Call for Applications
TU Chemnitz invites applications for long-term research and study stays in artificial intelligence within AI GlobalMinds – Global Minds Advancing Next-Generation Sustainable AI for Innovation Leadership, a cooperation project funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under its Academic Horizons programme.
The programme supports outstanding Master’s students and early-stage doctoral candidates from Chile, Serbia and Tunisia in coming to TU Chemnitz for a supervised stay in artificial intelligence, with access to the research environment, academic training and career services of the university. Travel and stay expenses are covered by the DAAD.
Table of contents
- Who can apply
- AI focus areas
- Duration and places
- What we offer
- Financial support
- Application documents
- Selection procedure
- How to apply
- Contact
Who can apply
The call is open to students and researchers who are enrolled at a university in Chile, Serbia or Tunisia and belong to one of the following groups:
- Final-year Bachelor’s students in artificial intelligence, computer science, electrical engineering or a closely related field. They apply for a Master’s study stay and submit the same documents as Master’s applicants.
- Final-year engineering/Master’s students in artificial intelligence, computer science, electrical engineering or a closely related field, applying for a Master’s study stay
- Early-stage doctoral candidates in a related field, applying for a doctoral research stay
Proof of English proficiency is required from all applicants (for a Master’s study stay: at least level B2). Basic German (A1) is welcome but not a condition for admission.
AI focus areas
Applications should relate to one of the following focus areas of the project:
- Embedded AI & edge computing
- Federated & distributed learning
- Sensors & signal processing
- Sustainable & explainable AI
These focus areas sit within the wider thematic framework of the project: sensing and data collection, data processing and representation, learning and intelligence, responsible AI and systems validation, and sustainable AI implementation.
Duration and places
The following places are available in the 2026 call. Comparable numbers are planned for the calls in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
| Home country | Master’s study stay | Doctoral research stay |
|---|---|---|
| Chile | 2 places, 5 months (October 2026 – February 2027) |
1 place, 3 months (October – December 2026) |
| Serbia | 3 places, 6 months (September 2026 – February 2027) |
1 place, 4 months (September – December 2026) |
| Tunisia | 3 places, 5 months (October 2026 – February 2027) |
1 place, 3 months (October – December 2026) |
Besides the long-term stays described here, the project also runs a short-term mobility format of ten days (TUC Exploration Bootcamp) for talents from Tunisia and Serbia. It is advertised in a separate call.
What we offer
Selected participants are supported throughout their stay:
- Academic supervision by a host research group at TU Chemnitz, with an individual study or research plan
- AI research training: AI lecture series (eight online lectures per year), laboratory visits, research seminars, an international AI hackathon and a project presentation day
- Language and intercultural support: preparatory language and cultural studies course, welcome forum, mentoring and buddy programme, cultural dinners
- Career development and international networking: soft-skills training, career counselling, application and interview preparation workshops, TUC Job Fair, alumni networking forum
Financial support
Travel and stay expenses are covered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The grant covers
- a travel allowance, staggered by home country:
- Chile: EUR 2,250
- Serbia: EUR 400
- Tunisia: EUR 850
- a monthly grant rate of EUR 992 for Master’s candidates and EUR 1,300 for doctoral candidates, including health, accident and personal liability insurance as well as a study and research allowance.
There are no tuition fees at TU Chemnitz; students only pay a semester contribution of EUR 341.40 (winter semester 2026/2027), which covers the services of the Studentenwerk (sport and culture), the student union, a culture ticket for museums and theatres in Chemnitz, and the Germany-wide semester ticket for public transport.
Application documents
Which documents are required depends on the type of stay applied for. Only complete applications will be considered.
| Document | Master’s study stay | Doctoral research stay |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum vitae (CV) | required | required |
| Academic transcripts | Bachelor’s transcript | all academic transcripts |
| Letter of motivation | required | required |
| Research proposal | – | required |
| List of potential supervisors at TU Chemnitz | – | required |
| Letter(s) of recommendation | required | required |
| Evidence of AI-related skills | required | – |
| Publications / research outputs | – | if available |
| English language certificate | required, at least B2 | required |
| German language certificate | basic German, A1 preferred | – |
| Proof of enrolment | required | required |
| Support letter from the supervisor at the home university | – | required |
Selection procedure
All complete and eligible applications are assessed in a competitive review procedure by a selection committee according to the following criteria:
- academic excellence
- relevance of the applicant’s background in artificial intelligence
- motivation
- research potential
- technical skills
- research outputs, where applicable
- English language proficiency
All applicants are notified of the selection decision by email by 15 September 2026.
How to apply
Please upload your complete application as a single PDF file to our TUC Cloud file drop. Name the file after yourself, for example Surname_Firstname.pdf.
Contact
-
Phone:+49 371 531-38165
-
Email:
-
Address:Reichenhainer Straße 70, 09126 Chemnitz
-
Room:C25.215 (prev. 2/W215)
Funding
AI GlobalMinds is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) within its Academic Horizons programme with funds from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
