Colorful wave-shaped graphic
Funding Awards
© Nataliia Kalinina

Funding Awards

Award for Outstanding Achievements

Recognizing the special achievements of our students and graduates is important to Osnabrück University!

The Funding Awards ceremony is a special highlight in the University's calendar of events. For decades, a large number of different prizes have been awarded by private donors, associations and companies to recognize outstanding students for their achievements. Information for  donors is available here!

Every student, every graduate and every doctoral candidate brings their own little story to university life. Many see their studies or their personal situation alongside their studies as a special challenge that needs to be overcome. Be it that the topic of the Master's thesis was particularly extensive and yet led to a particularly good grade, that a Doctorate was successful despite being pregnant at the same time or that the gray theory of the studies was supplemented with many cultural impressions and practical or social experiences. Anyone who invests a lot of energy, commitment and effort in an academic degree will be delighted to receive special recognition.

Osnabrück University awards more than 20 different Funding Awards every year. Regional and national donors recognize outstanding Doctorate, examination and study achievements in various disciplines. Funding Award scholarship holders are nominated by their lecturers. This alone is a special achievement.

With the public presentation of the Funding Awards, Osnabrück University aims to give visibility to the motivation of its students and young academics.

A group of people stands on a stage holding certificates. The individuals are smiling and are dressed in formal attire.
© Uwe Lewandowski
The Funding Awards Ceremony 2024/25

The  2024/2025 Funding Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Application Information

Information on the Tender

Information on the Funding Awards for the academic year 2025/26 is expected to be available here from November 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de.

As changes may occur due to internal processes on the part of the sponsoring institutions, the respective sponsorship award amounts are given without guarantee!

Organization/Price Number of prizes Endowment per prize Criteria/topic Proposal from Formal examination Decision
Doctoral Prize of the Association for the Promotion of Business Administration and Economics (GFFW) 1 500 Outstanding Doctorate in the School of Business Administration and Economics University lecturers of the schools of Business and Economics GFFW Board of Directors Commission/ Board of Directors
Funding Award of the Alumni Association for Social Sciences at Osnabrück University 3 250 1x the best Bachelor's thesis in Political Science, 1x the best Bachelor's thesis in Sociology and 1x the best Master's thesis in one of the three social science Master's programs: Democratic Governance and Civil Society, European Governance and Sociology Academics President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the Hans Mühlenhoff Foundation 1 1000 Outstanding work in the field of natural sciences, law, economics and cognitive sciences Specialist scientists President (KM) Jury
Funding Award of the Herrenteichslaischaft Osnabrück 1 1000 Outstanding academic work in the field of cultural and legal history of the Osnabrück region Specialist academics President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co. 3 1000 Outstanding achievements in the fields of chemistry, computer science, business administration (marketing) and materials science during studies Specialist scientists President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the ROSEN Technology & Research Center GmbH 3 500 Outstanding final achievements in the fields of Physics, Computer Science/ Information Systems and Cognitive Science School President (KM) Donor
European Prize Prof. Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering 1 500 Students from EU member states with - special academic achievements - special social commitment and/or - special intercultural understanding/integration achievements Academics from the subject areas President (KM) Donor
Transfer Prize of the Osnabrück District Craftsmen's Association 1 500 Particularly successful examples of knowledge and technology transfer into operational practice Scientists from all disciplines President (KM) Management
Funding Award of the Osnabrück District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover 1 500 Examination and doctoral achievements in the subject of Protestant Theology Department of Protestant Theology, internally coordinated proposal of the institute President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the Diocese of Osnabrück 1 500 Outstanding examination and doctoral theses in the subject of Catholic theology Institute Board President (KM) The Bishop
Funding Award of the Verkehrsverein Stadt und Land Osnabrück e.V. 1 2000 Increasing the importance of the city/district of Osnabrück as a science location Scientists from all subject areas President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of MLP Finanzberatung SE 3 300 Outstanding work/achievements in studies Academics at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the Intevation GmbH 1 1000 Outstanding achievements in the development of or collaboration on Free Software as well as other outstanding work on the topic of Free Software Academics from all subject areas President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the Osnabrück Student Services 1 1000 Special commitment to student issues related to the field of activity of the Osnabrück Student Services (food, housing, children, finances, counseling, international affairs, public relations). Call for applications in detail Academics from all subject areas President (KM) Donor
Music prize of the Pianohaus Kemp 1 600 Outstanding artistic and practical achievements in the subject of music Institute for Musicology and Music Education President (KM) Jury
Kinzler Funding Award for studio work 1 600 Best final thesis for studio production Institute for Musicology and Music Education President (KM) Jury
Funding Award of the Osnabrück University Publishing House / Brill Deutschland GmbH 1 1000 Outstanding research achievement for unpublished dissertations and habilitations in the field of humanities, social sciences or social sciences at Osnabrück University and grant-free publication in the Osnabrück University Publishing House worth € 2,000 - 4,000 printing costs. Scientists* of the Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor
FrOG Funding Award of the Friends of Osnabrück Geography Association 2 500 Outstanding Bachelor's and Master's theses from the Institute of Geography Scholars of the Osnabrück University President (KM) FrOG Board of Directors
Multimedia Funding Award Prof. Dr. Oliver Vornberger 1 1500 For outstanding theses in the fields of computer graphics, web publishing and smartphone applications Scientists* of the Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor
Claus Kerkhoff Funding Award of the Institute of Health Research and Education 1 500 Outstanding scientific theses in the fields of Health Sciences, Nursing Science or Cosmetology Scientists of the institute President (KM) Donor of the study commission of the institute
Funding Award of the Förderkreis der Osnabrück Peace Forum e.V. 1 1000 Outstanding academic work on peace research, value formation and educational peace practice in the past and present Specialist academics President (KM) Sponsorship committee
Funding Award of the Osnabrück International Lawyers' Association 1 500 Outstanding student research project in the field of private international law, comparative law and European law in general Academics of the Faculty of Law President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of con terra GmbH 1 750 Outstanding final achievement in the field of geoinformatics Scientists of the institute President (KM) Donor
Funding Award of the CogSci Network e.V. 3 500 Outstanding theses in Cognitive Science, with a special focus on: Inter- and transdisciplinarity, practical relevance, science communication, student engagement, personal background/exposure of underrepresented groups in Cognitive Science. Researchers at Osnabrück University President (KM) Jury of CogSci Network e.V. members
Inpijn-Bakker-Grundwald Prize of the University Society Osnabrück e.V. 3 2000 Outstanding Doctorates for all subjects Professors and teaching staff President (KM) Jury
Funding Award for Excellent Junior Research by the University Society Osnabrück e.V. 1 3000 Outstanding habilitation for all subjects Professors and lecturers President (KM) Jury

