Funding

This page includes information on living expenses and ways to fund your research or teaching visit in Germany.

Living expenses

As a visiting scholar, you will need a minimum of €1,300 per person and per month to cover your living expenses in Trier. Renting a flat accounts for the largest share of your expenses which generally depend on your personal standard of living.

  • rent: ca. 600 Euros
  • public transport: ca. 80 Euros
  • food: ca. 200 Euros
  • phone, internet, TV: ca. 45 Euros
  • other (clothes, activities, etc.): ca. 100 Euros

Please be aware that you might have to cover insurance costs of several hundred Euros if you are not employed with a work contract. 

Different funding options

Funding your stay at Trier University can be by scholarship based on an agreement with partner universities, on a guest professorship at Trier University or on a regular employment contract with Trier University.

Please be aware that the required insurance depends on how you finance your stay in Germany: with a scholarship you do not have social security insurance and you must pay for your own health insurance. If you are employed by Trier University you will get an employment contract and you get social security and health insurance.

Funding institutions

You can receive a scholarship for a research/ teaching stay from either a German funding institution or a funding institution in your home country. 

German funding institutions

You need to enclose a letter of invitation by the hosting German scholar from Trier University to your application for a scholarship with a German funding institution. In order to find a host at Trier University or to get in touch with them, you can find information about the  professorships in the respective faculties and subjects here.

Funding institutions in your home country 

It is also possible to apply for a scholarship from a funding institution in your home country. Please enquire about the programmes and their requirements of such funding institutions directly.

Exchange programmes

Trier University has a wide network of partner universities around the world. The exchange with partner universities enables scholars to research and teach at Trier University within the framework of a guest residency 

University partnerships

Some partner universities offer their academic staff the opportunity of a research/ teaching stay at Trier University. For further information please contact the Head of the International Office at Trier University, Birgit Roser. An overview of our partner universities is available online. 

Erasmus+ mobility for teaching staff

In the case of a teaching stay within the framework of Erasmus+, specific requirements of the EU as the funding body need to be met: Funding needs to be applied for at the home university and the involved staff members of home and host institution need to sign a work plan. 

Guest residency at Trier University

Amongst others, Trier University can apply to the German Academic Exchange Service and the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) for guest residencies. You can find possible funding programmes for establishing a guest residency in the following data bases:

Regular employment at Trier University

The higher education system in Germany allows scholars to apply directly for a position at a university. In contrast to professors, research assistants are usually employed in temporary positions and are typically required to gain a qualification, such as a doctoral degree or the habilitation (post doctoral qualification). Positions for research assistants are available both at professorships and in research projects. If you have the required qualifications, you can apply directly for a position at Trier University. As a rule, unsolicited applications are not accepted.