Funding opportunities in Germany

The funding opportunities for researchers in Germany are as diverse as the German research landscape itself. Possible carrier institutions are the government, industry, non-profit private institutions (e.g. foundations), and foreign donors (e.g. the European Union). There are a number of programs for international researchers, especially for junior researchers. Below, we provide some useful links to help you finding an appropriate program for your research stay or career in Germany.

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) supports research through a variety of grant programs, prizes and funding infrastructure. Interesting programs for international junior researchers are for example

• the Emmy Noether Program for postdocs with an excellent research project
• Grants to Support the Initiation of International Collaboration
• Research Grants for postdocs and senior researchers who are working at a German research institution (in Germany or abroad)
• Research Training Groups for PhD students and postdocs
• Support for Early Career Researchers within Collaborative Research Centres

Deutscher Akademischer Auslandsdienst (DAAD)

The Deutscher Akademischer Auslandsdienst (DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service) awards scholarships to German and foreign students, doctoral candidates and researchers in all disciplines. Furthermore the DAAD hosts a scholarship database that also includes information on funding offered by other selected organizations. In this database you may want to have a closer look on the following DAAD-programs:

• Bilateral Exchange of Academics
• Re-invitation Program for Former Scholarship Holders
• Research Grants - Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees
• Research Grants - Doctoral Program in Germany
• Research Grants - One-Year and Short-Term Grants
• Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany. The foundation also provides a number of research awards and fellowships for junior researchers, e.g.:

• Georg Forster Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers from developing countries
• Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers
• Sofja Kovalevskaja Award

European funding Programs

The European Union (EU) supports research in a variety of ways as part of the framework program Horizon 2020. Within this program the European Research Council (ERC) grants and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) offer sponsorship programs for junior researchers with any nationality:

• ERC Consolidator Grants
• ERC Starting Grants
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Research in Germany

The "Research in Germany" portal initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) offers information on the structure of funding in Germany, a concise overview of individual funding opportunities at various organisations and numerous links to funding databases. See www.research-in-germany.org/funding.

Further hints

The Leibniz PostDoc Network has prepared a "Welcome Package for PostDocs" (PDF) -  a document with general information on the stay in Germany, the academic work life in Germany and special support programs within the Leibniz Association. The Welcome package document was prepared by PostDocs for PostDocs.