Funding Opportunities for Postdoctoral Researchers

Walter Benjamin program of the German Research Foundation

• Target group: Researches in the qualification phase following their doctorate who would like to independently implement their research project at a location of their choice (in Germany or abroad).
• Funding period: up to two years
• Scope of funding: TV-L E13 or E14 position (in Germany) or scholarship (abroad); lump sum for research funds
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation and short description of the program

Emmy Noether program of the German Research Foundation

• Target group: outstanding advanced researchers who wish to qualify for a university professorship by independently leading a junior research group over a period of six years.
• Funding period: usually six years
• Scope of funding: TV-L E15 position, personnel funds for academic staff members, material resources, funds for investment
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation

Heisenberg Program of the German Research Foundation

• Target group: outstanding researchers who meet all requirements for an appointment to a long-term professorship and who wish to continue preparing for an academic leadership position and work on further research topics during this time.
• Funding period: up to five years
• Scope of funding: TV-L E15 position according to TV-L (Germany) or W2/W3 professorship (Germany, host university must establish a permanent professorship) or scholarship (abroad), lump sum for research funds
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation and short description of the program

Research grant of the German Research Foundation including a position as project leader (“Own position” module)

• Target group: Researchers holding a doctorate who would like to carry out their own research project
• Funding period: up to three years
• Scope of funding: TV-L E13 position
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation and information sheet of the German Research Foundation

Project funding from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation

• Target group: Researchers holding a doctoral degree who would like to carry out their own research project
• Funding period: up to three years
• Scope of funding: TV-L E13 position
• Specialist focus areas: Humanities, social sciences and biomedicine
• Application deadlines: 1 February or 1 November of each year
• Further information: Website of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation

PRIME program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

• Target group: Researchers holding a doctoral degree who would like to carry out their own research project abroad
• Funding period: 18 months, twelve of which are spent abroad and six at the German home institution
• Scope of funding: TV-L E13 position
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Once a year, usually at the end of August
• Further information: Website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

CZS Nexus – Program for the promotion of interdisciplinary postdoc groups of the Carl Zeiss Foundation

• Target group: Researchers holding a doctoral degree at a research institution in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Thuringia who would like to set up their own interdisciplinary research group.
• Funding period: up to six years
• Scope of funding: up to EUR 1.5 million to be used to finance the position of the group manager (usually a TV-L E13 or E 14 position)
• Specialist focus areas: STEM disciplines
• Application deadline: Once a year, usually in mid-October
• Further information: Website of the Carl Zeiss Foundation

Leopoldina Postdoctoral Fellowship

• Target group: outstanding researchers holding a doctoral degree who already have an individual research profile
• Funding period: 12 to 24 months
• Scope of funding: individual full-ride scholarship, lump sum for material resources and consumables
• Specialist focus areas: Mathematics, natural and technical sciences, life sciences, medicine, humanities, social and behavioral sciences
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the Leopoldina

Margarete von Wrangell habilitation program for women of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK)

• Target group: outstanding female professors (W1) who are employed at a higher education institution in Baden-Württemberg and who are in the first one and a half years after taking up their position when applying
• Funding period: up to 3 years (funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK) and the European Social Fund (EFS)), a further two years may be funded by the higher education institution   
• Scope of funding: Personnel resources (TV-L E13/E14 position) for the employment of a female academic staff member who has recently obtained her doctoral degree, qualification budget of EUR 5,000 per year
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: 31 May 2025
• Further information: Call for proposals of the MWK

Grant provided by the German Research Foundation (“Basis” module)

• Target group: young researchers holding a doctoral degree
• Funding period: up to three years
• Scope of funding: Personnel resources for academic staff members (usually TV-L E13 positions), material resources, funds for investments
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation and information sheet of the German Research Foundation

Project funding from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree who would like to carry out their own research project
• Funding period: up to three years
• Scope of funding: Personnel resources for the employment of an academic staff member (TV-L E13 position), funds for student and/or research assistants, grants to cover travel expenses
• Specialist focus areas: Humanities, social sciences and biomedicine
• Application deadlines: 1 February or 1 November
• Further information: Website of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation

Scholarship program for the promotion of postdocs and junior professors of the Daimler and Benz Foundation

• Target group: outstanding postdocs and junior professors in management positions
• Funding period: up to two years
• Scope of funding: Lump sum in the form of a grant of EUR 20,000 per year for research purposes
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: 1 October
• Further information: Website of the Daimler and Benz Foundation

