Extend your research collaborations and invite former guest researchers from abroad (research alumni) to return to KIT for a research stay! The International Scholars and Welcome Office (IScO) offers scientists of KIT the opportunity to re-invite guest researchers as “research alumni of KIT” for a short stay at KIT. For this, we will award re-invitation grants (reunion grants) of one to a maximum of two months’ duration.

1. Goals and Target Groups

1.Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) wishes to extend collaboration with research alumni after their research stay in Karlsruhe and to bind them to KIT even after they have left. Our grants for research alumni (re-invitation grants) are intended to initiate or extend KIT’s international research collaborations with them, to convince early-stage researchers of the excellent research opportunities in Karlsruhe, and to foster close ties between them and KIT.

In 2025, we offer grants for the following activities:

• Re-invitation of research alumni for a research stay of one to two months at KIT with the aim of conducting a joint research project with their host during this period, preparing and publishing a scientific publication, or jointly submitting a funding proposal for a collaborative research project to a funding organization. It is explicitly desired to establish future scientific collaborations between the research institutions and, in addition, to enable the exchange of early-career researchers who will be supervised by the hosts at KIT.

The hosting institutes are requested to contribute 50 percent of the costs. 
Only non-commercial projects can be funded.
 

2. Grant Period

The period for re-invitations of research alumni is the calendar year of 2025. Hence, the last possible start of a research stay at KIT is December 2025. 

The duration of the stay may be one to two months. This duration should be agreed upon with the host and IScO prior to the start of the grant. IScO can provide immigration law support to the usual extent, such as assisting in the preparation of a letter of invitation for third-country nationals.

Research alumni of KIT, who currently conduct research abroad, may apply for the grant. A support letter by the host is mandatory. In addition, the host has to make available a suitable workplace. 

3. Amount of Funding

The stay can be funded with a grant in the maximum amount of EUR 1500 per month. In case of shorter stays, the grant will be adapted accordingly (up to 375 € per week). In special cases, the stay may be shortened to not less than two weeks. Additional costs, such as travel expenses, cannot be reimbursed. For the duration of the stay, grant holders have to provide evidence of health insurance cover. The IScO staff may provide advisory support. The guest scientist is responsible for taking out insurance (such as liability, accident, health insurance); insurance through KIT insurance is not guaranteed. At the request of the host institute, the visiting scientist must provide proof of personal liability insurance against the risks typically associated with such a stay. In addition, it is mandatory to enter into an Visiting Scientist Agreement[1] with the research alumni.

4. Application Documents to be Submitted

All application documents may be submitted in the German or English language. Prior registration in the research alumni network with a profile on the research alumni world map is mandatory. Besides this, a registration at the KIT Alumni Network is mandatory.
Please submit the following documents:

• Application form
• CV
• Letter of support from the host expressing willingness to provide a workspace during the stay.
• A sketch agreed upon with the host, outlining the content of the research project during the research stay. 
• An information letter stating the current status or plans for future cooperation with the research alumni's institute in the foreign country.

5. Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by September 15, 2025. Complete application documents submitted in due time will be considered only. 

6. Selection Criteria

At least two of the following criteria should be met during the period of research alumni re-invitation and the expected added value (for the working group/ KIT) should be explained in the application:

• Execution of a joint research project
• Setup of a joint scientific publication
• Preparation of an application for funding for a joint future research project
• Initiation/ expansion of a cooperation (MoU) between the institute of the research alumnus and the KIT [2]
   

  [2] DE INTL can provide assistance in initiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the foreign institution.

7. Nomination

Kindly address your application in writing to the International Scholars and Welcome Office or send it by electronic mail (PDF) to researchalumni∂intl.kit.edu .
Please use the following application template.

8. Award Procedure 

A selection committee consisting of the following persons will decide on the awarding of the re-invitation grant: 

• Dr. Klaus Rümmele, Head of the International Affairs Business Unit (INTL),
• N.N., Head of International Welcome and Support Office, (IWSO),
• Oliver Schmidt, Head of International Cooperation and Projects (I-CoP),
• Agnes Honka, Head of the Alumni Group and Deputy Head of the Career Service and Alumni Unit, Innovation and Relations Management Business Unit (IRM),
• Dr. Birgid Langer, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Equal Opportunities Officer.

After preliminary notification of the selection decision, an agreement on the stay is concluded with the research alumni.

9. Final Report after the Stay

After the stay covered by the re-invitation grant, a short report must be set up, in which the project of the research alumni together with the host is outlined briefly. The report in the German or English language is to be sent to the email address given above at least six weeks after the end of the stay. We would very much appreciate your enclosing a joint photo of the research alumni and host. The report will then be published on the Website of IScO. 

As proof of use, confirmation from the institute and the research alumnus of the research alumni is sufficient that the sponsored period was spent at KIT as part of the project.

10. Legal Matters

There is no entitlement to funding. The funding is subject to the availability of funds.
The research alumni may be responsible for fulfilling the obligations which he/she has under German or foreign tax and social security law.

Irrespective of this, the KIT informs the tax authorities of the corresponding payments in accordance with the "Ordinance on Notices to the Tax Authorities by Other Authorities (Notification Ordinance of 7 September 1993, Federal Law Gazette I p. 1154 in the currently valid version) as well as the procedural regulations issued".

The research alumni is responsible for observing and complying with the legal provisions regarding their stay in Germany or the Schengen area (such as visa or registration requirements). The host institute can help arrange support.

This contract does not establish an employment relationship with KIT. The conclusion of an employment relationship in connection with the stay is excluded. The conclusion of this agreement does not entitle the research alumnus to an employment relationship. The research alumnus is not obliged to provide any specific consideration.

The details are regulated by written agreement (see above).

Downloads

• Call for application
• Application form 

KIT Contact: