The return fellowship is awarded for a maximum duration of 12 months. Funding ceases as soon as the fellow secures a position or obtains other funding in Germany.

Applications for a return fellowship may be submitted up to nine months before and no later than six months after the conclusion of the funded research stay abroad; the fellowship must be commenced no later than twelve months after the end of the initial research fellowship.

Further information: Feodor Lynen Return Fellowship

With funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Union, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) launched the “Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience” (PRIME) programme in 2014; since then, it has supported international mobility during the postdoctoral phase by offering fixed-term positions at German universities rather than traditional scholarships. The funding covers a 12-month period abroad and a six-month integration phase at a German university, where the grant recipients are employed as postdoctoral researchers for the entire duration of the funding period.

You must have been studying or working in the German higher education/research system for at least three of the past five years before the application deadline to apply (e.g. doctoral program/research activities).

A strong previous connection to a German research institution or a degree from a German university is recommended for a successful application.

Further information: Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience

Information in German only, but this program is also open to non-German citizens whose main place of residence used to be Germany:

Das NRW-Rückkehrprogramm eröffnet exzellenten Nachwuchsforschenden die Möglichkeit, eine eigene Nachwuchsgruppe an einer nordrhein-westfälischen Universität ihrer Wahl aufzubauen. Dafür stehen den Rückkehrenden über fünf Jahre jeweils bis zu 1,25 Millionen Euro zur Verfügung. Voraussetzung für eine Bewerbung ist u.a. eine mindestens einjährige Forschungstätigkeit im Ausland, eine mindestens zweijährige Postdoc-Phase und ein herausragendes wissenschaftliches Profil.

Weitere Infos: Rückkehrprogramm NRW

To foster and facilitate reintegration into the German academic system, the German Research Foundation (DFG) allows its fellowship recipients to submit an additional application for a return grant. This funding covers activities such as presenting project results in Germany or preparing for a new academic position. The return grant is awarded upon application as a domestic fellowship for a maximum duration of six months.

Further information: Return grant within the framework of DFG research fellowships

The aim of this funding is to attract outstanding postdoctoral researchers (back) from abroad and to enable them to qualify for a scientific leadership position by independently heading a junior research group. This program, offered by the German Research Foundation (DFG), includes a teaching component designed to foster professional development. Funding is available to researchers who have completed their doctorate within the last four years and possess at least two years of postdoctoral experience. Applicants are required to have twelve months of research experience abroad or to have engaged in equivalent scientific collaborations with researchers abroad. The funding period ranges from five to six years. Applications may be submitted at any time.

Further information: Emmy Noether-Programm

Funding for Research Units provides the necessary personnel and material resources for close collaboration among outstanding researchers, typically spanning a medium-term period of eight years. The scope of the research project—in terms of its subject matter, duration, and funding volume—must significantly exceed the scope of standard funding opportunities offered by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Funding is composed of various program modules, with their weighting and combination tailored to specific disciplinary requirements. This funding program thus allows for a highly flexible structure for the research consortium. Within this framework, Research Units can offer opportunities for the development of early-career research groups, strengthen cooperation with non-university partners, enable researchers to be released from other duties, and intensify international collaboration. Depending on their specific configuration, Research Units may also be integrated into overarching research policy initiatives.

There is no submission deadline. The DFG Senate makes decisions regarding the initial funding of Research Units four times a year.

Further information: Research Units

The funding program offers outstanding external researchers the opportunity to advance their ideas toward market-oriented applications within a Fraunhofer Institute. The funding places a strong emphasis on the researcher’s entrepreneurial ambitions. A budget of up to 2.5 million euros is available over a five-year period to lead a dedicated team of 3–4 staff members. The program is primarily aimed at early-career researchers who have recently obtained their PhD or are already pursuing a postdoctoral career.

Further information: Fraunhofer ATTRACT

Through its Investigator Groups, the Helmholtz Association supports young scientists in achieving early independence. The program is aimed at early-career researchers who completed their doctorates between two and six years ago. These scientists receive annual funding of up to €300,000 for a period of five years, enabling them to establish and lead their own research groups for the first time. The Helmholtz Association places great importance on close cooperation with universities, thereby giving grant recipients the opportunity to gain teaching experience and qualify for a university career. A large proportion of the recipients are international researchers or German scientists returning to Germany after a period of research abroad.

Further information: Helmholtz Investigator Groups

Numerous Leibniz Association institutions establish independent junior research groups in consultation with their funding bodies. Leaders of these groups receive independent resources—including dedicated premises, a budget, and funding for personnel—for a five-year period to carry out their research projects. Mentoring is typically provided by experienced scientists. Interested individuals may contact the institutes directly.

Further information: List of Leibniz Association institutes

The program enables highly qualified young oncologists (postdocs and experienced scientists from medical and natural science disciplines) to establish a scientific research group at a German research institution following their return from abroad or a move to a different research group within Germany. Funding is provided for projects that promise to translate basic research findings into diagnostic or therapeutic applications in clinical oncology. The program offers the option of funding the applicant’s own position. Applicants must generally be no older than 35 at the time of application.

Further information: Max Eder Junior Research Group Program

Max-Eder-Nachwuchsgruppenprogramm

The program offers early-career scientists who have completed their doctorates the opportunity to lead their own research group. These research groups are initially established for a five-year term but may be extended. While they utilize the infrastructure and administrative support of a Max Planck Institute, they have their own personnel and material resources, enabling group leaders to pursue a research project independently.

Further information: Max Planck Research Groups

Project leaders at a Max-Planck Institute can conduct a substantial independent research project within an innovative, research-oriented environment and gain teaching experience. Candidates are required to hold an outstanding doctorate and possess at least two years of research experience. Support is provided in the form of a fellowship or a fixed-term employment contract, lasting between two and seven years.

Max-Planck Institutes advertise these positions—sometimes internationally—according to their own procedures, specifying a particular research area. Postdoctoral positions are advertised in academic journals (including international ones), on the Max Planck Society’s online job board, or on the institute’s own website. If you are interested, please contact the Max-Planck Institute of your choice.

Further information: Project leader at a Max-Planck Institute

Humboldt Research Fellowships are aimed at postdoctoral researchers and experienced scholars from abroad who completed their doctorate no more than four years ago. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellowship offers the opportunity to carry out a long-term research project of one’s own design (lasting 6–24 months) in cooperation with a chosen academic host at a research institution in Germany. German researchers are eligible to apply if, at the time of application, they have been living and working abroad for more than five years and have established their academic base there.

Further information: Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers

Humboldt-Forschungsstipendium für Postdoktoranden

The Fritz Thyssen Foundation’s fellowships are designed to support early-career researchers who hold a doctorate and are pursuing a time-limited research project. Applications may be submitted in the following funding areas: History; Language & Culture; the cross-disciplinary field of “Image and Imagery”; State, Economy & Society; the cross-disciplinary field of “International Relations”; Medicine; and the Natural Sciences. Applicants should generally have completed their doctorate within the last one to two years. The proposed project should typically span a period of one to two years. The fellowship comprises a basic stipend and additional allowances.

Further information: Postdoctoral Fellowship

This research award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is specifically designed for outstanding early-career researchers from non-European countries whose achievements in applied research have already earned them recognition as internationally distinguished experts in their fields. German researchers may also be nominated, provided that, at the time of application, they have been residing in a non-European country for more than five years and have established their academic base there. The award carries a value of €45,000. Award winners are invited to conduct self-selected research projects for a period of up to one year at a Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Nominations are submitted by institute directors or senior researchers at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft institutes. Candidates must have completed their doctorate no more than 18 years prior to nomination.

Further information: Fraunhofer-Bessel Research Award

European Research Council (ERC) funding is designed to give early-career researchers the opportunity to conduct independent research and build their own research teams. Researchers of any nationality are eligible to apply, provided they completed their doctorate between two and seven years ago. The research project must be carried out at a public or private research institution. Starting Grants can be applied for with a duration of up to five years and include funding of up to €300,000 per year.

Further information: ERC Starting Grants

This information and application forms are only available in German.

Die Deutsche Krebshilfe bietet Postdoktorandenstipendien für junge Mediziner und Naturwissenschaftler an, die Projekte in der kliniknahen onkologischen Grundlagenforschung bzw. der klinischen Krebsforschung an renommierten Institutionen im Ausland durchführen wollen.

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier: Mildred-Scheel-Postdoktorandenprogramm

Each year, the Daimler and Benz Foundation awards twelve fellowships to selected postdoctoral researchers, junior professors, or leaders of young research groups. The aim is to strengthen the autonomy and creativity of the next generation of scientists and to pave the way for the careers of dedicated researchers following their doctorates. The annual funding amounts to 50,000 Euro per fellowship, granted for a period of two years. The fellowship is intended to fund student research assistants, technical equipment, research trips, or conference attendance.

