External Funding Opportunities

Scope: Preparation of a longer-term and contractually bound cooperation between German universities and universities in developing countries at departmental or institute level, which is aimed at structural improvement at the partner universities. To the call for proposals

Eligible measures: Initiating trips by specialist delegations from German universities to make contact with potential foreign cooperation partners in developing countries. For more intensive preparation of a cooperation project and clarification of the partner structure, trips by foreign partners to Germany can also be funded following the trip by the German side.

Not eligible for funding: Trips by individuals, trips by students and non-university staff, representative trips with no specialist reference and excursions, research trips or trips to initiate pure research cooperation, projects that are already being funded by other institutions, applications with a funding volume of less than 3.500 €

Funding amount: max. 15.000 € for trips lasting a maximum of 14 days; max. 20.000 € for trips lasting a maximum of 21 days (incl. return visit or trips to several neighbouring countries)

Funding period: begins from 01.04.2025 at the earliest and ends on 31.12.2025 at the latest.

Deadline for applications: 26.11.2024

Scope: Initiating trips or fact finding missions as well as exchanges of students, lecturers and university staff to initiate and consolidate cooperation and knowledge exchange between university partners and civil society actors from, among others, the priority countries with Germany in the fields of teaching, research, higher education management and/or transfer.

Further objectives are the interdisciplinary and/or administrative skills acquisition of students, lecturers, (young) academics and/or higher education management staff and the implementation of concepts and/or (knowledge) products for teaching, research and/or reform processes in the field of higher education management that correspond to the local context and the state of the art in science. To the call for proposals

Target countries: MENA region (Middle East & North Africa) primarily Tunisia, Sudan, Lebanon and Iraq; also Egypt, Algeria, Yemen, Jordan, Libya and Morocco

Funding period: 01.03. or 01.09. - 31.12.2025

Deadline for applications:
29.11.2024 for measures between 01.03. - 31.12.2025
30.05.2025 for measures between 01.09. - 31.12.2025

Scope: funds for the planning, development and implementation of a university partnership of German universities with universities in developing and emerging countries in the sense of Agenda 2023: SDG-relevant research, public relations, revision of teaching/learning materials, implementation of events, further education and training as well as project-related stays, public relations. To the call for proposals

Amount of funding: max. 300,000 € for 4-year projects

Funding period: 2025 - 2028

Deadline for applications: 28.06.2024

Scope: Teaching visits by university lecturers at the partner institute and in Germany to strengthen German Studies, study visits and tutoring activities by German students/graduates at the partner institute, research visits by doctoral students, workshops at partner universities abroad, regional networking activities, German Studies doctoral schools at partner institutes abroad. The programme is particularly open to German studies (literature, cultural studies, linguistics and German as a foreign language). To the call for proposals

Grants: of up to 50,000 € per year or 75,000 € for 1-3 year projects with one or more foreign universities.

Funding period: 2025 - 2027

Deadline for applications: 12.08.2024

Scope: Funds for a two-way student and faculty exchange between departments to (A) establish and continue an international study and training partnership and (B) promote highly qualified students. To the call for proposals

Eligible measures: Mobility and stay of students (for max. 10 months) and teachers (usually min. 2 weeks - max. 3 months), supervision measures, working meetings, preparatory courses in Germany as well as alumni measures.

Mobility groups: Bachelor students, Master students, scientists, professors of all disciplines

Target countries: All except Erasmus program countries. Excluded are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Northern Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

Prerequisite for application: Subject-related cooperation agreement with agreements on the regulation of tuition fees and recognition of examination results.

Amount of funding: no cap for mobility grants, max. 7.500 € per university year for personnel and material resources in Germany as well as honoraria

Funding period: 2025 - 2028 | Funding duration: 2 years for initial application, 4 years for subsequent application

Deadline for applications: 16.10.2024

Scope: Funds for the development and implementation of an international degree program for groups of highly qualified German and international students who study alternately at the German as well as the foreign partner university(ies) and obtain both national degrees (joint or double degree). To the call for proposals

Eligible measures: Development, establishment and continuation of an international under-/graduate double degree program with up to 6 partner universities, establishment and expansion of international structures at the German university, mobility of guest lecturers (min. 2 weeks - max. 3 months) and students (scholarships for max. 10 months) of the German university. A PhD program cannot be funded.

Mobility groups: Bachelor students, Master students, professors, lecturers, administrators of all disciplines and subject areas.

Target countries: All except Russia, Belarus and France (alternative funding via DFH).

Application requirements: Subject-related cooperation agreement or letter of intent, draft of a curricular study program concept.

Amount of funding:

• Preparatory phase: max. 10,000 €/funding year and partner (max. 6)
• Funding phase: max. 25,000 €/funding year for personnel expenses, fees, material resources in Germany; no maximum amount for mobility grants
• Follow-up phase: max. 7,500 €/funding year for personnel expenses, honorarium, material resources in Germany; no maximum amount for mobility grants

Funding period: from 2025 - max. 2029

Funding duration: 1 year for preparatory phase, 2+2+4 years for funding phase, 4 years for follow-up funding

Deadline for applications: 16.10.2024

Scope: Mobility and short-term stays of project participants to initiate or intensify a binational research activity between a German and a foreign university/research institution. Special emphasis is placed on the qualification of young academics. To the call for proposals

Mobility groups: Graduates (Master's and Master's students), doctoral students, post-doctoral students, university lecturers.

Funding requirements:
- Applications must be submitted by a doctoral researcher but does not necessarily have to lead a research group.
- As a rule, the foreign partner must submit a parallel application for funding to the DAAD's foreign cooperation partner.
- Project-based cooperation in research between German and foreign research teams working together on a highly topical subject on an equal footing and complementing each other in their respective areas of expertise, so that the binational cooperation leads to a transfer of knowledge and represents added value for both sides (e.g. international publications, follow-up applications).
- A cooperation agreement and endorsement by the university management are not necessary.

Eligible measures: International mobility costs (travel, stay) for research stays (min. 3 or 7 - max. 30 or 50 days per stay) with the cooperation partner.
Funding period: 01.01.2025 - 31.12.2027 | Funding duration: max. 24 months
Amount of funding: 7,500 to 18,000 € per year depending on the target country

Deadline by target country:
20.05.2024 | Brazil (Extended deadline for FAPESP/FAPPR: 14.06.2024 | CAPES: 01.07.2024)
30.05.2024 | Egypt
04.06.2024 | Canada, USA
06.06.2024 | Colombia, Taiwan
12.06.2024 | Korea
19.06.2024 | Australia
20.06.2024 | Argentina, Hong Kong
28.06.2024 | Croatia, New Zealand, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary
03.07.2024 | France
31.08.2024 | India, Sri Lanka
10.09.2024 | Finland, Japan (JSPS, NINS, U Kyoto, U Tsukuba, Waseda-U)
13.09.2024 | Portugal
16.09.2024 | Scotland
15.11.2024 | Griechenland
31.01.2025 | Türkei

Program objectives: Mobility grants for research stays abroad as part of a doctorate in Germany. Link to the call (only in German)

Target group: PhD students enrolled or employed at a German university and based in Germany; citizenship is not relevant.

Eligible measures:  International mobility costs for research stays abroad at universities or at non-university research institutions. Archival stays and field research are also possible without connection to an institution in the host country. A flexible distribution of the stay abroad is possible (e.g. several countries and/or time-periods)

Funding period: 1-12 months; two funding periods are possible for up to a maximum of 18 months in total during the doctorate

Scholarship per application: monthly scholarship depending on the host country; travel allowance; insurance through DAAD (health, accident and private liability); monthly lump sum for research and conference costs;

 * Optional Benefits: support for tuition fee subsidy up to an upper limit; subsidy for a language course, family benefits for accompanying family members, subsidy for trips in the host country that are directly related to the project; subsidy for additional costs in case of disability or chronic condition

Application requirements: acceptance as a doctoral candidate at a German university or proof of assignment of the dissertation topic; the doctoral program must not have been started more than three years before the application deadline (exceptions are possible in justified cases); If necessary, confirmation from the foreign host institution or other proof of feasibility