To apply for a sponsorship award, we ask lecturers to send their nomination digitally to  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de using the following documents. Please cc the dean's office of the school.

  • the completed and signed  application form (PDF, 70 kB), which must be completed by the nominees themselves
  • a short CV and a printable passport photo (at least 300 dpi) of the nominee
  • a short and generally understandable justification for the nomination (maximum two A4 pages)
  • Optionally, the thesis to be honored and/or an expert opinion in digital form (not mandatory)

Please Note:

  • Please submit the application for only one Funding Award, applications for several Funding Awards cannot be considered
  • Examinations should not be more than 9 months old

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Daniela Räuwer at  +49 541 969 6141 or by e-mail at  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de.

Funding Awards Ceremony

On March 6, 2025, the prizes for the year 2024/2025 were awarded in the Schlossaula. The ceremony began with the founders and their prizewinners getting together in the foyer before the certificates were presented on stage. After the award ceremony, the Vice President for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Jochen Oltmer, hosted a reception. Impressions can be found in the  picture gallery!

Several people in one conversation
© Uwe Lewandowski

In Portrait

You can find out more about our current award winners and donors in the  sponsorship award brochure 2024/25 (PDF, 2.72 MB) (in German). The brochures from previous years can be found in the  archive.

Two men are sitting at a table with microphones, wearing headphones and talking.

Fördercast: Podcast on the Funding Awards

In  Fundingcast 2024 (in German), volunteer Max Willeke meets three winners of the Funding Awards and talks to them about the topics of their award-winning work. They give an interesting and understandable insight into their research in an exciting 30 to 40 minutes.

Contact Person

Daniela Räuwer

Foto Daniela Räuwer
Kommunikation und Marketing

Neuer Graben 29/Schloss
49074 Osnabrück

Room: 13/E07

 +49 541 969-6141
 daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de