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 Talent Guest Stay

Future Talent Guest Stay Programme 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 one week 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!

Please note: Approved funds must be spent and settled with TU Darmstadt by the end of 2025. Therefore, we can only consider invoices, tickets, receipts etc. with proof of payment that have been submitted to ingenium-programme@zv.tu-darmstadt.de by November 30, 2025.

A continuation of the programme beyond 2025 is not yet clear.

Who can apply? You can apply for our 'Future Talents' Guest Stay if you are:
  • an Ph.D. student in the final stage of your doctorate at a university abroad
  • or a postdocs at an international university (generally up until two years after your doctorate),
  • 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 accommodation 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.
Please hand in (as one PDF file at least 6 weeks before the planned stay)
  • Application form Future Talent Guest Stay (opens in new tab) Please note: Applications can be submitted at any time; they must be submitted at least 6 weeks before the planned stay.
  • invitation letter from your prospective host professor with (work/lecture) proposal for your stay as well as details about period and length (if possible, incl. date of arrival and length of stay)
  • 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)
How we select The selection process is organised by Vice President Academic Careers and Ingenium.

The most important selection criteria are:
  • congruency with research areas at TU Darmstadt
  • scientific excellence (publications, awards, scholarships)
Next steps Applications can be submitted at all times. Please send your application electronically as one PDF file to
Future Talent 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 Short-term Scholarship is financed by the host institute/research group.

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 Academic Careers and Ingenium.

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 describing the applicants’ congruency with the research group
  • a delineation of future perspectives at TU Darmstadt