Funding opportunities

To put in a fellowship or research grant funding application, get in touch with the appropriate experts across the Göttingen Campus with as much notice as possible (see below).

If you are a researcher in Göttingen, make sure you are signed-up to receive the GC Postdoc Network newsletter to get regular updates about funding, prizes, and similar opportunities, as well as tips and training to make sure you put in the best application.

Several funding programmes are available for postdocs and other early career researchers at the Göttingen Campus:

If you are part of the University, check out the Research Department, here and (for EU projects) here and Göttingen International for Education and Mobility programmes. If you are part of the wider Göttingen Campus see the GAUSS page.

Göttingen Campus Resources

GAUSS new webpage tool: find research funding opportunities in MINT (STEM): attracting research funding is one of first steps on the road to academic independence. There are lots of options for postdocs depending on your career level, length of the project or research plan. To support you in navigating through the different funding schemes, explore your options here.
GAUSS collection of Trainee Programmes for MINT (STEM) – check out their webpage tool
A training program is one option to start your career in industry and can be a great opportunity. As there are many in different sectors (eg Pharma, Chemical Industry, Consulting, Precision Engineering), we collated nearly 50 and listed them on this webpage categorised by industry and all with a short profile. At all these companies, alumni of GAUSS/GGNB are employed at all these companies. Find out more here.

External Sources

A very useful external source of advice is the Federal Funding Advisory Service on Research and Innovation. They can help you identify a whole range of funding opportunities from various German government initiatives. They can also help you find local, national and EU research schemes, recommend partners, support international projects and much more. You can contact them by phone or email.
You may like to sign up to FIT (Forschung Internationales Transfer) which provides current calls from a range of funders. You can subscribe to FIT and select the type of calls and how often you want to be informed.
Postdocs will also find this funding website useful - Research in Germany.
Individual grants: German Research Foundation (DFG) has published a How-To Guide about individual grants programmes - whether for individual projects or people. It also includes tips for your proposal.

Upcoming Funding opportunities

Sorted by deadline

February

Humboldt Foundation Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships for researchers at all career levels and in all disciplines from Germany to carry out research abroad with members of the Humboldt Network around the world for 6-24 month research stays. Female scientists and members from underrepresented groups are expressly invited to apply. You will need to identify a suitable host using their search tool and note that most of these – depending on country – are expected to contribute approximately one third of the costs (there are exceptions – see details). Deadline: completed application documents including references to be available for their February, June or October meetings
Humboldt Foundation Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) research fellowships for Postdocs with German citizenship or permanent residence in Germany (but not citizenship/permanent residence in Japan) in any discipline. The fellowship will provide up to 24 months funding with a stipend and other allowances including for travel and insurance. You should have completed your PhD no more than six years ago, have already published and have a very good command of English. Japanese is only necessary if it is crucial for your research topic. Applications in English only and you must have a host in Japan. Deadline: completed application documents including references to be available for their February, June or October meetings
Mülheim Water Award – for individual researchers, teams or institutions applying from Europe or Israel. The focus is on the applicability of innovations for a sustainable water management and safe and secure drinking water supply. The award is €10,000. Deadline: 28 February
**for Uni staff, students, fellows only**Nominations/Applications for the Göttingen University Diversity Award – to honour outstanding commitment to diversity and equal opportunities in the areas of counselling/advice services, university culture and leadership. Each prize is worth €2,500. Self-nominations are accepted in the first two categories but leaders can only be nominated by others. For queries, email Elena Futter-Buck. Deadline: 28 February
(In German, entry must be in German) Klaus Tschira KlarText Award for science communication for researchers who can explain their PhD thesis clearly and interestingly in German to a non-technical audience in the form of an article or infographic. You can apply if you received your doctorate in biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, mathematics, neuroscience or physics in the last 2 years. The prize money is €7,00 each and articles are published in “KlarText”. Winners will also become part of the Klaus Tschira alumni foundation and participants will get access to online training “Grundlagen der Wissenschaftskommunikation”. Deadline: 28 February
Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preise Schleyer Foundation for early career social science researchers (under 40 years of age at the submission deadline) who have conducted outstanding research on the topic of “Undesirable developments in the housing market – between market and state failure”. Entries must have been recently published or broadcast in German or English. (Journalists whose contributions have excelled in making scientific discoveries and practical experience easily accessible to a wider public can also enter). There are three prizes, each of €5,000 which can be shared. Deadline: 28 February