Application documents:  Online application form; tabular CV; description of the doctoral project; schedule for the stay abroad, university certificates with individual grades; certificate from the university in Germany about formal acceptance and supervision as a doctoral student; Confirmation from the foreign host institution for a workplace and supervision or research permit; summary of the last thesis; list of publications; proof of language skills; letter of recommendation from the supervisor of the doctoral thesis

Application languages: All documents must be submitted in German or English

Deadline for applications: three application dates per year; next date March 15, 2024 with selection date in May/June 2024 and scholarship start from September 2024; Applications online via the DAAD portal

Scope: Active participation of German scientists in international scientific congresses and conferences. To the call for proposals

Target groups: PhD students or post-doctoral researchers (employed at a German university and resident in Germany; citizenship is not relevant).

Eligible measures: Presentation of a poster or talk; conception and leadership of a panel with own talk. Possible additional activities: Acting as a discussant or moderator in the context of roundtable or panel discussions.

Not eligible: Lectures outside of conferences and congresses (see DAAD Lecture Travel Program), participation in teaching activities (courses, seminars, summer/winter schools), activities as a lecturer (tutorials, seminars, summer/winter schools).

Scholarship per application: Grants for travel, accommodation and material costs

Application requirements:
- Organizers issue a call for papers, giving all interested parties the opportunity to register for participation. This also applies if you yourself are invited individually.
- Application by participant itself (no group funding); max. one application per congress.
- Annual funding during the doctorate and the first 5 years after the doctorate. Thereafter, funding is possible in every second calendar year. Cut-off period also applies to the lecture tour program
- Other third-party funds - if available - are to be used with priority.

Amount of funding (for 2023):
- For in-presence events: Travel lump sum, Subsistence lump sum, 300 € lump sum for material costs (for participation fees, poster prints, visa fees, abstract fees).
- For online participation: Participation or registration fee (except late registration fee), membership fee for max. 1 year, abstract fees (max. 1 abstract).
Amount of funding (for 2024):
- For in-presence events: Travel distance-dependent grants
- For online participation: as in 2023, up to three times per calendar year (also if you receive funding for an in-presence participation in the same calendar year)

Payment if approved: not before the start of the event (approx. 4-8 weeks afterwards)

Application documents: congress participation questionnaire, CV and publication list, abstract, screenshot/s congress homepage, congress organizer's acceptance of contribution, latest academic transcript, if applicable, proof of third-party funding, travel awards, grants, etc.

Application languages: German and English

Deadline for applications: at the latest 4 months (120 days) before the start of the event

Scope: Presentation of one's own scientific work abroad outside of congresses and conferences and upon invitation. To the call for proposals

Target groups: PhD students or post-doctoral scientists (employed at a German university and resident in Germany; citizenship is not relevant).

Eligible measures: Scientific lecture (as purpose of travel).

Not eligible are: Lectures in the context of conferences and congresses (see DAAD Congress Travel Program), participation in teaching activities (courses, seminars, summer/winter schools), activities as a lecturer (tutorials, seminars, summer/winter schools), travel for educational or research purposes (methods courses, laboratory stays), travel primarily for the purpose of establishing academic relations, travel and excursions, or gainful economic activity

Scholarship per application: Grants for travel. Accommodation is not covered.

Application requirements:
- Only for events without a call for papers open to the public or for stand-alone presentations in front of a larger audience
- Only individual application usually by main author.
- Only one destination per application. Multiple trips in the destination country are not funded.
- Other funding for airfare and travel - if available - must be claimed as a priority.
- Annual funding during PhD and first 5 years after PhD. Thereafter, funding is available every other calendar year. Cut-off date also applies to the Congress Travel program line.

Amount of funding (for 2023): Travel allowance; (for 2024): Travel distance-dependent funding

Payment if approved: not before the start of the trip (approx. 4-8 weeks afterwards)

Application documents: lecture questionnaire, curriculum vitae and list of publications, rationale and motivation, most recent academic transcript, invitation for lecture travel, if applicable, evidence of external funding, travel awards, fellowships, etc.

