Bayer Foundation Scientific Fellowships

Bayer Foundation Scientific Fellowships

You get up to 10,000 EUR for a research stay abroad that lasts up to six months. The money tops up your existing Master's, PhD or medical studies. Use it for a research project, an internship or an academic placement in another country. You also get access to events where you exchange ideas across disciplines. The Bayer Foundation in Leverkusen, Germany, funds these fellowships in four fields: drug discovery, agricultural science, medical sciences, and climate and health.

Who can apply

• Level: You study for a Master's or PhD, or you are a medical student (human or veterinary medicine). Bachelor students cannot apply.
• Field of study: Your studies must fit one of the four fields. Drug discovery and agricultural science are open to all scientific disciplines, including pharmacy and data science. Medical sciences covers medicine, medical engineering, applied medical sciences, data science in medicine and public health. Climate and health covers medicine, natural sciences, pharmacy, public health or epidemiology, focused on how climate change affects health.
• Where you go: If you study in Germany, you do your stay in another country. If you study outside Germany, you do it at a German research institution.
• Nationality: Any nationality worldwide can apply.
• Preferred applicants: The foundation especially welcomes women in science, people from low- and middle-income countries, parents with childcare duties, and people working in Germany who speak German as a second language.
• Not eligible: Postdoctoral researchers in medical engineering, applied medical sciences, public health or data science in medicine.

How to apply

You apply online through the Bayer Foundation portal, with all documents in English. The next application phase starts in November 2026. Apply only once per round, because sending several applications gets all of them rejected. A jury of Bayer staff and external experts decides.

How realistic are your chances?

In 2025 the foundation picked 62 fellows out of 396 applications, so roughly one in six succeeded. Each fellowship targets a specific research field and needs a concrete project abroad. A sharp, well-matched proposal counts for more than a broad CV. If your studies clearly fit one field and you can show a strong research plan, your prospects are solid.