Further information: Fellowship program for postdoctoral researchers

The aim of European Research Council (ERC) funding is to enable leading scientists to carry out groundbreaking, high-risk projects in Europe. The support covers a period of up to five years, and the projects are to be conducted at a public or private research institution. Researchers of any nationality are eligible to apply. The grants amount to a maximum of 2.5 million Euro for the funding period.

Further information: ERC Advanced Grants

European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants enable researchers to conduct independent research in Europe and strengthen their own research teams. Researchers of any nationality are eligible to apply if they completed their doctorate between five and twelve years ago. The research project must be carried out at a public or private research institution. Consolidator Grants can be applied for with a duration of up to five years and include funding of up to 2 million Euro over the entire research period.

Weitere Infos: ERC Consolidator Grants

Through the Heisenberg Programme, the German Research Foundation (DFG) supports researchers who already meet all the requirements for a permanent professorship. The funding enables them to pursue high-calibre projects at a location of their choice in Germany and thereby further hone their academic profile. Eligibility requires qualification for a professorship, demonstrated through a “Habilitation” or equivalent academic achievement.

The programme is aimed primarily at researchers who have qualified for a professorship through the Emmy Noether Programme, DFG project positions, industry-based research, or mid-level academic positions, or who have spent a significant period working abroad, among other backgrounds. The programme runs for a maximum of five years. Applications may be submitted at any time.

Further information: Heisenberg Programme

The tenure-track professorship is an attractive career path for young scientists on the way to a lifelong professorship. A commitment to the transfer to a lifelong professorship pending a successful evaluation is made at the time of application – independently of the university’s job situation.

Further information: Tenure-Track Professorships in Germany

The Heisenberg Professorship of the German Research Foundation (DFG) is a further development of the Heisenberg Programme; in addition to funding, it offers the reliable prospect of a professorship. Researchers select a university where they can establish themselves by being appointed to a new field of research. The host university must explain to the DFG how the establishment of a Heisenberg Professorship represents a new scientific focus for the institution.

The Heisenberg Professorship is initially set for a five-year term. Following an evaluation by the DFG and the university, it is converted into a permanent professorship.

Like the Heisenberg Fellowship, the Heisenberg Professorship is aimed at researchers who have qualified for a professorship—for instance, through the Emmy Noether Programme, DFG project positions, research roles in the private sector, or mid-level academic positions—or who have spent a significant period working abroad. Applications may be submitted at any time.

Further information: Heisenberg Professorship

his information and application forms are only available in German.

Mit diesem Förderinstrument unterstützt die Deutsche Krebshilfe junge, hochqualifizierte Medizinerinnen und Mediziner sowie Naturwissenschaftlerinnen und Naturwissenschaftler, die auf innovativen Gebieten der kliniknahen onkologischen Grundlagenforschung oder der klinischen Krebsforschung tätig sind. Mit der Einrichtung einer Mildred-Scheel-Professur kann beispielsweise im Anschluss an eine Förderung einer eigenen Nachwuchsarbeitsgruppe eine längerfristige Perspektive gegebenenfalls mit der Option auf eine unbefristete Professur erreicht werden. Kandidatinnen und Kandidaten müssen bereits herausragende, selbständige wissenschaftliche Arbeiten veröffentlicht und damit ihre wissenschaftliche Eigenständigkeit nachgewiesen haben. Entscheidend für die Auswahl sind die Qualifikationen, eine innovative Thematik und eine hervorragende Einbettung in einem klinischen oder kliniknahen, wissenschaftlichen Umfeld der aufnehmenden Einrichtung. Eine Habilitation ist nicht zwingend Voraussetzung für eine Bewerbung.

Weitere Infos: Mildred-Scheel-Professur

The Leibniz Programme for Women Professors is a funding scheme within the Leibniz Competition. It is aimed at outstanding female scientists from all disciplines with an excellent international reputation.

Funding is provided in the form of a W2/W3 professorship that is either permanent or includes a tenure-track option. The programme aims to support the successful recruitment of top-tier female scientists and to facilitate the initiation of such appointments at an early stage.

Nominations may include both external candidates and candidates from within the institute. Appropriate core funding is provided. The funding period is five years, with two of those years financed by the Leibniz Institute.

Supported scientists are given opportunities for networking and professional development through the Leibniz Best Minds network.