Application languages: German and English

Deadline for applications: at the latest 1 month (30 days) before the date of the planned lecture

Scope: Travel grants for individual staff members from German higher education institutions for preparatory visits (To the call) for the preparation of project proposals in the following Erasmus+ programme lines:
- Key Action 2: Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDM), Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM), Cooperation Partnerships, Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education (CBHE), Innovation Alliances, Jean Monnet Networks (JM), Teacher Academies (call is currently not open; preparatory travel is only eligible when the call for proposals is renewed), Future-oriented projects.
- Key Action 3: Policy Support

Mobility groups: University lecturers and their staff who wish to submit a project proposal in the framework of current or upcoming calls in the Erasmus+ program.

Target countries:
- For the preparation of E+ Key Action 2/3 projects: EU Member States and third countries associated to the program.
- For the preparation of E+ Key Action 2 projects (EMJM, EMDM, JM): EU Member States and third countries associated to the program or third countries not associated to the program (all non-EU Member States worldwide).
- For the preparation of E+ Key Action 2 projects (CBHE): third countries not associated with the program (= EU Neighborhood countries (Eastern and Southern Neighborhood, Western Balkans, Russian Federation), countries from Central Asia, Asia, Latin America, and Africa (depending on the respective call)).

Funding requirements:
- The applicant higher education institution holds an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and participates in the Erasmus+ program.
- A project preparation trip can only be granted for one person.
- A project preparation trip can also be carried out to more than one country.
- A travel allowance will only be paid for one country: The highest country lump sum of the countries concerned will be selected for this purpose.

Eligibility Period:
- The trip must be completed no later than November 30 of the current year.
- The duration of the preparatory trip can be determined flexibly.
- Grants can only be awarded once per project and per call.

Grant amount:
- One-time travel allowance, the amount of which depends on the destination country (country list: travel allowances).

Deadline:
- Applications can be submitted at any time, but must be approved by the NA DAAD before the start of the trip.
- For a smooth process, it is recommended to apply one to two months before the start of the trip.
- The decision on the approval of the funding usually takes place within four weeks.
- Retroactive funding is excluded.

Application:
- By mail to National Agency for Erasmus+ University Cooperation / DAAD, Kennedyallee 50, 53175 Bonn, Germany.

Scope: Innovative cooperation projects between universities and other institutions worldwide. No pure research projects. Project ideas that consider students in all phases of their studies. Scholarships are awarded in equal parts to students from Baden-Württemberg and from abroad, even without an official partnership agreement. To the call for proposals

Objective: To establish and expand new relationships between Baden-Württemberg universities and foreign universities or to intensify existing contacts. The university relations initiated in the project are to be continued in the long term - if possible also at the level of student exchange.

Grant: Scholarships (for travel and living expenses) for a study or research stay as well as project funds (personnel and other direct costs) for initial cooperation measures (e.g. exploratory meetings, workshops, intercultural training, language courses).

Application: Universities in Baden-Württemberg; several proposals from one university can be submitted.

Mobility groups: Students (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate), university staff (teaching staff, administration)

Duration of stay: Short-term stays (<3 months) for workshops, symposia, research stays and scholarship stays (3-11 months):

Amount of funding: min. 10,000 - max. 50,000 € per academic year, of which max. 60% of the funding amount for fellowships

Start of funding: from October 2024

Funding period: 1 - max. 3 years

Deadline for submission: 28.02.2024 (open for proposals annually)

Scope: Summer school (max. 10 days) in Germany, also as a series of up to three thematically related events. The involvement of international researchers as co-applicants or lecturers is expressly welcomed. To the call for proposals

Objective: Strengthening research on science as an interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse field of research and developing and expanding the corresponding knowledge, especially among young researchers (from doctoral level) in Germany.

