate histories of damage.

2. Experience

The experience research area examines lived experiences of damage, loss, injury, alienation, and displacement.

This can include issues such as:

Projects may consider how individuals or communities experience harm and how cultural practices contribute to rebuilding social relations and future possibilities.

3. Nature/Culture

The third area considers transformations in relationships between humans, nature, technology, and their environments.

It includes questions concerning:

KHK CURE particularly encourages perspectives that connect history, experience, and nature/culture rather than treating the fields as completely separate.

Who Can Apply for the KHK CURE Fellowships?

The general CURE Fellowship is open to scholars working in:

Applicants must have completed their PhD, meaning that the doctoral thesis must have been both submitted and successfully defended by the application deadline of 30 November 2026.

Candidates must also be professionally active in academia or research.

However, holding a formal university position is not mandatory. Independent scholars and freelancers may apply as long as they remain professionally active in academic or research work.

Can Artists Apply?

Yes, but the academic Fellowship has specific requirements for artists.

Artists are encouraged to apply if they:

An artistic practice alone without the required doctorate does not satisfy the eligibility criteria for this particular Fellowship call.

KHK CURE separately hosts artists-in-residence, including artists, authors, musicians, and filmmakers, but that arrangement is distinct from the academic Fellowship described in the current call.

Who Is Not Eligible?

The following groups cannot apply for the 2027/2028 KHK CURE Fellowship:

Applicants based elsewhere in Germany are not automatically excluded. German nationals and researchers employed at other German universities may apply as long as they satisfy all other eligibility requirements.

International Applicants Are Welcome

The KHK CURE Fellowship is internationally oriented and welcomes applications from qualified researchers regardless of nationality.

The Fellowship Programme is specifically designed to bring researchers from around the world to Saarland University and create an international and interdisciplinary cohort.

There is therefore no general restriction limiting applications to Germany, Europe, or European Union nationals.

Eligible researchers may apply from countries across:

International applicants who need immigration authorization for Germany may require a research visa under Section 18d of the German Residence Act. KHK CURE states that successful Fellows will receive advice and support with the visa process.

Fellowship Duration

KHK CURE Fellowships are awarded for:

A minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months.

Fellowships begin on:

1 October 2027

The relevant Fellowship year continues until:

30 September 2028

Applicants should therefore propose a project that can realistically be completed within the selected Fellowship duration.

Up to 12 Fellowships Available

KHK CURE expects to welcome up to 12 Fellows for the 2027/2028 academic year.

Selection is competitive. The Centre notes that the number of applications normally considerably exceeds the number of available positions.

One Fellowship is specifically allocated through the University of the Greater Region (UniGR), while the remaining Fellowships are funded through Saarland University and the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space.

Financial Support: €6,100 to €7,200 Per Month

One of the most significant aspects of the KHK CURE programme is its substantial financial support.

The Fellowship guidelines provide two principal funding models.

Funding Option 1: Monthly Stipend

Fellows who take unpaid leave from their home institution, as well as eligible independent scholars, may receive financial compensation through a stipend.

According to the official call, the stipend is approximately:

€6,100 to €7,200 per month before taxes, depending on the Fellow’s qualifications.

The Fellowship FAQ states that Fellows taking unpaid leave receive a monthly scholarship of at least €6,100 before taxes, depending on experience and qualifications.

The final financial arrangement will therefore depend on the successful applicant’s circumstances and qualifications.

Funding Option 2: Teaching Replacement

A Fellow who maintains their existing salary and employment benefits may instead have KHK CURE compensate their home institution for the cost of a teaching replacement during their stay at the Centre.

Financial arrangements under this route are coordinated individually with the Fellow’s institution.

Travel Support

KHK CURE reimburses expenses associated with travelling:

The reimbursement is made once in accordance with the Saarland Travel Expense Act.

Applicants should note that ordinary research or business travel undertaken during the Fellowship is not funded by KHK CURE.

Office and Research Facilities

Every Fellow receives a fully equipped individual workspace at the Centre.

In addition, Fellows gain access to Saarland University’s wider interdisciplinary research environment and become part of KHK CURE’s international academic community.

The University has extensive European and cross-border networks, including:

These structures contribute to the Centre’s wider international and interdisciplinary setting.

Accommodation in Saarbrücken

Modern accommodation at Saarland University may be arranged upon request.

For individual Fellows, accommodation is currently indicated at approximately:

€1,250 per month.

Fellows must generally pay their accommodation costs themselves.

The Centre’s FAQ separately states that Fellows whose partners or children live with them full-time in Saarbrücken can receive suitable family accommodation free of charge, along with assistance in locating childcare or schools.

Family Allowances

Family members may accompany Fellows to Saarbrücken.

Where eligible family members reside with the Fellow full-time during the Fellowship, the Centre states that additional monthly support may include:

Travel expenses for accompanying family members are not covered by KHK CURE.

Costs Fellows Must Cover Themselves

The Fellowship should not be described as covering every personal expense.

Fellows remain responsible for costs including:

Health insurance is legally required in Germany, and Fellows must ensure that appropriate coverage is in place.

The FAQ gives a broad indication that food expenses in Germany may range from approximately €400 to €800 per month, depending on household size and individual circumstances.

Fellows Must Live in Saarbrücken

This is not a remote Fellowship.

