FAiR@UMA – Family Assistance in Research
Support for women and FLINTA* researchers with significant family responsibilities
The workload of researchers with children or caregiving responsibilities remains high—even when working part-time. As their family commitments increase, they must continue to develop their academic profile while maintaining their involvement in their chair or research project. The FAiR@UMA (Family Assistance in Research) program is designed to provide targeted support in managing these demands.
Through the program, you can apply for funding for student or research assistants via a streamlined application process. The assistant can support you at all stages of your research and publication process, conduct research tasks, collect data, and take on time-consuming administrative duties.
Please note that, to be eligible for funding for student or research assistants, you must be actively employed at the University of Mannheim, regardless of your working hours.
Target group
Women and FLINTA* researchers (doctoral students, postdocs, junior professors, professors) with at least one child under the age of 12 or with caregiving responsibilities.
FLINTA* is an acronym referring to women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans*, and agender persons.
Type of funding
Financial funds for the purpose of employing a student or research assistant.
Please note that the funds can only be used to employ a new student or research assistant. It is not possible to use the funds for an assistant who is already working for you.
| Student or research assistant | Maximum number of hours per month |
| without a degree | 43 |
| with a bachelor's degree | 41 |
| with a master’s degree | 30 |
Funding period
Up to 6 months starting from July 2026 at the earliest.
Application process
The application period runs from 13 April to 8 May 2026.
The application form will be available on this website once the application period opens.
Funding will be awarded after the end of application period for as long as there are sufficient funds available, considering cases of hardship. If the number of applications exceeds the available funds, a lottery will be held to decide. There is no legal claim to receive funding.
Proof of caretaking responsibilities
If you are selected to receive funding, you must submit the necessary documents within two weeks to prove that you have at least one child under the age of 12 or are caring for a relative. If the necessary documents are not submitted on time, you will not receive any funding.
When I returned to work after my second pregnancy, my older daughter was three years old and my younger one just five months. During this particularly challenging period, the funding provided by FAIR@UMA was invaluable in helping me manage my responsibilities in research and teaching. The research assistant supported my courses as a teaching assistant and assisted with data collection.
The quick and straightforward approval of funding for student and research assistants through FAIR@UMA allows me to focus on my core responsibilities in teaching and research. I also see this support as a recognition of my work as a teacher and researcher with young children.