Elite program for postdocs of the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung

• Target group: outstanding postdocs and junior professors without the option to pursue a tenure-track professorship
• Funding period: up to three years
• Scope of funding: up to EUR 150,000 for personnel resources, travel expenses, material resources, and funds for investments
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadlines: multi-stage selection process, first university deadline usually at the end of February
• Further information: Website of the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung

ERC starting grant

• Target group: outstanding postdocs and junior professors who would like to set up their own research group
• Funding period: up to five years
• Scope of funding: up to EUR 1.5 million for personnel resources, travel expenses, material resources, and funds for investments
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: once a year, usually in October
• Further information: Website of the European Research Council (ERC) and website of the European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi)

ERASMUS+

• Target group: Researchers who would like to complete a teaching mobility or continuing training abroad
• Target countries: all 27 EU member states as well as the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, and North Macedonia
• Funding period: from 2 to 60 days (plus the days of arrival and/or departure)
• Scope of funding: Reimbursement of travel expenses and standard rate for accommodation expenses
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the International Office 

PRIME program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree who would like to carry out their own research project abroad
• Destinations: no restrictions
• Funding period: 18 months, twelve of which are spent abroad and six at the German home institution
• Scope of funding: TV-L E13 position
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: once a year, usually at the end of August
• Further information: Website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Research scholarships for young researchers holding a doctoral degree (postdoc program) from the German Academic Exchange Service

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree and German citizenship who would like to carry out their own research project abroad
• Destinations: no restrictions
• Funding period: three to six months
• Scope of funding: monthly basic scholarship payment, additional grant for stays abroad, material resources, grant for travel expenses, funding for conference costs, additional grant for children and childcare
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: 15 March, 15 June 15 September of each year
• Further information: Website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Short- and long-term lectureship program of the German Academic Exchange Service

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree with teaching experience who would like to spend shorter or longer periods teaching at a higher education institution abroad that is recognized by the Land of Baden-Württemberg.
• Destinations: no restrictions
• Funding period: one to six months for short-term lectureships, one to five years for long-term lectureships
• Scope of funding: Leave of absence at home university with continued payment of remuneration for short-term lectureships, employment at the host university plus compensatory grant
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadlines: see information provided by the German Academic Exchange Service for the year 2024
• Further information: Website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Walter Benjamin program of the German Research Foundation.

• Target group: Researchers in the qualification phase following their doctorate who would like to independently implement their own research project abroad.
• Destinations: no restrictions
• Funding period: up to 24 months
• Scope of funding: monthly scholarship and lump sum for research funds
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
• Further information: Website of the German Research Foundation and short description of the program

Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship of the Humboldt Foundation

• Target group: outstanding researchers in the advanced and late postdoctoral research phase who would like to carry out a research project abroad
• Destinations: no restrictions
• Funding period: up to 24 months
• Scope of funding: Scholarship consisting of a monthly basic payment and an additional grant for stays abroad as well as additional benefits (travel expenses, return scholarship, support for educational services, reintegration grant and alumni support); the host institution abroad is expected to contribute to the costs.
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: at least four to seven months before the respective selection date in February, June, and October of each year
• Further information: Website of the Humboldt Foundation

EU MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowship and Global Postdoctoral Fellowship

• Target group: outstanding researchers in the advanced and late postdoctoral research phase who would like to carry out a research project abroad (EU member state or country associated with Horizon Europe or non-European country not associated with Horizon Europe)
• Funding period: twelve to 24 months for stays in European countries, 24 to 36 months for stays outside Europe
• Scope of funding: Funding for a position at the host institution plus grants for living expenses and mobility, family benefit if applicable, lump sum for research and networking activities
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: once a year, usually in September
• Further information: Website of the European Union and Website of the European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi)

Research & teaching program of the German-American Fulbright Commission 

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree and German citizenship who would like to deepen a research project at a US university or complete a teaching mobility in the USA as part of an exchange program for university teachers..
• Destination: USA only
• Funding period: three to nine months
• Scope of funding: Scholarship, consisting of a grant for travel expenses, monthly subsistence allowance, one-time lump sum for utilities, lump-sum allowance for accompanying family members, health and accident insurance, free Fulbright J-1 visa, admission to the international Fulbright network
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: Applications can be submitted at any time, but at least nine months before the envisaged start of the stay.
• Further information: Website of Fulbright Germany

