Project Funding

The research funding institutions offer funding programs for postdocs and early career researchers in various qualification phases. Some of these are grants to cover living expenses, others are project-related junior researcher positions.

German Research Foundation:

DFG Walter Benjamin Program

Objective: To carry out an independent research project at a research institution of choice in Germany or abroad
Prerequisite: Researchers in an early academic career phase (no age limit) after completing their doctorate
Funding duration: 3 months to 2 years
Scope of funding: Stipend for 2 years and project-specific material costs (lump sum)
Application: at any time
 Walter Benjamin Program

Individual funding incl. "own position"

Objective: To carry out a single, thematically and time-limited research project
Prerequisite: Completed academic training (Doctorate)
Funding duration: Project-specific, maximum of three years, continuation application possible
Scope of funding: Own position as well as other project-specific personnel and material resources
Application: at any time
 Individual funding

Emmy Noether Program

Objective: to promote excellence, acquisition of the qualification for a professorship
Prerequisite: outstanding young researchers with two years of postdoctoral experience up to 4 years after the Doctorate, substantial international research experience, rapid academic training, international publications Funding duration: up to three years. Education, international publications
Funding period: max. 6 years
Scope of funding: position according to E15 TV-L as well as further project-specific personnel and material resources (usually several employees = junior research group)
Application: at any time
 Emmy Noether Program

Heisenberg Program

The Heisenberg Program offers four variants:
1) Position 2) Rotational position (clinical only) 3) Professorship 4) Fellowship
(After acceptance into the program, decision for the variant)
Goal: Promotion of excellence, preparation for an academic leadership position
Requirements: Appointment to a professorship through a habilitation or through habilitation-equivalent achievements, particularly outstanding academic achievements at an international level Achievements at an international level
Funding period: max. 5 years
Scope of funding:
1) Position and flexible research funding
2) Substitution opportunities and flexible research funding
3) Temporary W2 or W3 professorship (university must provide a professorship after the end of the funding period) and flexible research funding
4) Stipend of €4,450/month plus material costs (change to 1), 2) or 3) possible)
Application: at any time
 Heisenberg Program

Fritz Thyssen Foundation:

Research grant (suspended until further notice)

Objective: To carry out a research project
Requirements: Postdocs one to two years after their Doctorate
Funding period: maximum one year
Funding amount: €1,800/month plus material costs
Application: at any time
Processing time: usually 8 weeks
 Thyssen Research Fellowship

Project funding incl. the "own position"

Objective: To carry out a research project by academics from the humanities, social sciences and biomedicinePrerequisite: Doctorate required
Funding period: usually 2 years, possibly extended by 1 year
Scope of funding: usually a position according to E13 TV-L as well as other project-specific personnel and material resources (assistants, travel expenses, small equipment)
Application: twice a year; February 1 and September 1
 Thyssen project funding

Volkswagen Foundation:

Lichtenberg endowed professorships

Objective: Establishment of an endowed professorship for outstanding scientists who conduct research in innovative and interdisciplinary fields, take up highly innovative developments in research
Requirements: Researcher at W2 or W3 level, (co-)leader in international comparison, high requirements in terms of publications, experience abroad, teaching concept and previous acquisition of third-party funding, joint application with the university, change of academic environment in the last five years
Funding period: start-up funding (usually 5 years)
Funding amount: at least € 5 million, € 3 million must be provided by the university
Application: at any time
 Lichtenberg endowed professorships

Various other funding opportunities after completion of the Doctorate on the  Volkswagen Foundation website

Research framework program of the EU:

European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant

Objective: Funding for independent young researchers of any nationality with 2 - 7 years of experience after completing their Doctorate and a promising scientific track record
Funding duration: up to 5 years
Funding amount: up to € 1.5 million
Application: annual announcement
 Starting Grant

European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant

Objective: Funding for independent early career researchers of any nationality with 7 - 12 years of experience after completing their Doctorate and a promising scientific track record
Funding duration: up to 5 years
Funding amount: up to € 2 million
Application: annual announcement
 Consolidator Grant

In the case of travel grants, a distinction must be made as to whether a travel grant is required for a shorter, research-related stay abroad or a scholarship to finance a longer research stay abroad. The funding programs listed below cannot always be clearly distinguished from one another in this respect. The numerous funding programs that only focus on certain target countries are not included. These funding programs can be researched via the scholarship database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Travel grants and short stays

DAAD: Congress and lecture travel program

Prerequisite: Scientists with a doctorate and doctoral candidates in certain disciplines with a proven research record

1. congress trips abroad: active participation in designated international scientific congresses and conferences abroad, close connection between conference and own research
Scope of funding: travel expenses (up to the amount of the DAAD travel allowance), participation fee (most favorable rate), flat-rate accommodation and accommodation costs, maximum 8 congress days
Incidental expenses allowance of € 300
Application deadline: receipt at least 4 months before the 1st congress day
 DAAD Kongressreisen

