German Chancellor Fellowship Program

for Prospective Leaders from the People's Republic of China

Deadline: June 30, 2007

Extended to: October 31, 2007

I. The Program

Following the established German Chancellor Fellowship Programs for prospective leaders from the United States of America and the Russian Federation, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) annually awards up to ten German Chancellor Fellowships to young, prospective leaders from the People's Republic of China with funds made available by the German Federal Foreign Office. The fellows will have to have shown outstanding potential for future leadership in their previous careers. The program is established under the patronage of the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and addresses applicants from all professions and fields of study giving preference to the humanities, law, social and economic sciences, and to the arts.

The aim of the program is to give young leaders from the People's Republic of China the opportunity to spend a longer period of time in Germany at an early stage in their careers. Once they have returned and continued their careers in China, they can be gained as intermediaries with intensive experience of Germany by taking up important positions in the People's Republic's economy, science, politics and society.

Applicants design individual projects tailored to their professional development and goals. They must make contact with the prospective host (mentor), who is supposed to supervise them both professionally and academically during the stay in Germany, before submitting an application.

If an applicant has spent more than 6 months outside the People's Republic of China at the time of applying, formal reasons may militate against the application. In such cases, it is essential to contact the selection department of the Humboldt Foundation prior to submitting an application.

II. Amount and Duration of the Fellowship

The stay in Germany begins with a mandatory three-month intensive language course from June through August 2008. The fellowship is awarded for twelve months and commences in September 2008 with a four-week introductory seminar in Bonn and Berlin, followed by the individual project work starting in October. Extensions of up to three months are possible.

Basic command of German is a prerequisite for applications. As soon as the fellowship has been awarded, language skills can be improved at the Humboldt Foundation’s expense in China and, in particular, upon arrival in Germany in the above-mentioned intensive language course.

Upon completion of the language course and the introductory seminar, the fellows begin working on their individual projects in October. During the spring, they take part in a two-week study tour of Germany. Further events are the participation in the Humboldt Foundation's annual meeting and the concluding seminar in Berlin jointly with the fellows of the German Chancellor Fellowship Programs for prospective leaders from the USA and the Russian Federation in the summer of 2009.

The fellowship is supposed to cover living expenses in Germany. The monthly sum ranges from EUR 2,000 to EUR 2,600 (in exceptional cases up to EUR 3,500). In addition, the fellowship covers travel expenses to and from Germany at the beginning and end of the stay as well as the costs of the German language course and the study tour. Upon request, the Foundation may grant marital and child allowances.

III. Application Requirements

Applicants must

  • be citizens of the People's Republic of China;

  • have completed a first university degree (at least a bachelor or comparable degree) and have subsequently acquired additional practical experience (professional activities and/or continued studies);

  • be under 35 years of age at the start of the fellowship on September 1, 2008.

IV. Application Procedure

Completed applications in English or German must be received by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation by October 31, 2007. Applications must include the following documents:

  • a completed and signed application form;

  • a statement describing the proposed professional or academic project. The statement should include the applicant’s objectives and expectations in connection with his/her stay in Germany and should consist of no more than five typed pages (2,500 words);

  • copies of degree certificates or academic diplomas with corresponding transcripts (with certified translations);

  • at least three but not more than five letters of recommendation from reviewers able to provide information on the applicant’s professional, personal, and academic background;

  • agreement by a host/mentor confirming his/her willingness to act as the applicant’s advisor during the stay in Germany;

  • a list of publications (if existent);

  • German and/or English language certificates.

Further information, as well as application forms, can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website (http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/buka-china) or may be obtained in English or German from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (email: chancellor-chn.select@avh.de).