Topic of the event: Following on from current debates, developments and challenges in science research

Funded measures: Personnel funds for preparation/implementation, material funds for materials up to 500 € as well as room rental, travel costs, accommodation costs for participants, possibly +10% overhead costs

Application: Researcher with a doctorate from a German university  

Max. Grant: Not declared

Funding period: Approx. as of April 2025

Submission deadline: June 11, 2024 (at least 9 months before the planned event; 2 deadlines per year)

Scope of funding: Internationally oriented researchers in the humanities and social sciences in the qualification phase (doctoral candidates and postdocs) are offered the opportunity to conduct short-term research and research activities in the host countries of the Max Weber Foundation's institutes/outposts abroad and to apply for a residence allowance for a total period of up to three months (maximum one month per host country) in at least two and at most three host countries and regions of the Foundation's institutes and outposts. The purpose of the trip should be archival research; a pure networking objective is not eligible for funding. To the call for proposals

Funding conditions: Scholars in the humanities and social sciences conduct a self-chosen research project in at least two and up to three host countries which are home to MWS institutes and branches or at the Richard Koebner Minerva Center for German History in Israel. It is expected that transnational/regional studies will emerge that provide new and original impetus to research. The research stays are to be completed within 12 months or at most within 24 months.

Institutional focus: German humanities institutes abroad in the target countries listed below

Target countries: China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Poland, Singapore, Turkey, USA

The country of the applicant's current center of life is excluded from the application process. Research stays in Germany can only be funded if, in addition, at least two stays at the institutes abroad or the Richard Koebner Minerva Center for German History are planned.

Funding: Proven travel costs to/from the institute abroad as well as destination-dependent daily rates (€26 to €62); possibly low-cost accommodation in a guest room at the institute. The grants do not include funding for the time between research stays.

Application conditions: Highly qualified, internationally oriented humanities scholars and social scientists of any nationality (last degree at least Master, Magister, Staatsexamen, Diplom), who already have publications to their credit and can present a research plan. Applications whose projects fit the research profile of the institutes/offices of the MWS will be given priority. It is not mandatory for doctoral candidates to have publications. There is no age restriction for the application.

Funding period: From January 2024

Award procedure: 12 travel grants will be awarded once a year.

Deadline for submission: 06.10.2023

Scope: Funds to host a researcher at risk with completed doctoral degree - regardless of field or country of origin (excluding EU) - based on a 24 + (12) months research fellowship or employment contract. Up to 25 grants are expected to be approved in the "Research Fellowship" programme line. To the call for proposals

Eligibility requirements that candidates need to meet:

1. Proof of endangerment
- Residency status in the context of an asylum procedure within the EU showing a recognized vulnerability, or
- Credible proof of endangerment from a third party no more than 12 months prior to the application deadline (application via the Welcome Centre, at least 4 weeks prior to the submission deadline).

2. Specific eligibility requirements
- Doctorate or comparable academic degree (Ph.D., C.Sc. or equivalent). For juris doctorates or medical doctorates, proof of equivalence to a research doctorate is required.
- Residence of the person at the time of application: in principle not yet or not more than five years outside the home country; "Nationals in education" are excluded.
- Language skills required for the successful completion of the research project.
- Scientific qualifications (e.g. publications)
- Potential for integration into the (science-related) labor market.

Funding:
1. Fellowship funds for a research fellowship or employment contract position
2. Funding lump sum for host institution

Grant amount:
- Program line scholarship - generally 2.670 € / month, spouse and child supplements can be applied for.
- Program line employment contract - employment of at least E13 level 3 (personnel funds for 2024: 80.100 €)

Application: University nominates scientists*; online form from mid-August via the Welcome Centre (contact: Sandra Gerspacher; Tel.: 4496)

Required application documents:
1. By the scientific mentor
    - Questionnaire for the mentor's statement
    - Confirmation of research place and mentoring (from mid-August) via online form

2. By the nominated scientist
    - Brief description of the research project
    - Curriculum vitae
    - Doctoral certificate (or confirmation of equivalence)
    - List of publications

Funding period: from July 2024 for a period of up to 24 months. Extension of up to 12 months within the framework of a co-funding model can be applied for during the initial funding period.

Submission deadline: 01.02.2024 (internal); selection will be made by end of May 2024.