March

(In German) Deutscher Studienpreis for the best PhD thesis in any discipline for those who completed in 2025 and received an excellent degree at a German unior who are German citizens and completed abroad. Application documents include: an essay and abstract as well as the dissertation itself, two expert reviews, a tabular CV, etc. The Dissertation and expert opinion may be written in German or English, but the competition entry and abstract must be written in German. Prizes are in three subject groups and consist of €25,000 for first prize in each category and two second prizes of €10,000 each per category. All finalists have the option to participate in services for alumni. Deadline: 1 March
Junge Akademie and Volkswagen Foundation prize for the best research environment in 2026. prize money of €10,000 is to be invested in the named research environment and used for team-building measures or to further develop cooperation-based work, for example in the form of retreats, coaching, or further education and training. Financing of basic office furniture or IT hardware is not permitted. At least two researchers (MSc, PhD, Postdoc up to R3) of the research environment must apply together and the environment must have existed for at least 2 years. Deadline: 1 March
DFG Humanities and Social Sciences Research Groups: a funding programme specially tailored to the working methods of these disciplines which enables distinguished researchers to collaborate of a research topic at a single location. The funding period is 8 years and the topic should be broad enough to draw on existing interests and strengths at the location while also providing a framework for the integration of individual research ideas. The application process involves several stages. You should get advice from your local Forschung and Transfer team as well as from the DFG. Deadline for draft proposals: 3 March
(Reminder) DFG Industry Data for Research funds projects where companies, as part of a collaboration with researchers, make their data available for basic research in the fields of health or mobility. Project proposals must be submitted by a research project consortium consisting of a higher education institution eligible to submit proposals to the DFG and an application partner in the private sector. Funds may be requested and awarded only for the project partner based at the higher education institution. Deadline for applications: 11 March
(In German) BMFTR on Global Change: Innovative Methods in Climate Modelling “Nachwuchsgruppen“ – Funding to establish Junior Research Groups to work in an interdisciplinary manner on the topics of global climate modelling and AI and link them to form a new, independent research area and, with the overlap of global climate modelling and AI, lay the foundation for the climate modelling of the future. In addition, the funding measure is intended to give young scientists the opportunity to reveal the complex interrelationships in the climate system with new and innovative research ideas. This funding for early career scientists is intended to consolidate German excellence in climate research. Deadline for outline application: 15 March
VolkswagenStiftung scoping workshops open to all disciplines, to encourage reflection and further development of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research areas and communities. This funding enables researchers to jointly assess the current status of their field of research and, on this basis, to work out perspectives for its further development. The funding is for workshops to take place at Hannover some time between March and October 2027 for researchers in Germany, potentially with international co-applicants. Q&A session: 12 February 2026 at 10:00 (in German) link to be shown here nearer the time. Deadline: 17 March
Joachim Herz Add-On fellowship for early career researchers in Germany in engineering, economics, or life sciences to work on an interdisciplinary research topic with transfer potential, which is of social relevance in the field of “Resources of the Future”. This is flexible funding of up to €15,000 over two years and can cover costs such as travel, research stays, conferences, training, special equipment, data collection, and more. Deadline: 22 March
Joachim Herz Award consists of €500,000 for outstanding scientists who wish to advance their research or facilitate the transfer of their research projects into practical application. In 2026, the theme is “Smarter use of water” and recognizes innovative and sustainable research approaches that design solutions for our future and aim to bring them into practice over time. The questions addressed may range from economic incentive systems for efficient water consumption to the development of regulatory instruments for a future-oriented circular economy. Deadline: 31 March
Joachim Herz Innovate Academy supports “water-enabled materials” in 2026 via interdisciplinary, high-risk research projects in the engineering, natural, and materials sciences that are positioned between completed basic research and market readiness. It provides up to €250,000 for staff and project plus €5,000 for outreach. Applicants should have entrepreneurial and application-oriented skills as well as good communication skills and be interested in exchanging ideas with other researchers and those in society. Deadline: 31 March
Joachim Herz Stiftung: Innovate! Fund for interdisciplinary groups of at least three researchers working together to find solutions to issues such as climate change or resource scarcity in a northern Germany university or research institute. They are particularly looking for projects that can no longer be classified as basic research but are not yet “marketable”. In 2026, the theme is The Future of Water: Technologies, Models and Infrastructures of Tomorrow. The funding is worth €1,000,000 per project for up to five years. Funding can cover personnel, materials, rental of infrastructure and travel but not an overhead. Deadline: 31 March
Wübben Foundation Sandpits funding is worth €50,000 and brings 15-20 researchers – postdocs and above, from all disciplines working at German unis – together for a three day event to shape a topic away from established structures. The 2026 theme is Understanding, shaping, and transforming bureaucracy. The funding can be used flexibly to cover travel, accommodation, catering, venue etc. Applicants choose 6-8 participants and Wübben will provide a pool of potential candidates for the group to choose to make up the rest of the group. Wübben will also nominate the workshop facilitators. Deadline: 31 March
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung: Adolf Martens Fellowship Programme funds postdoc junior scientists who obtained their PhD (in an area of expertise matching BAM’s scientific direction) outside Germany within the last 3 years. BAM tests, researches and advises on protection for people, the environment and materials, and sets safety standards in technology and chemistry for Germany and its global markets. Please email for more informationbefore submitting any documents. Funding is for one year: Deadlines: 31 March (31 July, 30 November)

