International

For doc­tor­al can­di­dates

Wissenschaftlerin
Photo: Matthias Heyde

During the exciting time of your doctoral studies, you should not miss the opportunity to explore the world. Studying abroad and participating in international conferences are not only recommended but also crucial for building a global academic network.

On this page, you will find offers from Humboldt University for doctoral candidates to study abroad. Some offers are open to all doctoral candidates, some only to enrolled doctoral candidates, and others only to those with employment contracts. If you have specific questions, you will find contact persons in the individual programmes.

Erasmus+ is your key to European universities

    • Stud­ies

      Erasmus+ Europa

      Do you want to go to another European country for one to two semesters? With Erasmus+, you have many possibilities and solid financing. From the application to recognition: Find out here how it works.

    • In­tern­ship

      Erasmus+ Europa

      Students from HU and the Charité can receive Erasmus funding for internships abroad. You can find out here which allowances are available, the circumstances in which you can apply and what you should bear in mind.

      A man sticking his head out of a tent. Next to him, another man is sitting and looking at a tablet. In the background, you can see more people.

    • Teach­ing mo­bil­i­ty

      Erasmus+ Europa

      If you teach at HU, you can visit a partner university for a short teaching period as part of the Erasmus programme. You can find out here which funding is available for your project and what to bear in mind.

    • Fur­ther ed­u­ca­tion

      Erasmus+ Europa

      Through the Erasmus+ programme, HU staff members can receive funding for workplace-related further education and training abroad. You can read here about how this works and which funding is available for your stay abroad.

    • Stu­dents & doc­tor­al can­di­dates

      Erasmus+ worldwide

      Erasmus+ Partner Countries offers grants for partner institutions outside the EU. In addition to the main target group of doctoral students, bachelor’s and master’s students can also be funded in various formats.

Circle U. – European Higher Education Alliance

    • Cir­cle U.

      European higher education and cutting-edge research? The Circle U. university alliance is developing a joint international campus and offers a variety of opportunities for students, scientists and administrative staff.

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King’s College London

Undertake binational doctoral studies with the prestigious King's College London (KCL). The close collaboration between Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and KCL began in the 1990s and has evolved into a strong partnership.

Both universities offer a joint PhD programme, where doctoral candidates collaborate with supervisors from both universities. This not only enables an intensive research environment but also provides access to extensive academic resources at two renowned institutions.

Explore the opportunities of binational doctoral studies with King's College London!

    • Joint PhD with King’s Col­lege Lon­don

      Strategic Partnerships

      Since 2010, the joint PhD programme between Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and KIng’s College London offers students a unique opportunity to pursue a binational PhD, working with supervisors from both universities and spending at least one academic year at the partner institution.

Princeton University

Since 2012, Princeton University has been a strategic partner of Humboldt University of Berlin. As part of this university partnership, doctoral candidates have the opportunity to conduct research at Princeton University for a variable duration. Students who take advantage of this opportunity are exempt from paying tuition fees at the partner university during their research stay.

    • Prince­ton Uni­ver­si­ty

      Strategic Partnerships

      Princeton University was founded in 1746 and is one of the most prestigious institutions worldwide. Building on diverse and long-time collaborations at a faculty level, Humboldt-Universität has been part of a strategic partnership with Princeton since 2012.

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Short stays

If a longer stay is not feasible for you due to personal or professional reasons, but you still want to gain experience abroad, consider short research stays. Discover new ideas and build international networks through shorter research visits. Participating in international conferences or symposiums is an important element of graduate education. International networking is crucial for many doctoral candidates regarding their research and career prospects.

DAAD – Congress Travel Programme

The DAAD supports active participation (presentations) at international scientific congresses and conferences. For further information, please visit the DAAD website.

HU short-term travel grants

Language courses

Humboldt-Universität administers two programmes that can also be used to finance language courses for doctoral candidates. For the PROMOS scholarship, look for the Language Course (SP) programme.

    • PRO­MOS schol­ar­ship

      The PROMOS scholarship is aimed at students who do not receive Erasmus+ funding for their planned stay abroad and and are not going abroad as part of an Erasmus+ programme. Here you will find an overview of the conditions, the application procedure, the scholarship payments and the categories.

    • Fur­ther ed­u­ca­tion

      Erasmus+ Europa

      Through the Erasmus+ programme, HU staff members can receive funding for workplace-related further education and training abroad. You can read here about how this works and which funding is available for your stay abroad.

    • 29.10.2025

      16:00 — 18:30 ​

      Circle U.

      Cli­mate Change by Night: 4th Cir­cle U. Cli­mate Hub Hap­py Hour Event

      From rising night-time temperatures to artificial skyglow, this session will bring together researchers to examine the impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity and human health. HU researchers are invited to contribute by giving a poster presentation.

      Go to event page

    • 03.11.2025

      15:30 — 16:30 ​

      Online

      Circle U.

      Bridg­ing Bor­ders, Bridg­ing Gen­er­a­tions: COP30's Ap­proach to Cli­mate Ac­tion

      Interested in climate action and innovative, community-based approaches? Then we warmly invite you to our webinar! Join us to learn more about the concept of "Mutirão", a key concept of this year's COP30 climate conference in Brazil.

      Go to event page

    • 20.10.2025

      15:30 — 17:30 ​

      Online

      Circle U.

      Open Con­ver­sa­tion: Glob­al Health – What’s Next?

      How is global health evolving in an era of geopolitical shifts and financial uncertainty? Join students and experts for a thought-provoking online discussion to explore emerging global health dynamics and the roles of key international actors. Registration is open until 17 October.

      Go to event page