2. lecture trips abroad: presenting own research results abroad, at the written invitation of foreign colleagues or institutions
Scope of funding: travel expenses (up to the amount of the DAAD travel allowance)
Application deadline: receipt no later than 1 month before the start of the trip
 DAAD lecture trips

DAAD : Short-term lectureships

Requirements: Short-term lectureship of 4 weeks (in exceptional cases 2 weeks) to 6 months; university lecturer should offer a course abroad, e.g. for the further training of graduates or in connection with other programs; leave of absence with continued payment of salary from the home institution is required.
Scope of funding: Travel expenses, subsidies for accommodation and meals, participation of the host university is expected
Application: Application by the deadline
 DAAD short-term lectureships

Fritz Thyssen Foundation

Requirements: Doctorate, travel grants in connection with academic work; the Foundation's funding priorities are the humanities and social sciences, as well as biomedicine
Scope of funding: travel costs and daily rates in the form of a grant to cover accommodation and meal costs
Application: at any time, usually 8 weeks processing time
 Reisebehilfe Thyssen-Stiftung

International Network of Universities - Researcher Mobility Program
Requirements: Doctorate (no longer than 5 years ago), employment at one of the member universities for at least 6 months prior to application
Scope of funding: scholarship for a research stay at one of the member universities for a period of 2-4 weeks
Application: deadline once a year
 Early Researcher Mobility Program

Longer-term fellowships abroad for early career researchers

DFG Walter Benjamin Program

Objective: to carry out a research project abroad
Prerequisite: younger researchers (no age limit) after completing their Doctorate
Funding period: 3 months to 2 years
Funding amount: grant for 2 years and project-specific material costs (lump sum)
Application: at any time
 Walter Benjamin Program

DAAD research grants for early career researchers with a doctorate (postdoc program)

Aim: to carry out a research project abroad
Requirements: young academics with a doctorate and a very good degree (magna cum laude), doctorate should not have been awarded more than four years ago
Funding period: 3 to 6 months
Scope of funding: grant (to cover living costs, depending on age and destination country), travel expenses, material cost allowance, grant to cover costs for congress participation
Application: 3 application deadlines per year (mid-November/March/June)
 DAAD research grant

DAAD P.R.I.M.E. (Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience)

Objective: To carry out a research project abroad and subsequent reintegration into a German institution
Prerequisite: Doctorate with very good results
Funding period: 18 months (first 12 months abroad, then 6 months in Germany)
Scope of funding: Funding of employment at a German and another university for 18 months
Application: Deadline once a year
 DAAD PRIME

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: Feodor Lynen research fellowships for postdocs

Objective: to carry out a research project at an institute abroad, promotion of excellence
Requirements: very good doctorate, doctorate must not have been awarded more than 4 years previously; all members of the Humboldt Network who are permanently established abroad are eligible as hosts
Sponsorship period: 6 to 24 months
Scope of sponsorship: scholarship (depending on age and country of destination), travel expenses, return scholarship possible
Application: at any time, applications processed in February, June and October
 Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship

EU: Marie Skłodowska Curie Individual Fellowships "European Postdoctoral Fellowships" (IF-EF)

Objective: Research fellowship for experienced researchers for a research stay in a European context (in EU member states or associated countries)
Prerequisite: Completed Doctorate, maximum eight years of research experience
Funding period: 12 to 24 months
Scope of funding: Basic salary, mobility allowance, research and overhead costs for the host institution
Application: annually after the call deadline
 Marie Curie Individual European Fellowship

EU: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships "Global Postdoctoral Fellowships" (IF-GF)

Objective: Research fellowship for experienced researchers for a research stay in a non-European context (so-called third country) and mandatory reintegration in an institution in Europe or an associated country
Prerequisite: completed Doctorate, maximum eight years of research experience
Funding duration: 12 to 24 months and reintegration allowance
Scope of funding: basic salary, mobility allowance, research and overhead costs for the host institution and reintegration allowance
Application: annually after the call deadline
 Marie Curie Individual Global Fellowship

Leopoldina PostDoc Fellowship for natural scientists and physicians

Objective: an ambitious, original scientific project that can be carried out entirely at one (or more) renowned research institution(s) abroad
Prerequisite: Doctorate must not have been awarded more than 7 years ago, outstanding research aptitude
Funding period: 1 to 2 years
Scope of funding: stipend (amount depends on host country), travel expenses, material costs
Application: at any time, decisions made quarterly
 Leopoldina Postdoc Fellowship

As a matter of principle, Osnabrück University does not grant printing subsidies. Research funders only provide printing subsidies in connection with project funding. Independent of project funding and without subject-specific requirements, printing grants can be applied for from the German Research Foundation (DFG) .

DFG

A  publication grant can be applied for from the DFG for special publications:

• for works that make basic material accessible for further research (essentially editions of sources and works) and
• for works of particular scientific importance in which outstanding research achievements are published for the first time.

Funding for dissertations is only possible in exceptional cases with special justification. The application must therefore be evaluated with the highest possible grade according to the respective doctoral degree regulations.
Festschriften and fee-based articles in specialist journals are excluded from support.