April

Gerda Henkel Stiftung: “Prospekt Utopia“ invites applications from postdocs in all disciplines supported by the foundation (see website to understand how this can be interpreted). Researchers will reflect on the significance of their disciplines in terms of the meaning these have for lived reality and as a way of providing orientation and thus to explore the future with regard to its possible shapes and the potential for interpretation and creation it offers. In doing so, the approaches may hinge on the representation of and/or reflection on historical visions of the future, or equally address horizons of expectation or conceptions of future practice and the scope for scholarship to act. There will be fifty projects worth up to €50,000 each. Deadline for first project outline: 15 April
(In German) BMFTR Society-Related Sustainability “Nachwuchsgruppen“ – Funding is provided for interdisciplinary social-ecological junior research groups that use a transdisciplinary research approach to develop innovative ideas and solutions to make cities fit for the future. The funder is Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and it lasts five years. An overarching goal of the funding measure is to provide excellently trained researchers in inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability research with attractive career prospects in science and practice. Deadline for outline application: 29 April
Fast Forward Science competition – for short (up to 3 mins) video and audio content from early career researchers (students or up to 6 years after PhD) for science communication about a theme that is currently being researched in German, or English with German subtitles. In addition, there are special prizes for best debut and audio award are open to all science enthusiasts regardless of their scientific or professional background. In addition, there is a “Special Energy Award” which accepts contributions from all multimedia. There are several prizes and awards worth €2,000 and €1,000 euros each. Deadline: 30 April
Scotland research and innovation scheme: stream II excellence track – provides funding to further develop and enhance research projects between Lower Saxony and Scotland embedded in an existing collaboration with the objective to apply for prestigious third-party funding, particularly Horizon Europe. All topics are funded, particularly energy (transformation), life sciences, educational sciences, mobility and its transformation as well as security policy. Up to €100,000 for up to 2 years. Funders include: Royal Society of Edinburgh, Volkswagen Foundation and Lower Saxony’s Ministry of Science and Culture. Deadline: 30 April

