Heidelberg Laureate Forum 2027 for Young Researchers in Germany

About

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) is a one-week networking event held every September in Heidelberg, Germany. It brings together winners of the most important prizes in mathematics and computer science, including the Abel Prize, the ACM A.M. Turing Award, the ACM Prize in Computing, the Fields Medal, the IMU Abacus Medal and the Nevanlinna Prize, with young researchers from around the world.

About 200 young researchers take part each year. The forum has run since 2013, and the 14th HLF takes place in September 2027, with arrival on Saturday 11 September and departure on Saturday 18 September. For a student, it is a rare chance to talk directly with the people who shaped modern mathematics and computer science, and to build a network with talented peers from many countries.

What the forum covers

The week mixes scientific and social activities. Laureates give lectures, and there are workshops, informal presentations and open discussions where young researchers can ask questions and exchange ideas. The programme also includes social events such as a boat trip on the Neckar River. English is the official language of the whole event.

Host organisation and country

The HLF is organised by the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) and is founded and funded by the Klaus Tschira Stiftung, a German foundation. The forum takes place at the Heidelberg Congress Center in Heidelberg, a historic university city in south-west Germany. Forum shuttles run from Frankfurt Airport.

Financial benefits

The forum is partially funded. Selected young researchers receive:

• A single hotel room with breakfast from 11 to 18 September 2027, booked and paid by the HLFF. Hotels are within a 15-minute walk of the venue
• Lunches, dinners and coffee breaks at the venue during the forum
• Shuttle transfers from Frankfurt Airport to Heidelberg on 11 September and back on 18 September
• A visa invitation letter, travel health insurance and a hotel confirmation letter after you register

Travel costs are not covered automatically. You should first ask your university or a national funding agency to pay for your trip. If they refuse, you can apply for an HLFF travel grant that covers travel and visa costs (not food). You must upload the rejection letter, and the grant window for selected participants is 3 May to 23 June 2027.

Eligibility criteria

• You study or research mathematics, computer science or a closely related field
• Undergraduate / pre-master level: you are enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s programme and do not yet hold a master’s degree
• PhD level: you are enrolled in a doctoral programme
• Postdoc level: you earned your PhD within the last five years. Non-traditional roles, such as industry jobs or assistant professor posts, also count. The limit is extended by one year for each child born after the PhD, for both parents
• Your academic status on the day you apply is the one that counts
• You can take part only once at each academic level
• There is no nationality restriction in the official FAQ

Required documents

All applicants:

• A CV
• A motivation statement
• A letter of recommendation from a professor or supervisor, uploaded by the referee directly in the application system
• Awards or scientific achievements, if you have any

PhD and postdoc applicants also need:

• A short summary of your thesis topic
• Your transcripts
• Your publications, if any

Diplomas must be uploaded in the original language together with an English translation.

How to apply

1. Check that you meet the requirements for your academic level.
2. Prepare your CV, motivation statement and, for PhD and postdoc applicants, your thesis summary, transcripts and publications.
3. Ask your professor or supervisor early to write a recommendation letter. They will receive a link to upload it themselves.
4. Apply online through the HLF application portal, which opens on 11 November 2026.
5. Submit before 11 February 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Berlin time (CET, UTC+1).

Selection process and timeline

The HLFF itself does not choose participants. Reviewers appointed by the award-granting institutions (ACM, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and the IMU) assess the applications. Each application is rated by at least three reviewers, and the average score is used. The top 100 applicants in each discipline are invited.

• 11 November 2026: applications open
• 11 February 2027: application deadline
• Mid-February to mid-April 2027: review of applications
• End of April 2027: notification of results, followed by online registration
• 3 May to 23 June 2027: travel grant applications for selected participants
• 11 September 2027: mandatory on-site registration in Heidelberg (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• 18 September 2027: departure day

If you need a visa for Germany, book your visa appointment as soon as you are accepted, because waiting times can be long.

Tips for a strong application

• Use your motivation statement to explain what you hope to learn and how meeting the laureates connects to your own research or study plans.
• Choose a referee who knows your work well and can describe your strengths with concrete examples.
• PhD and postdoc applicants should write a clear thesis summary that a scientist outside your exact field can follow.
• Start early so your referee has time to upload the letter before the deadline.
• Prepare English translations of your diplomas in advance.