FAQ: Quick answers to common questions

Applications may be submitted by scholars in the humanities and cultural studies who have completed a PhD (submitted and defended) by the application deadline. Applicants must also be actively engaged in research or artistic practice (including independent artists or scholars, or applicants looking for employment).
Artists who hold a doctorate and have experience in academic collaboration are also encouraged to apply for a fellowship.

No, only candidates who have submitted and successfully defended their doctorate may apply for a fellowship at the Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation (CURE).

Application materials may be submitted in German, French, or English.

Calls for applications are typically published in early October. The deadline for the current round of applications is 15 December 2025.

Applications are reviewed together with the Centre’s Academic Advisory Board. We will notify applicants by the end of April 2026. Until then, please avoid inquiries about the status of your application.

The selection process emphasizes the proposed project’s academic quality, originality, and conceptual alignment with the centre’s shared research agenda. We also consider applicants’ qualifications, motivation, and career stage. The final selection aims to ensure a well-balanced cohort, ensuring a diversity of academic cultures.

KHK CURE is expressly committed to diversity and welcomes applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/worldview, disability, age, or sexual orientation and identity.

Yes. Applicants based in Germany or at German research institutions are eligible to apply, provided they meet the criteria set out in the call for applications.

The only exception is employees of Saarland University, who are not eligible because of funding guidelines from the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Yes. Employment or institutional affiliation is not required to apply.

However, if you are employed, you must be granted leave or exemption from duties for the full duration of the fellowship. It is not possible to receive a salary or stipend from another source while holding the fellowship.

Artists are welcome to apply, provided they meet the formal requirements: you must hold a doctorate and have experience collaborating with academic scholars. Your application must include a research-based independent project that engages with the core questions taken up by KHK CURE.

Yes, as long as your new application still meets the requirements of the current call, you are very welcome to reapply.

Fellowships are usually awarded for ten to twelve months, starting on 1 October of the relevant year.

Up to twelve fellowships are awarded annually. One fellowship is funded by the University of the Greater Region (UniGR) and is open exclusively to scholars employed at one of its partner universities at the time of application (except for Saarland University). These partner institutions are the University of Trier, the University of Liège, the University of Luxembourg, the University of Lorraine, and RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. This UniGR fellowship is awarded through a separate selection process.

Another fellowship is funded by Saarland University. All remaining fellowships are supported by the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Accommodation in modern apartments is provided to fellows free of charge, and accommodation for families can also be arranged if required. Travel expenses to and from Saarbrücken for fellows will also be reimbursed once pursuant to the Saarland Travel Expense Act (SRKG).

Fellows are also given fully equipped individual offices and access to the interdisciplinary research environment at Saarland University. There are two funding models. Fellows on unpaid leave from their home institution receive a monthly scholarship of at least 6,100 euros before taxes, based on experience and qualifications. Candidates without institutional affiliation are also eligible for a scholarship. Fellows who continue to draw a salary from their home institution may request that KHK CURE cover the cost of teaching replacement. All financial arrangements are negotiated individually with the fellow’s home institution.

Fellows are themselves responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance cover (health insurance, public liability insurance, and personal accident insurance), taking into account any pre-existing medical conditions. Fellows must provide proof of insurance cover to KHK CURE before commencing their research activities. In the case of scholarships and payments for allowances, fellows are also directly responsible for verifying any tax-exempt status with their responsible tax office or paying any applicable taxes.

Yes – fellows are expected to take an active part in the centre’s research programme and to be regularly present throughout the fellowship period.

No – KHK CURE does not fund research or business travel during the fellowship. However, travel to and from Saarbrücken at the beginning and conclusion of the fellowship is reimbursed pursuant to the Saarland Travel Expenses Act.

Yes. Partners and children are welcome to join fellows for the duration of the fellowship. Suitable family accommodation is provided free of charge. KHK CURE and Saarland University also offer support in finding childcare or school placements. Fellows with family members residing with them full-time in Saarbrücken receive an additional monthly family allowance of 100 euros for the partner and 400 euros for the first child under eighteen years old, and 100 euros for each additional child under eighteen years old. Travel costs for family members to and from Saarbrücken must be covered by the fellows themselves.

Fully furnished apartments including utilities are provided free of charge near the centre. Monthly food costs in Germany typically range between 400 and 800 euros, depending on household size and personal needs. This figure is a general guideline. Fellows are eligible for a subsidised Deutschlandticket(known as a Jobticket when purchased through an employer), allowing unlimited travel across almost all regional and local public transport in Germany for around 41 euros per month.

Fellows are not covered by KHK CURE or Saarland University for liability, health, or accidents. You must arrange and pay for these insurances yourself. Health insurance is legally required in Germany and must be in place before visa application or the start of the fellowship.

While not mandatory, accident and liability insurance are strongly recommended. You should check with your current insurer whether your policy covers overseas stays and take out additional cover if needed.

Personal data of applicants is collected and processed for the purpose of managing applications and identifying the most suitable candidates for the fellowship. Data is processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).