May and later

Stockmeyer Science Award to honour outstanding food science research. The award-winning work should be notable for its practical solutions and application-oriented research, which, in line with the foundation's purpose, contribute to improving food safety and consumer protection as well as to strengthening consumer confidence in the quality and safety of food. The prize of €10,000 is awarded to scientists who have made outstanding achievements in this area. Individual achievements such as doctoral theses and habilitation theses as well as publications in scientifically recognized journals that have been produced in the last three years are considered. Deadline: 15 May
Emmy Noether Groups “Methods in artificial intelligence” for highly qualified early career researchers in any discipline specialising in the field of AI method development – interpreted broadly - including theoretical foundations, analysis and evaluation. This could include but is not limited to: machine learning, optimisation, logic and reasoning, algorithmics, data analytics and data mining, knowledge representation, knowledge-based systems, mathematical and formal foundations, statistical learning methods. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to establish and lead an Emmy Noether Group for a period of six years, enabling them to refine their research profile, enhance their international visibility and become eligible for a professorship. Deadline for draft applications: 11 June
Indo-German Bilateral workshops about an identified research issue pertaining to an industrial problem. They offer the opportunity to develop in-person workshops in India or Germany lasting 2-5 days led by a researcher from India and one from Germany in academia or industry to facilitate interactions to identify innovative pathways for common socio-economic priorities and technology gaps. The programme provides catalytic funding of around €30000 per workshop to cover travel, accommodation, hospitality, venue etc. Deadlines: 31 July, and 31 January 2027
AI Research Groups Lower Groups: for scientists with at least 2 years postdoc research experience to fund research groups in computer science, artificial intelligence, application disciplines. Funding up to 2 million euros for up to five years. Deadline: TBC autumn

On-going

ALEXANDER von HUMBOLDT JSPS Research Fellowship up to 24 months in Japan for postdocs with permanent residence in Germany in all disciplines. Applications are generally processed four to seven months. Deadline: open

MSC4Ukraine (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions for Ukraine)has been launched to support postdocs and PhD candidates from Ukraine (in residence on 24 February 2022 and displaced after that date or ready to relocate). The programme will match researchers with institutes and fellowships will be offered on a rolling basis from January 2023. Deadline: open
DFG Emmy Noether programme applications: for highly qualified early career researchers and junior professors (normally up to 4 years after PhD completion and at least 2 years of postdoc experience) on temporary contracts who want the chance to qualify for the post of professor at a university by leading an independent junior research group for six years. (The eligibility period has been extended by 3 months due to the coronavirus pandemic for those who would otherwise have to apply by 31 December 2022). Deadline: proposals can be submitted at any time.
DFG Walter Benjamin Programmeenables researchers in the postdoctoral training phase to independently conduct their own research project at a location of their choice for 2 years. The project can be carried out at a research institution in Germany or abroad, with the host institution providing support for the project. Applications can be submitted at any time. Frequently asked questions are here. Contacts are subject-specific and can be found here. Deadline: at any time
EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Postdoctoral Fellowshipssupport researchers for two years and international mobility is a key requirement. Fellowship includes a salary or stipend, laboratory leadership training, access to an EMBO global network, relocation allowance and support for those with kids. Applications accepted throughout the year.
EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Scientific Exchange Grantssupport researchers for up to three months between laboratories in eligible countries – facilitating collaborations with research groups with expertise, techniques or infrastructure that is unavailable in the applicant’s laboratory. They cover travel and subsistence costs. Applications accepted throughout the year.
EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Core Facility Fellowshipssupport training for core facility staff (including scientists and technicians) in specific techniques in core facilities that provide services to research institutions or universities. The fellowships contribute towards travel and subsistence costs. Applications accepted throughout the year.
Exist Business Funding for University-based Business Start-ups by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate funding. The application comes from the University/research institute but is driven by researchers (potential entrepreneurs) who hand their business idea to the University. More info about the scheme is here. Applications must be in German. Deadline: on-going
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship - the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation provides sponsorship for research stays worldwide (length of 6 to 24 months for postdocs), for researchers from Germany in all disciplines and all career stages. Applicants choose an academic host from some 15,000 academics in the Humboldt Network abroad. Deadline: Apply throughout the year but well in advance of committee meetings in February, June and October
Fritz Thyssen Foundation Research Stipendsto support highly qualified individual junior scholars who generally received their doctoral degree one or two years ago. It provides postdocs with an opportunity to focus on a research project for a limited period of time and the stipends can be used to enable scholars to familiarise themselves with a new field of research or to write an article for publication. Funding in the following areas: history, language and culture; interdisciplinary field “image-sound-language”; state, economy and society; medicine and the natural sciences. Deadline: applications can be submitted at any time and an answer is generally provided within 8 weeks.
Fulbright Germany: Reisestipendien für deutsche Wissenschaftler*innenfor scientists with German citizenship for teaching or research stays in the US for 3 to 12 months. Fulbright Germany encourages applications from diverse groups who are traditionally underrepresented in academia. No deadline but apply at least nine months before you intend to travel
Liebig Postdoc Fellowships are to help start the careers of prospective university teachers in the field of chemistry. Postdocs from chemistry and related fields can get funding to continue their scientific experience at another working group and university (different from their PhD which should have been completed within three years). Deadline: at any time
Leopoldina Postdoc ScholarshipPostdoctoral scientists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland who already show independence in natural science or medicine to conduct research abroad. Contact: PD Dr Andreas Clausing. Deadline: applications can be submitted at any time and are considered four times a year.
VolkswagenStiftung: support in Germany for Scientists/Scholars from Afghanistan (or who have fled Afghanistan): scientists in Germany are eligible to apply if they have received research funding from the VolkswagenStiftung in the last 10 years. Scientists can apply to bring researchers from Afghanistan (or scholars/scientists who have fled Afghanistan) to work on their research project. Potential PhD students could be funded although the initial funding period would only cover 2 years. In all cases, please discuss potential applications directly with the VolkswagenStiftung before applying. Open deadline.
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds travel grants for postdocs, PhD researchers and medical students working on experimental projects in basic biomedical research who want to travel for courses with at least 50% practical work and laboratory visits. Deadline: open but you must apply at least six weeks and no more than six months before the planned date of departure.
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds MD Fellowships – 18 months for medical students to pursue ambitious, experimental projects in basic biomedical research (worldwide). Applicants must study human medicine in Germany and change cities and institutions for at least ten consecutive months to work in an internationally renowned laboratory. Benefits include a monthly stipend, seminars, travel allowances, individual support, access to a network. Deadline: open but you must apply at least three months before the planned start date.
UniBund conference funding: for postdocs to cover travel and fees can be applied for at any time for a Göttingen researcher as long as it is at least four weeks before the trip. The funding covers costs to present your own results in the form of a lecture or poster. Unibund also provides funds for central lecture series about research, cultural activities, student excursions and institutional conferences at the Uni. Deadline: open ended

