Sino-German Short-Term Workshops for Students and Early-Career Researchers 2026
In accordance with an agreement reached by the (externer Link) and the DFG and endorsed by the Joint Committee of the (externer Link), the SGC launches a call for proposals for Sino-German Short-Term Workshops for Students and Early-Career Researchers in 2026.
Programme Information
Subjects Covered:
The themes should focus on the disciplinary spectrum covered by the NSFC, including mathematical sciences, natural sciences, medical and life sciences, engineering sciences, earth sciences and management sciences.
Implementation Period:
The approved Sino-German Short-Term Workshops for Students and Early-Career Researchers under this call must be held from the date of approval until 31 December 2027. The workshops generally last no longer than 14 days (including one day each for arrival and departure, plus one day for academic visits).
Funding Scope:
The Sino-German Short-Term Workshop for Students and Early-Career Researchers programme primarily supports early-career researchers and outstanding undergraduate students from China and Germany. Training sessions, seminars and other activities focused on fundamental or specialised issues within specific research fields can be organised. Funding covers domestic and international travel expenses for workshop participants and lecturers, accommodation and meals, conference venue fees and other related costs. For specific funding criteria, please refer to the (Download).
Eligibility:
German applicants must hold a doctoral degree and be eligible to submit project proposals to the DFG.
Chinese applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Principal investigators (PIs) currently leading or having previously led NSFC-funded projects with a duration of three years or longer.
- Participants who are currently involved in or have previously participated in NSFC-funded projects lasting three years or longer. They must:
- hold a senior professional technical position (title) or a doctoral degree; or
- be recommended by two scientists or engineers with senior professional technical positions (titles) in the same research field; and
- obtain approval from the PI of the NSFC-funded project.
- Please note that projects funded by the NSFC do not include international (regional) cooperation and exchange programmes under agreements/MoUs.
Application Limit:
Each applicant may submit only one proposal per year.
This project is not subject to the NSFC’s restrictions on the number of proposals.
Other Requirements of the Programme
All proposed Short-Term Workshops for Students and Early-Career Researchers must fulfil the following conditions:
- Be distinctly Sino-German in character. For proposals from the Chinese side, no less than 30% and no more than 50% of the students must come from a German institution, and vice-versa.
- Participant numbers should not exceed 50 students in principle.
- Workshops are categorised into two types according to the category of students:
- Participants are doctoral students and early-career postdoctoral researchers from China and Germany;
- Participants are undergraduate students from China and Germany.
- The selection of students must be conducted through an open and competitive process, and the application materials must include a detailed description of the selection mechanism.
- The student selection results should reflect a balanced ratio of male and female participants.
- Both Chinese and German applicants must jointly serve as workshop instructors and may additionally invite no more than 4 senior scientists to participate in teaching.
Submission
Requirements for the (Download):
The Sino-German Short-Term Workshops for Students and Early-Career Researchers support training or seminars addressing fundamental or specific issues within designated research fields. Proposals must be submitted in English. Please refer to the (Download).
Proposals should include:
- Project theme and scientific significance;
- Detailed organisational plan and schedule;
- Participant selection process and criteria;
- Academic CVs of the applicants and lecturers;
- Project budget based on the organisational plan and schedule.
Data Security Requirement:
Cooperation partners shall ensure that data involved in the cooperation complies with data protection laws of both countries. Applicants must submit a signed (Download) to ensure compliance with relevant personal data protection regulations in both China and Germany.
Requirements of Attachments:
- Please send the (Download) and the (Download) (including the Word document and the signed scanned PDF) to: (externer Link)
- Please include “2026 Sino-German Workshop Application (Applicant’s Name)” in the e-mail subject line. The total size of all electronic application materials must not exceed 15MB.
- The first page of the proposal form must bear the official seal of the Chinese host institution in the signed scanned PDF.
Deadline for Submission:
The electronic version of the proposals including all the required attachments must be submitted by 16:00 Beijing time on 31 May 2026. Proposals received after this time will be considered invalid.
Note: The deadline will be determined by the time at which SGC receives the application email. Once submitted, proposals will not be returned in principle.
Notes for Host Institutions:
The host institution is required to review the authenticity, completeness and compliance of the application materials submitted by its applicants.
Equity and Diversity
The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.
Good Research Practice
According to a resolution of the DFG General Assembly, DFG funding may only be awarded to research institutions that have implemented the guidelines laid down in the (externer Link) in their own regulations. The management of your institution is responsible for implementing the guidelines in a legally binding manner. In order to avoid delays in the disbursement of funding, please verify implementation within your institution in good time. For information regarding the implementation, please refer to the (externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the (externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.
Further Information
Contact Person at the DFG Head Office
Astrid Bernhart, Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGC), (externer Link)
Please find the required documents here: