Financial Aspects

Within MWK-FELLOWS fellowships two options of contracts are possible:

1. Fellowship Option 1: The regular option for the fellowship is a one-year employment contract with the University of Erfurt according to the German Civil Service Remuneration System (TV-L, pay grade E 13). With the employment contract MWK-Fellows will be awarded the applicable social benefits and rights (e. g. parental leave). Once they sign an employment contract with the University of Erfurt all MWK-Fellows are covered by national insurance (unemployment, pension, health and accident insurance). The health insurance is comprehensive and does not discriminate against individuals with pre-existing health conditions. The pension insurance scheme can be transferred to many countries within Europe. The unemployment insurance can be claimed in the event that no source of employment can be found immediately after the fellowship comes to an end.

2. Fellowship Option 2: The fellows can also choose to stay in their current employment contract with their home universities when this is more advantageous for them. In this case the University of Erfurt compensates the home university for costs of the replacement up to 6.800 EUR per month (including German VAT). Additionally, a contract is made with the fellows to compensate them for their extra costs related to the fellowship (mobility allowance including costs for arrival and departure, housing costs, if applicable family allowance). Social security arrangements rest with the original contract. These arrangements are based on the understanding that for researchers already holding an academic position, mobility is usually best supported if the social security arrangements are not interrupted.

MWK-Fellows have access to an individual research budget of up to 4.200 EUR for the duration of the fellowship to cover travel expenses, conference participations, research assistants, publication costs etc.

For individual training a budget of up to 600 EUR per year will be due to every MWK-Fellow. Particularly, the HIT (Academic personal training of universities in Thuringia) provides tailor-made training courses for transferrable skills; course fees can be reimbursed with the training budget.

If needed, MWK-Fellows are given a family allowance of up to 1.800 EUR per year to finance costs like day-care for children during conferences.