Faculty Mobility Program as part of the Baden-Württemberg – Connecticut (USA) state exchange program

• Target group: researchers employed at a university or university of education in Baden-Württemberg who would like to complete a short visit to a university in the US state of Connecticut to initiate new collaborations and strengthen existing collaborations
• Participating institutions: University of Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Connecticut College, Trinity College, Wesleyan University, University of Hartford, Yale University, Yale Divinity School
• Funding period: three to ten days
• Scope of funding: Grant for travel expenses in the amount of EUR 1,200 and a grant of EUR 150/day to cover accommodation costs
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: 5 December 2023
• Further information: Call for proposals of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK)

Faculty Mobility Program as part of the Baden-Württemberg – University of Massachusetts (USA) state exchange program

• Target group: researchers employed at a higher education institution in Baden-Württemberg who would like to complete a short visit to the University of Massachusetts to initiate new collaborations and strengthen existing collaborations
• Participating locations of the University of Massachusetts: Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell.
• Funding period: three to 14 days, longer stays of up to six months are also possible if funds are available
• Scope of funding: Grant for travel expenses in the amount of EUR 1,200 and a grant of EUR 600 to cover accommodation costs (EUR 1,200 per month in case of longer stays abroad)
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: 30 November 2023
• Further information: Call for proposals of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK)

Faculty Mobility Program as part of the Baden-Württemberg – North Carolina (USA) state exchange program

• Target group: researchers employed at a higher education institution in Baden-Württemberg who would like to complete a short visit to a university in the US state of North Carolina to initiate new collaborations and strengthen existing collaborations
• Partner universities in North Carolina: Website of the UNC System
• Funding period: at least seven days
• Scope of funding: Grant for travel expenses in the amount of EUR 1,200
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: expired (15 October 2023)
• Further information: Call for proposals of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK)

Faculty Mobility Program as part of the Baden-Württemberg – Ontario (Canada) state exchange program

• Target group: researchers employed at a higher education institution in Baden-Württemberg with research experience who would like to complete a research stay at a university in the Canadian province of Ontario to initiate new collaborations and strengthen existing collaborations
• Participating universities in Ontario: Ontario Universities
• Funding period: one to four month(s)
• Scope of funding: Grant for travel expenses in the amount of EUR 1,200 and a grant of EUR 1,200/month to cover accommodation costs
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application deadline: expired (15 October 2023)
• Further information: Call for proposals of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK)

Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

• Target group: researchers holding a doctoral degree who would like to carry out a research project at a Japanese university or research institution
• Destination: Japan only
• Funding period: up to 24 months
• Scope of funding: monthly scholarship, grant for travel expenses, settling-in allowance, accident and health insurance
• Specialist focus areas: open to all disciplines
• Application and application deadlines: Applications can be submitted via the Japanese host institution (deadline in May and September of each year) or via the Humboldt Foundation (at least seven months before the respective selection date in February, June, and October of each year).
• Further information: Website of the JSPS and website of the Humboldt Foundation 

We support promising projects with our start-up funding. Researchers at the University of Mannheim can apply for start-up funding in the BASIC, MEDIUM and EXTRA funding lines for the work required to prepare an application for external funding . Personnel and material resources of up to EUR 50,000can be applied for and approved. Depending on the amount of funding applied for, either the Vice President for Research and Early-Stage Researchers decides on the approval on the basis of a written report from a specialist member of the Research Council or the full Research Council decides on the basis of two reports.

Bridge funding is intended to bridge the gap between the application for an externally funded project and its envisaged start. As a rule, you can only apply for this funding option in combination with an application for start-up funding (BASIC, MEDIUM, EXTRA). The funding period is limited to a maximum duration of nine months and ends as soon as the respective funding organization has approved your application. The participating professorship must pay a share of at least fifty percent of the bridge funding.

This funding option allows you to apply for an amount of up to EUR 10,000 for two years for innovative projects in research communication and/or citizen science for which no appropriate external funding exists or is known (please briefly explain the latter in your proposal). Your project needs to significantly contribute to making research conducted by the University of Mannheim freely accessible to citizens.

In the EVENT funding line, you can apply for a grant of up to EUR 2,000 for the organization of a conference at the University of Mannheim. The respective school and the chair or institute are expected to contribute at least the same amount.