Successful applicants are expected to reside in Saarbrücken, Germany, for the Fellowship period and participate actively in the Centre’s research programme.

Fellows are expected to engage in activities such as:

Extended absences for long research trips or outside stays are not compatible with the programme.

With approval from the Centre’s Executive Committee, Fellows may also organize workshops or participate in teaching and other academic events with CURE’s research and cultural cooperation partners.

Independent Research Project Requirement

Every application must propose an independent research project to be carried out during the Fellowship.

The project must:

  1. Relate substantively to CURE’s broader research programme on reparation and irreparability.
  2. Connect to at least one of the three research areas: history, experience, or nature/culture.
  3. Engage meaningfully with the 2027/2028 annual theme of “Things.”
  4. Be academically original and feasible within the proposed Fellowship period.

The project’s intellectual fit with the Centre is a significant element of the selection process.

What Should the Project Description Contain?

The official FAQ provides particularly useful guidance on preparing the project proposal.

Applicants should include:

The entire project description, including the bibliography, must not exceed five A4 pages.

KHK CURE explicitly asks applicants to submit writing that reflects their own individual scholarly voice and states that AI-generated application texts are discouraged.

Application Documents Required

Applicants must submit their application through CURE’s official online application system by 30 November 2026.

The submission consists of several components.

Online Application Form

Applicants must complete the official CURE form, including an abstract and personal and academic information.

First PDF

Applicants must upload one PDF containing:

Second PDF

Applicants must upload a separate PDF containing:

The project document must not exceed five A4 pages and must clearly demonstrate how the proposed research connects with CURE’s programme, one or more of its research fields, and the annual theme.

Formatting Requirements

Application materials must comply with the following formatting specifications:

Applicants should ensure that their documents comply exactly with these limits.

Languages Accepted

Applications may be submitted in any of the following languages:

Candidates are therefore not restricted to submitting their materials in German.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated by the KHK CURE Academic Advisory Board.

Important assessment factors include:

The Centre also seeks diversity in academic traditions and cultures when creating each cohort.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity

KHK CURE expressly welcomes applications regardless of:

Applicants are assessed according to the Fellowship’s academic and formal criteria rather than nationality or ethnicity.

Special UniGR Fellowship

One of the available positions is designated as the University of the Greater Region Fellowship.

The applicant must satisfy all standard CURE Fellowship requirements and must also be employed in an academic position at one of the following institutions when applying:

Applicants must submit proof of employment.

Employees of Saarland University are specifically excluded.

The UniGR candidate is assessed through a parallel selection process by the same Academic Advisory Board.

Important Application Timeline

The principal dates for the 2027/2028 Fellowship cycle are:

Stage Date
Application deadline 30 November 2026
Selection outcome By the end of April 2027
Fellowship begins 1 October 2027
Maximum Fellowship period ends 30 September 2028

Applicants are asked not to contact the Centre about their application status before the announced notification period.

Application Confirmation

After submitting the online application, candidates should receive an automatic confirmation email.

Anyone who does not receive confirmation should contact KHK CURE directly using the contact details provided on the official application page.

Why the KHK CURE Fellowship Is a Significant Research Opportunity

The programme combines substantial financial support with an extended period of protected research time in an interdisciplinary Institute for Advanced Study.

For selected scholars, the Fellowship provides an opportunity to:

Its international scope and relatively broad disciplinary eligibility make the Fellowship particularly relevant to researchers whose work crosses conventional disciplinary boundaries.

Tips for Preparing a Competitive Application

Because the programme receives substantially more applications than available Fellowships, applicants should not submit a generic research proposal.

A competitive application should demonstrate a clear intellectual connection between the candidate’s existing scholarship and CURE’s research agenda.

In particular, applicants should ensure that the project clearly answers four questions:

Why reparation?
Explain precisely how the research contributes to questions of reparation, irreparability, damage, repair, or future-building.

Why “Things”?
Demonstrate a substantive rather than superficial relationship with the 2027/2028 theme.

Why CURE?
Show how the project’s theoretical and methodological approach benefits from engagement with the Centre.

Why this applicant?
Use the CV, publications, and motivation letter to establish the scholarly expertise required to complete the proposed project.

Because CURE specifically requests individually authored academic work and discourages AI-generated application text, applicants should prepare their proposal in their own scholarly voice.

Application Deadline

The final deadline to apply for the KHK CURE Fellowship 2027/2028 is:

30 November 2026

Applications must be submitted through the official online application form.

Official KHK CURE Fellowship Application Page

Conclusion

The KHK CURE Fellowships 2027/2028 at Saarland University provide an exceptional opportunity for established and early-to-mid-career postdoctoral researchers in cultural studies, the humanities, and social sciences to pursue an independent project in Germany within a highly international research environment.

With up to 12 Fellowships, a duration of six to twelve months, financial support potentially ranging from €6,100 to €7,200 per month before taxes, reimbursement of arrival and departure travel, dedicated workspace, and access to an interdisciplinary academic community, the programme provides substantial support for scholars studying reparation, irreparability, culture, history, experience, nature, and materiality.

For the 2027/2028 cohort, projects must engage with the annual theme “Things” and connect to at least one of the Centre’s research areas. Applicants must have completed and defended a doctorate by the 30 November 2026 deadline, and successful candidates will begin their Fellowship in Saarbrücken on 1 October 2027.

For more global opportunities, click HERE.

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