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Individual Research Grants

Further Information

Research grants enable individuals who have completed their academic training to conduct at any time research projects with clearly defined topics and durations, regardless of the subject.

To enable scientists and academics to carry out a research project on a specifically defined topic within a limited time period.

Eligibility Requirements

Qualified researchers (as a rule, those holding a doctorate) from all disciplines working at German research institutions

Researchers working at institutions which serve purely commercial purposes or those who are not permitted to publish findings in a generally accessible form are not eligible to apply.

Proposal Requirements

A research project of high scientific quality and originality, carried out at an international level

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The duration of funding is based on the individual project needs (as a rule, several years).

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First proposal: No submission deadline

Renewal proposal: At least 6 months before the approved funds have been exhausted

The DFG has a wide range of options to support research groups engaging in international collaboration.

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In addition, researchers at a foreign research institution can participate as part of a so-called “general international cooperation”.

• Funding in an International Contex t

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) uses the term ‘long-term project’ to refer to research projects in the humanities and social sciences that require continuous funding for at least 7 years and a maximum of 12 years (possible examples being editions, corpora, archaeological excavations, and social or behavioural longitudinal studies). To be recognised as a long-term project, a project must be characterised by its central scholarly importance, thorough preparation and planning, and professional management.

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Detailed information on the proposal process

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Research in germany - land of ideas : date: 05.08.2022 , theme: international affairs.

Germany is a top destination for international researchers. Under its initiative Research in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports targeted acticities to promote Germany as a land of ideas and innovation.

Germany is an open and cosmopolitan country which offers unique opportunities for international researchers at all career levels.Over 1,000 publicly funded research institutions, some 400 higher education institutions and extensive industrial research make Germany’s research and innovation exosystem uniquely broad-and diverse.

Moreover, Germany invests heavily in research and innovation: from grants for individual researchers to tax benefits for companies. Total annual expenditure for research and development is well above 3% of GDP – more than in most other major economies worldwide.

Fostering international cooperation and visibility

Germany is one of the world’s leading research nations. At the same time, it is in strong global competition for talent. International cooperation and visibility are key requirements for securing Germany’s position as a top destination for researchers and innovators. The initiative Research in Germany of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research ( BMBF ) is an important element which contributes to this aim. It implements targeted activities around the globe to promote Germany as a land of ideas and innovation.

The online plattform www.research-in-germany.org is the key gateway for international researchers to learn more about funding programmes and grants at all career levels, the German research landscape and to read the latest R&D news. 

box: information

The Federal Ministry of Research and Education launched Research in Germany in 2006. The initiative supports targeted measures to promote Germany as a leading destination for research and innovation. The key aim is to raise awareness of the opportunities which Germany offers to international researchers and innovators. Currently, the activities of Research in Germany are implemented by the German Academic Exchange Service ( DAAD ).

Special announcement

Research in germany.

Germany offers excellent research opportunities for EU/international PhD students and researchers. Universities and other higher education institutions as well as public- and private-sector non-university research institutions and large research funding organisations support international researchers with postdoctoral jobs and fellowships. Interesting development opportunities for international researchers also exist in research-intensive industry and with small and medium-sized enterprises. Many companies also work closely with universities and research institutions in application-oriented research and development.

First Steps

Getting Started

Join the more than 32,000 international researchers and scholars being funded to conduct research in Germany! Please use the links below to get you on your way to adding research in Germany to your resume.

• Information for PhD students at research-in-germany.org
• Information for Postdocs at research-in-germany.org
• Information for Senior Researchers at research-in-germany.org
• Research Organizations at research-in-germany.org

Funding Opportunities

Financing Your Research

A wide selection of funding programs to conduct research in Germany is available for international academics and researchers, whether you are an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student, postdoc or a senior scientist. All it takes is this first click to get started.

• Research Funding at research-in-germany.org

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New research paths

Germany offers international scientists and academics an attractive research landscape and a wide range of funding options.

What sets the German research landscape apart? Great organisations and good funding: Germany boasts over 1,000 publicly funded research institutions, plus numerous departments of research and development in industry. Recently, annual internal corporate expenditure on research and development (R&D) in Germany reached a new record high of 75.6 billion euros. It is thanks in part to the state and universities that Germany ranks among the top few international countries that spend more than 3 percent of gross domestic product on R&D. Germany is using its Excellence Strategy to strengthen its universities – both in the top tier and across the board. Through its High-Tech Strategy 2025, it is promoting innovations that will help combat cancer, reduce plastic in the environment and make industry largely greenhouse gas neutral, to name but a few.

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What career opportunities are there in Germany? Germany offers a wide range of options to researchers at all kinds of career stages. This starts with doctoral students: Germany has the most doctoral students in the European Union by far, with over 5,500 international students completing their PhD in Germany each year on average. The fact that around 3,500 professors from other countries are employed at German universities is a sign of their increasing internationalisation. In terms of the number of R&D personnel as a proportion of the total number of gainfully employed, Germany far exceeds the European Union average, and is also ahead of China and Japan. Around two thirds of these employees drive innovation forward in industry.

How are international researchers in Germany funded? Germany attaches great importance to funding research-driven innovation. Around a third of R&D expenditure comes from the public sector. Numerous organisations, including the DAAD and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation , provide funding for international researchers – over 33,000 are currently being supported with grants. The “Research in Germany” portal and the “ Funding your research in Germany ” brochure provide comprehensive information about the various funding opportunities.

This database allows you to search for specific grants and scholarships.

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Roughly 23,000 international visiting researchers received financial support from German funding organisations, agencies and research institutions in the 2020 pandemic year. A further 15,000 were employed at large non-university research organisations and more than 52,000 at German universities.

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You will find an overview of the funding opportunities for international researchers in Germany in our  selection of funding programmes .

Our  newsletter  and our  Facebook  and  Twitter  channels also keep you informed about current funding for PhDs and other programmes to finance your postdoctoral research project in Germany.

Search for your future funding programme:

• PhD students
• Early career researchers & postdocs
• Established researchers

Funding your research in Germany

A selection of funding programmes for German and international academics run by the leading research funding institutions. Target group: international PhD students, postdocs and academics interested in a research stay in Germany.

Search for a wide range of funding programmes for international PhD students, postdocs and established researchers.