Research Grant experts across the Campus to support your application

To put in a fellowship or research grant funding application, get in touch with the appropriate experts across Göttingen Campus with as much notice as possible:

UNI	Lisa Grow	lisa.grow@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 28252	National and international funding (Humanities), Research & Transfer Services
UNI	Felix Spöler	felix.spoeler@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 28245	National and international funding (Natural and Life Sciences), Research & Transfer Services
UNI	Ricarda Blumentritt	ricarda.blumentritt@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 21320	EU programmes (Horizon Europe MSCA and Erasmus+), Göttingen International
UNI	Jakob Hedderich	jakob.hedderich@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 21326	DAAD, Göttingen International
UNI	Claudia Sueltmann	Claudia.sueltmann@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 28254	EU Office, Research & Transfer Services
UNI	Małgorzata Siennicka-Rahmstorf	malgorzata.siennicka-rahmstorf@zvw.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 28253	EU Office, Research & Transfer Services
UNI	Florian Pahlke	transfer@uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 24283	Knowledge & tech. transfer, Research & Transfer Services
UNI	Martin Stammann	gruendung@uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 25164	Start-up support, Research & Transfer Services,
UMG	Team Research Management	forschung@med.uni-goettingen.de	(0551) 39 61270	Research Management
MPI	Kerstin Mosch	kmosch@gwdg.de	(0551) 3899 453	Forschung EU
DPZ	Björg Pauling	bpauling@dpz.eu	(0551) 3851 454
DPZ	Robert Teepe	rteepe@dpz.eu	(0551) 3851 122