Further information: Leibniz Programme for Women Professors

The funding focuses on the historical humanities, particularly on supporting research projects in the disciplines of archaeology, history, historical Islamic studies, art history, legal history, prehistory and early history, and the history of science. The Gerda Henkel Foundation funds projects led by scholars who hold a doctorate, provided that no more than ten years have elapsed since the completion of their doctoral studies. This restriction does not apply to research projects led by scholars who have completed their habilitation.

Further information: General Research Grants

This information and application forms are only available in German.

Das Programm fördert die Durchführung thematisch und zeitlich begrenzter innovativer Forschungsvorhaben aus dem Bereich der kliniknahen onkologischen Grundlagenforschung oder der klinischen Krebsforschung. Die Dauer der Unterstützung richtet sich nach dem jeweiligen Forschungsprojekt. Darunter fallen Personalmittel (auch die eigene Stelle), Investitions- und Verbrauchsmittel sowie Mittel zur Beschaffung und Haltung von Versuchstieren, Reisekosten, Publikationskosten, Aufträge an Dritte.

Weitere Infos: Klinische Forschung & kliniknahe Grundlagenforschung

The European Commission’s Individual Fellowship (IF) is aimed at researchers who have completed their PhD or have already been active in research for four years. The funding, which is awarded directly to the research institution, covers living and travel expenses and is paid to the researchers via an employment contract. Depending on the specific funding scheme, the grant can be applied for for a maximum of either three or two years. A key requirement for the grant is researcher mobility; researchers must cross a national border, either within Europe or into Europe.

Further information: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): Individual Fellowships

The German Research Foundation (DFG) offers researchers with a track record of outstanding scientific achievement the opportunity to conduct projects that are highly innovative or—in a positive sense—high-risk. These projects must be of a nature that precludes them from being submitted under other funding schemes or carried out within the scope of the respective institution’s standard activities.

Funding is provided for a period of five years to cover personnel, scientific equipment, consumables, travel, and publication costs. The total funding amount ranges from €500,000 to €1.25 million, structured in increments of €250,000. Applications may be submitted at any time.

Further information: Reinhart Koselleck Projects

The Individual Research Grant enables scientists at German research institutions to carry out a single research project with a defined scope and duration. Funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) is project-specific and can cover a period of several years. Support is provided through various modules, including funding for the project leader’s own position. Applications may be submitted at any time.

Further information: Individual Research Grant

Vom Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst (DAAD) gefördert werden Gastdozenten aus allen Weltregionen und Fächern. Im Fokus der Förderung steht die Internationalisierung der deutschen Hochschulen und Stärkung der internationalen Dimension in der Lehre. Deutsche Staatsbürger müssen sich seit bereits mindestens sechs Jahren im Ausland aufhalten, um antragsberechtigt sein. Die Gastdozenturen sind eine gute Chance, Kooperationen mit deutschen Hochschulen aufzubauen und so eine mögliche Rückkehr vorzubereiten. Die Antragsstellung erfolgt über die deutsche Hochschule.

Weitere Infos: Gastdozentenprogramm

This information and application forms are only available in German.

Zur Verbesserung der internationalen Beziehungen und bilateralen Forschungszusammenarbeit deutscher und ausländischer Hochschulen fördert der DAAD den gegenseitigen Austausch von Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern. Grundlage des Austauschs sind Kulturabkommen zwischen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und Partnerländern sowie bilaterale Vereinbarungen mit ausländischen Partnerorganisationen.

Weitere Infos: Bilateraler Austausch für Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler

The program run by the German Scholars Organization e.V. (GSO) and the Dr. Wilhelmy Foundation is aimed at universities, universities of applied sciences, and non-university research institutions in Germany that wish to recruit German researchers from abroad. Travel expenses for job interviews can be reimbursed from program funds up to a maximum of 2,000 euros. The program is limited to STEM subjects. Applications must be submitted by the German institution.

Further information: Dr. Wilhelmy-GSO Travel Expenses Program

With GEPRIS, the German Research Foundation (DFG) provides an online database containing information on ongoing and completed DFG-funded research projects.

Further information: Funded Projects Information System (GEPRIS)

Through the GERiT information portal, the German Research Foundation (DFG)—in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK)—provides an overview of approximately 29,000 institutes at German higher education institutions and non-university research facilities, categorized by subject area, geography, and organizational structure. GERiT is aimed at students and researchers from both Germany and abroad.

Further information: German Research Institutions (GERiT)

This project, funded by the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), provides an informative overview of higher education institutions in Germany and their international cooperation partners. Search results can be filtered by geographic location and other criteria.

Further information: Higher Education Compass