Max Weber Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027-28 at European University Institute, Florence, Italy (Grant EUR 2,500 per Month)

The Max Weber Programme (MWP) at the European University Institute in Florence is a postdoctoral programme in the historical, humanities and social sciences. Applications are now open for the 2027-28 intake, which begins on 1 September 2027.

The Programme is open to applicants who are within five years of completing their Ph.D., from anywhere in the world, regardless of nationality. It is highly selective, with an annual acceptance rate of under 2 per cent. A cohort typically consists of around 65 Fellows spread across the EUI's academic units: Economics, History, Law, Political and Social Sciences, the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and the Florence School of Transnational Governance. Preference is given to applicants who have only just completed their doctorate and have not held a postdoctoral fellowship before.

The length of a Max Weber Fellowship depends on the academic unit the Fellow is attached to.

• The Department of Law (LAW) offers only one-year fellowships, and candidates applying to Law can stipulate only 12 months.
• The Departments of Economics (ECO), Political and Social Sciences (SPS) and History (HEC), and the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS), offer both one-year and two-year fellowships; candidates indicate their preferred length when applying.
• The Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG) offers only two-year fellowships.
• All fellowships run from September to August. Support is extended to a third year only in exceptional cases, such as Fellows in the Department of Economics or those selected for the CIVICA exchange.
• The EUI reserves the right to determine the length of the award; the period offered is stated in the award letter.

• The basic grant is currently EUR 2,500 per month. The Fellowship is not taxed by the Institute.
• A household allowance of up to EUR 310 per month is paid to Fellows whose partner lives with them in the Florence area and earns less than EUR 2,000 per month, and a dependants allowance of EUR 210 per month is paid for each dependent child living with the Fellow.
• Fellows are covered under the EUI's basic medical plan provided by Cigna at the Institute's expense, unless they keep their own policy.
• Every Fellow receives EUR 1,500 a year for research expenses such as conference attendance; Fellows on the job market may apply for up to a further EUR 1,000 for job interview costs.
• Incoming and outgoing travel is reimbursed up to EUR 1,200 in total, and visa fees up to EUR 250. There is no provision for removal or installation expenses.
• In the second year, qualifying Fellows in ECO and SPS may apply for a part-time assistant professor contract (level ASSPR6/3) involving some teaching and Ph.D. mentoring, worth roughly EUR 850 net per month in addition to the basic grant.
• Fellows who receive other grants or salaries must disclose them; the Fellowship is then fixed at a lower rate, with a minimum of EUR 1,750 per month.
• The MWP operates a parental leave policy of up to four months of paid leave, with the Fellowship extended accordingly.

• Candidates of any nationality are eligible for the Max Weber Fellowships.
• Candidates must have received their Ph.D. within the past five years, or have official approval to defend the thesis by the start of the programme on 1 September. For the 2027-28 intake this means the Ph.D. must have been received or submitted between 01/09/2022 and 01/09/2027, with the defence taking place no later than 31/12/2027.
• Extensions to the five-year rule are allowed where an academic career was interrupted by maternity or paternity leave, illness or mandatory military service. The circumstances must be cited in the application under 'Additional Notes'.
• Early-stage researchers who are at the EUI at the application deadline, including those enrolled in the EUI Doctoral Programme or employed by or on a fellowship hosted by the EUI, are not eligible. Former EUI members may apply after at least one continuous year away in a full-time occupation or fellowship.
• The expected level of English is CEFR C1. No certificate is required with the application, but successful candidates must produce supporting evidence on registration; a doctorate, an article or book chapter of at least 6,000 words, or post-graduate study in an English-language programme is accepted, and native speakers are exempt.
• Fellows must live in the Florence area for the duration of the Fellowship.

• CV with a list of publications, in PDF.
• An 'Academic career statement' of one page, setting out why the Max Weber Programme and its Academic Practice Activities would benefit the applicant, along with research and teaching interests and career plans.
• A 'Research proposal' of two pages, clearly structured with realistic goals achievable within the fellowship. Applicants for a 24-month fellowship must set out what they aim to achieve in the first 12 months and in months 13 to 24, and include a reflection on how gender and diversity are relevant to the proposed research.
• Two letters of reference, submitted directly by the referees. References are not accepted after the deadline. Letters sent through a dossier service such as Interfolio are accepted provided the originals reach Reference.Fellow@eui.eu by the deadline and are not disclosed to the applicant.

Applications are submitted through the EUI's online application form. There are two distinct phases.

• Register the application as early as possible by entering personal and referee details, so that referees have enough time to submit their letters before the deadline.
• Submit the completed application by 16 October 2026 at 14:00 CEST. Applicants may keep working on the details and attachments after registering, up to the deadline, and should submit only once everything has been filled in and uploaded correctly.

Applicants should consult the web pages of the academic unit they wish to be affiliated with and name potential mentors in the application form. EUI faculty do not offer individual guidance on proposals, and prospective applicants should not contact faculty members about mentorship.

Applications are reviewed by the academic units and by the prospective mentors named by the candidate, and the rankings that emerge are discussed with the Director and finally with the Fellowship Steering Committee, which agrees the selected candidates and the reserve list.

• Academic accomplishments and potential, including publications, the Ph.D. thesis, the academic career statement and two letters of reference. Preference goes to applicants entering straight after their doctorate or in the early stages of a postdoctoral career.
• A clear and well-structured research proposal with goals achievable during the fellowship.
• The capacity and availability of EUI faculty to mentor the candidate. Only one Fellow is typically assigned to each mentor.
• Additional consideration is given to country of origin and doctoral studies, gender and background.

Some academic units interview candidates online. Approximately 2 per cent of applicants are offered a fellowship and a further 5 to 10 per cent are placed on the reserve list. The process is typically concluded by the end of January, except in the Department of Economics where it extends to the end of March.

Alongside the scholarships funded by the Max Weber Programme itself, further grants are funded by governments and foundations in Finland, Germany, Greece, Poland and Japan, for which nationals (and in some cases residents) of those countries may also apply. Suitable applicants of any nationality may also apply for an additional year at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, with one Fellow selected each year. Eligible applicants are automatically considered for these opportunities, and the availability of special grants varies from year to year. The EUI assists non-EU fellows, and their non-EU spouses and children, with visa and residence requirements.