Financial Arrangements

The Wissenschaftskolleg is predominantly financed by public funds whose use the Rector must justify in accordance with the rules of public administration. The Rector concludes an individual agreement with each Fellow before his or her arrival that lays down the agreed specific conditions of the stay. This agreement is prepared by the Secretary of the Wissenschaftskolleg, who is available to answer your questions.

The financial agreement aims to enable the invited Fellows to stay at the Wissenschaftskolleg without reducing their income. Since the Wissenschaftskolleg itself has limited funds, we involve Fellows’ home institutions in the negotiations in advance: all Fellows are therefore asked to encourage their home institution or another institution to cover their salary entirely or in part. Another possibility to contribute is the use of a sabbatical.

1. Experience shows that the most suitable solution is a leave of absence at full pay. As a rule, university professors are given a paid leave of absence from their home institution for the period of their activity at the Wissenschaftskolleg. If necessary, the Wissenschaftskolleg reimburses the Fellow’s home university for the costs of a substitute, usually up to the amount of 60,000 €. This substitution should, if possible, be regarded as an opportunity to provide younger scholars or scientists with teaching experience, using funds from the Wissenschaftskolleg.
2. All Fellows are requested to look into the possibility of using a sabbatical.
3. If the home institution cannot contribute, whether because of the salary structure in the Fellow’s home country or because of the Fellow’s individual situation, Fellows receive a stipend for the period of their stay in Berlin. A Fellow’s additional income and the income of his or her partner cannot be considered in this calculation. The stipend is tax-free in Germany as long as it does not exceed the Fellow’s last salary. It is up to the Fellows to determine whether this tax-free status is recognized in their home countries. To establish the amount of the stipend, the Wissenschaftskolleg requires written certification of the Fellow’s salary in the year before the fellowship.
   For Fellows from research regions where the academic salary structures differ greatly from international standards, the Wissenschaftskolleg offers a stipend corresponding to the salary of a comparable position in Germany – minus any contribution that the home institution can make.
   The fellowship from the Wissenschaftskolleg does not constitute an employment relationship. For this reason, the Wissenschaftskolleg is not obligated to make social insurance contributions and, accordingly, does not contribute to pension or unemployment insurance.
4. If a Fellow’s home institution continues to pay his or her full salary during the Fellowship without asking for any reimbursement, the Wissenschaftskolleg will pay an additional stipend of 850 €/month to cover your local costs (meals and utilities). The same goes for Fellows for whom the Wissenschaftskolleg is required to provide only minor substitution costs (25% of the Fellow’s gross salary, at most, for an income up to a maximum of 240,000 €).
5. Emeritae and emeriti who come to the Wissenschaftskolleg with their full pension also receive a stipend of 850 €/month. Income earned from teaching assignments or the like after becoming an emeritus will be considered supplementary income and cannot be considered.
6. If the home institution can cover only part of the salary, the Fellow receives a stipend from the Wissenschaftskolleg to compensate the difference between his or her previous salary and this partial salary; other details of the individual case are also taken into consideration.
7. The Wissenschaftskolleg assumes the costs of the Fellows’ arrival and departure. Travel expenses for partners and children up to their 21st birthday who are still living in the household will be assumed once – within certain upper limits – if the fellowship lasts more than three months. As a rule, flights will be booked and paid for by the Wissenschaftskolleg; if Fellows prefer to do their own booking, the Wissenschaftskolleg will reimburse the costs of the least expensive available economy class ticket. Fellows who arrive by car will be paid for their fuel costs at a flat rate of 0.20€ per kilometer. The costs of a train journey will be reimbursed up to the price of a 2^nd-class ticket. Fellows residing at the Wissenschaftskolleg for a period of at least three months will be reimbursed for the costs of transporting working materials and luggage up to a maximum amount that depends on the home country and the number of family members accompanying the Fellow.
8. All foreign Fellows are requested to clarify whether their health insurance plan will provide adequate coverage for the period of their stay abroad. All foreign Fellows are requested to clarify whether their health insurance plan will provide adequate coverage for the period of their stay abroad. EU citizens (who have EU residency) generally have Europe-wide health coverage with their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Citizens of the United Kingdom can apply for a GHIC card (Global Health Insurance Card) and are thus also insured in Germany. In cases in which the Fellow’s health insurance fails to guarantee adequate coverage for the period of the Fellow’s residency at the Wissenschaftskolleg, the Wissenschaftskolleg can insure Fellows and their accompanying family members through a group policy with EUROPA Health Insurance, AG. The costs are to be covered by the Fellows.
9. The Wissenschaftskolleg recommends that Fellows buy liability insurance that also covers possible damage to the rental apartment or its furnishings. The Fellow Services can help arrange such insurance after the Fellow’s arrival.