Future Talent

Guest Stay

To attract the best young research talents worldwide and create a vibrant international scientific community, ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay invites exceptional young researchers from abroad to visit TU Darmstadt and discover research and career opportunities.

Future Talents is guided by the understanding that the decision for a postdoc and an academic career is a deliberate choice. Therefore, the programme offers a chance to convince yourself of the excellent research conditions at TU Darmstadt on-site.

Your ´Future Talent` Guest Stay can last from a few days to max. 6 weeks. It is supposed to make way to get to know each other and to explore concrete possibilities of cooperation (joint research project, publication, etc.) as well as longer-term perspectives at TU Darmstadt, e.g. ´Future Talent´ Short-term scholarship (see below) or employment.

Become a TU Future Talent and visit one of Germany’s top universities of technology!

Who can apply? You can apply for our 'Future Talents' Guest Stay if you are:
  • an international Ph.D. student in the final stage of your doctorate
  • or a postdocs at an international university (up until two years after your doctorate)
  • and if your previous research and research interests are relevant to our research activities or our research profile
What we offer
  • a scientific programme
  • the assumption of travel costs up to a maximum of EUR 1,000
  • an accomodation supplement of 400 EUR for up to one week (up to max. 2.400 EUR for 6 weeks)
  • support from the TU Welcome Centre in applying necessary documentation, visas and permits. Please note: A ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay Invitation Letter is not a TU Hosting Agreement (which requires a stay at TU Darmstadt of at least three months). A 'Future Talent' Guest Stay Invitation Letter does not allow you to apply for a visa for research.
Choose between two options for your ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay:
  • Option 1: Joint application of you and your prospective host professor at TU Darmstadt for a ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay
  • Option 2: Individual application for a ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay
Option 1 – Joint application: Please hand in (as one PDF file)
  • Application form – Option 1 ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay
  • invitation letter from your prospective host professor with (work/lecture) proposal for your stay as well as details about period and length
  • CV
  • graduation certificates (copies)
  • Ph.D. certificate or proof of Ph.D. submission/ statement from your supervisor that the Ph.D. will be completed within the next 6 months
  • certificates/ proof of scientific excellence (publications, awards, scholarships)
Option 2- Individual application: Please hand in (as one PDF file)
  • Application form – Option 2 ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay
  • letter of motivation, in which you summarize your motivation, competencies and research interests as well as congruency with one of the research areas at TU Darmstadt (maximum three pages)
  • CV
  • letter of reference
  • graduation certificates (copies)
  • Ph.D. certificate or proof of Ph.D. submission/ statement from your supervisor that the Ph.D. will be completed within the next 6 months
  • certificates/ proof of scientific excellence (publications, awards, scholarships)
How we select The selection process is organised by Ingenium and the Vice President, Research and Early Careers.
The most important selection criteria are:
  • congruency with research areas at TU Darmstadt
  • scientific excellence (publications, awards, scholarships)
Next steps Joint Applications (Option 1) can be submitted at all times. In the case of a joint application (Option 1), the decision will be taken on an ongoing basis.

In the case of an Individual Application (Option 2), a decision will be made after the next possible cut-off date (deadlines in spring and autumn). Next cut-off date is presumably November 15th, 2021.

Please send your proposal electronically as one PDF file to Ms
´Future Talents´ Short-term Scholarship As a supplementation to ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay our former guests are entitled to apply for a short-term scholarship allowing for an extended stay (for 3 until 12 months) at TU Darmstadt.


The ´Future Talent´ Guest Stay can be used to discuss the joint application with the professor for a ´Future Talent´ short-term scholarship.

The applications will be decided by the Vice President, Research and Early Careers in cooperation with the TU's internal selection committee Postdoc Career Programmes.

The scholarship includes a monthly stipend of € 1.800 for 3 to 12 months.

Eligibility requirements are:
  • ´Future Talent´Guest Stay at TU Darmstadt
  • an invitation by a professor at TU Darmstadt including the confirmation that the costs of the scholarship will be covered
  • a written statement from the respective research group to the selection committee describing the applicants’ congruency with the research group
  • a delineation of future perspectives at TU Darmstadt