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Funding your project

Finding the right funding source

Numerous organisations provide funding for research. We provide an overview of funding opportunities on our websites to help you navigate the funding landscape in Germany, Europe and around the world.

There is a wide range of internal grants for researchers at the University of Konstanz, too. These internal grants aim at improving the working conditions at the university, supporting research and teaching, and helping postdoctoral and senior members of the university to prepare major research projects.

Our team is happy to help you find the right funding programme for you. Subscribe to our newsletter, the Forschungsnachrichten, for information on current calls.

External funding opportunities

These are the most important funding agencies.

German Research Foundation (DFG)

The German Research Foundation (DFG) funds research projects in all scientific fields. It offers a wide range of different programmes for this purpose:

  • Individual Research Grant: project funding for up to three years
  • Temporary Positions for PIs: funding of your own position within an individual research grant
  • Walter Benjamin Programmme: project funding in the early career phase for up to two years
  • Scientific Networks: opportunity for researchers at all career stages to engage in multi-year scientific exchange and cooperation across locations
  • Emmy Noether Programme: independent junior research group for a period of six years
  • Heisenberg Programme: for preparing for a future senior academic role or permanent professorship 
  • Reinhart Koselleck Projects: funding of high-risk projects
  • Coordinated Programmes: Collaborative Research Centers, Research Units, Research Training Groups
  • Priority Programmes: thematically pre-defined individual projects that cooperate

We have compiled information on how to apply at DFG. Especially if you want to apply for a coordinated programme or your own position, please remember to involve Research Support early on in the application process.

Federal Ministries

The Federal Ministries, especially the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), support innovative research projects and ideas with targeted funding programmes on specific topics. The aim of research funding is to finance the development of new ideas and technologies. Information on current announcements of funding priorities and calls for proposals is provided by the Federal Funding Advisory Service. Research Support also provides guidance on submitting applications to the federal government.

European Commission

The European Commission provides funding for different European policy areas such as research, education, social issues, culture, or structural development. We provide an overview of EU funding here.

Horizon Europe, the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, offers numerous opportunities for funding research projects. Calls are published in the Funding and Tenders Portal. Please pay attention to our guidelines for submitting proposals to the EU as well.

Education programmes and inter-university cooperation projects are funded via Erasmus+. Please visit our information page on Erasmus+.

Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Wuerttemberg (MWK)

The Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Wuerttemberg (MWK) promotes research and teaching at Baden-Wuerttemberg universities. The Margarethe von Wrangell habilitation programme for women and the Schlieben-Lange programme for female early career scientists with children are of particular interest to young researchers. In addition, the MWK also offers start-up funding for collaborative projects as well as EU projects. Here, the application is always made via the university management. Therefore, please contact the Research Support in time if you plan to submit an application.

The MWK's junior professorship program was advertised for the last time in 2016.

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) promotes the international exchange of students and researchers. The offer ranges from congress trips abroad to research stays and guest lectureships. The DAAD supports both Germans going abroad and foreign researchers coming to Germany.

The team of the International Office advises members of the University of Konstanz who wish to submit a project application to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Advisory Service for funding applications.

Foundations

A large number of foundations fund research projects and researchers in various subject areas. The most important foundations are:

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: stays abroad for German researchers and stays in Germany for foreign researchers
Baden-Wuerttemberg Stiftung: support for postdocs via the elite programme as well as teaching and research projects on specific, call-bound topics
Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung: thematic funding of large-scale collaborative projects and research structures, especially in the Natural Sciences (the foundation's programme for the promotion of young researchers (Nachwuchsfoerderprogramm) was advertised for the last time in 2017)
Fazit-Stiftung: habilitation scholarships as well as travel and printing subsidies for young researchers in all scientific fields
Fritz Thyssen Stiftung: funding of research projects, conferences, scholarships, travel expenses, printing and library subsidies, primarily in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Gerda Henkel Stiftung: support for the historical Humanities by funding research projects, research trips, scholarships, conferences and printing costs
VolkswagenStiftung: funding of research projects, symposia and fellowships with a focus on particularly innovative ideas

Please also note the information on applying to foundations.

International funders (USA)

If you would like to apply for project funding from a US funding body, please note that the application process often involves a lot of administrative work. The University of Konstanz is already registered on various platforms (grants.gov, SAM, eRA Commons) that are necessary for applications to US public funding agencies. Please contact Research Support if you are planning to submit a proposal to a US institution.

Databases for finding funding opportunities

The following databases can help you search for funding sources. Please note that some of them are available in German only.