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You are here: FRIAS Funding Programmes Marie S. Curie FRIAS … Financial Aspects

Financial Aspects

Within the Marie S. Curie FCFP FRIAS offers one Junior Fellow scheme and two Senior Fellow schemes. The conditions for both Junior and Senior Fellows are internationally highly competitive.

 

1.         Junior Fellowships:

All FCFP Junior Fellowships include a full time employment contract with the University of Freiburg, valid for the duration of the fellowship. As part of their employment contract with the University of Freiburg, all Junior 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, and 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.

A researcher in the junior scheme receives approximately 4,600 € per month pre-tax (depending on personal premises around 30-35 % for tax and mandatory contributions to social security will be deducted). Fellows accompanied by at least one child receive an additional monthly family allowance of 250 €. Fellows with children receive additional financial support through state child benefits (Kindergeld). A mobility allowance of 125 € per month covers relocation costs.

 

2.         Senior Fellowships:

The regular option (1) for Senior Fellows includes a full professorial salary, while the second scheme applies to those fellows who come to Freiburg on paid leave (2) and continue to receive their full salary from the home institution and only require coverage of the additional costs of the fellowship stay in Freiburg.

(1) Regular scheme

Fellows in the senior scheme are typically employed as guest professors owing to their higher level of academic expertise. The guest professorship is a formal employment contract with the University of Freiburg, valid for the duration of the fellowship. By signing an employment contract with the University of Freiburg, all fellows are covered by national insurance (unemployment, pension, health and accident insurance).

A Senior Fellow in this regular scheme receive approximately 7,000 € per month pre-tax (depending on personal premises about 30-35 % for tax and mandatory contributions to social security will be deducted). Fellows accompanied by at least one child receive an additional monthly family allowance of 250 € (and additional state child benefits). A mobility allowance of 125 € per month covers relocation costs. This salary is based on the official pay scale for university professors in the State of Baden-Württemberg, level W3.

However, to optimally promote international mobility, it is often beneficial for the researcher to remain under contract with the home university without interruption (and maintain social security arrangements). In this case, FRIAS offers the option to transfer the above mentioned fellowship costs to the home institution. The home institution must provide evidence of employment costs up to an amount of 7,900 € per month (incl. VAT) of a full-time contract, and of a comprehensive social security coverage for the duration of the fellowship.

(2) On paid leave scheme

Those fellows who have a full-time contract (incl. a comprehensive social security coverage) and continuously receive their full salary from their home institution receive an additional contract as a guest professor at the University of Freiburg to compensate them for the extra costs of their stay in Freiburg. This should cover extra costs for their stay abroad, the rent of an apartment and additional expenses for health insurance in Germany. Hence, a senior fellow in this “on paid leave scheme” receives 3,050 € per month pre-tax plus the family allowance of 250 € per month (if applicable). A mobility allowance of 125 € per month covers relocation costs.

These issues are clarified in depth with successful applicants for Senior Fellowships. The question of possible financial contributions by the home institution is raised where appropriate (e.g. if the regular salary of the successful applicant is higher than the salary offered under this scheme, or if a paid leave of absence (sabbatical) covers part of the fellowship period). However, it is important to stress that the selection process is conducted without any consideration of financial issues.

Additional financial support for fellows and their professional work

Under all fellowship schemes, the fellows will be allocated a research budget of up to 1,050 € per month (experimental sciences) or 450 € per month (social and theoretical sciences) to cover conference participation (travel, fees, accommodation), research assistants, publication costs, literature, databases and lab consumables. All fellows will have at their disposal a budget of 150 € per month for individual training and a travel allowance. In accordance with state travel regulations, the travel allowance covers the costs of the inbound and outbound journey as well as of one extra homeward journey for uninterrupted fellowship stays of seven months or longer.

 

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