Joint Korean-German Research Projects 2026 in the Engineering Sciences (NRF-DFG 2026)
As an expression of the fruitful scientific collaboration between their two countries, the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) are pleased to announce the launch of a new call for joint Korean-German research proposals in the engineering sciences.
This call provides funding for joint research projects carried out between highly qualified researchers in the Republic of Korea and their German counterparts. The joint proposals have to be based on a close interaction and exchange between the Korean and German research teams, and should present joint project goals and a joint work plan with balanced contributions from all project partners.
The collaborative projects selected to take part in this joint initiative will receive research funding for a period of three years. The NRF will fund the Korean project components, whilst the DFG will fund the components to be carried out in Germany. Based on written reviews, a joint Korean-German panel will select approximately 20 projects for funding.
Scope
The present call is open to joint projects on knowledge-driven research in the fields of engineering sciences. For more detailed information on the scope of this call, please refer to the NRF call for proposals. A further call for proposals, dedicated to the fields of natural sciences and life sciences, is scheduled to be launched in early January 2027, with a tentative deadline at the end of February 2027.
Eligibility
Each research project must be jointly conducted by applicants from Korea and Germany. The principal investigators on each side must be eligible to apply to their respective funding organisation.
The funding organisations retain the right not to process or reject proposals if they fail to comply with any national rules.
Project Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate how bringing together researchers based in Korea and Germany will add value and advance their research. It is expected that each partner contributes substantially to the common project. Projects should be integrated but do not have to be symmetrical in terms of funds applied for. However, work packages are expected to be delivered with a reasonably equal distribution between the partners and schedules should be well-coordinated.
Submission of Project Proposals
This bilateral call will be managed via a Lead Agency Procedure. The NRF will act as Lead Agency in this call, i.e. it will be responsible for conducting the written review process and for organising the joint Korean-German review panel. Applicants from Korea must submit a single joint application to the NRF on behalf of the combined Korean and German research team, following all formal requirements and using the application form provided by the NRF. Applicants from Germany submit the same document to the DFG. All documents must be written in English. For more detailed information on the call, please refer to the NRF call for proposals “KOREA-GERMANY JOINT RESEARCH PROGRAM 202(externer Link)”. Please scroll to the lower part of the page to find the documents “2. Call for Proposals_Korea-Germany Joint Research Program 2026 (English).docx“ and “4. Template.zip“.
In the case that private companies participate in a joint project, all project partners need to sign the DFG’s model agreement (DFG form 41.02(interner Link)) and the applicants need to submit it together with the proposal. The agreement needs to be reviewed and approved by the DFG prior to the funding decision.
All proposals must be submitted to the DFG by 11 March 2026, 12:00 noon CET, and to the NRF by 11 March 2026, 18:00 Korean time. Proposals submitted to only one organisation (NRF or DFG) will not be considered.
Specific instructions for applicants from Germany:
Together with the proposal submitted to the DFG, the document ‘NRF-DFG Lead Agency Procedure Project Data For(Download)’ must be submitted to the DFG. This additional document includes among other information the funds requested from the DFG, following the modules outlined in the DFG guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (DFG form 50.0(interner Link)).
It is important to note that there are no separate funds available for these efforts; proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit and teams in competition with all other proposals under the “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants(interner Link) funding programme.
Applicants to be funded by the DFG are required to fulfil the eligibility requirements of DFG research grants. This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”) within Germany for members of non-university institutions with permanent positions. Any duty to cooperate for DFG applicants at non-university research institutions can only be fulfilled through cooperation with a partner at a German university (DFG form 55.0(interner Link)) and not with a university in Korea.
If you are using the elan system for the first time, please note that you need to register yourself and your institutional addresses before you are able to submit a proposal. Also, if you are planning to move to a different institution, you need to register the new institutional address beforehand. Please make sure that all applicants for your project (if there is more than one) start their registration no later than 4 March 2026. The registration requests are handled manually by the DFG staff.
The proposal must include a description of the full proposed research programme, the research team and the total resources for the joint project (meaning the funds requested for the Korean and the German side). The resources and cost justification section should include a clear summary and justification of the costs for both sides (NRF and DFG). All budget items must conform to the rules of the respective funding organisation applicable to each applicant.
Proposals by the Germany-based principal investigator to the DFG are to be submitted solely via the elan porta(externer Link) in order to ensure proposal-related data is recorded and documents are securely transmitted. After logging in, please use the link “Proposal for a Research Grant” in the Proposal Forms column (Proposal Submission > New Project > Individual Grants Programme > Proposal for a Research Grant). Please select “Südkorea-NRF-DFG-Research Projects-2026” under “Proposal Data”.
Only one Germany-based applicant should upload the proposal to elan. Please note that this person will have to enter address details and funds for the other Germany-based applicants.
For each module, please only enter the funds requested from the DFG in the elan system. Note that only Germany-based applicants should be entered as “Applicants” in elan. Korea-based partners should be entered as “Cooperation Partners”.
A CV for each of the applying individuals in Germany should be provided, formatted according to the DFG form 53.20(interner Link).
Notification of Results
Please note that funding recommendations from the review panel will be subject to approval by the NRF and the DFG decision-making bodies, taking into account the availability of funds. Funding can only be granted if both organisations arrive at a positive decision.
Applicants will be informed in writing of the results and, where applicable, of the subsequent administrative steps according to the respective national regulations. The selection of the projects will be completed by the end of 2026.
Funding will be provided according to the funding rules (including reporting requirements) of the respective funding organisation.
Grant holders are requested, where possible, to synchronise their project components and initiate their grants in a timely manner.
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.
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 Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Good Research Practic(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 Research Integrity Porta(externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity tea(externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.
Further Information
Please find general information for German Principal Investigators on Individual Research Grants her(interner Link).
When submitting proposals to the DFG, please use the elan porta(externer Link) and refer to the respective guideline DFG form 50.0(interner Link). The FAQ on Proposal Submissio(interner Link) may also be helpful.
Please find further information on the DFG’s review and decision process here:
Contact Persons
For Germany
Inquiries related to this call: Dr. Wolfgang Wachter, Physics and Chemistry, Tel. +49 228 885-2454, wolfgang.wachter@dfg.d(externer Link)
Inquiries related to general questions on Korean-German cooperation: Raoul Wagner, International Affairs, Tel. +49 228 885-2217, raoul.wagner@dfg.d(externer Link)
For Korea
Sujeong Seo, Tel. +82 2 3460 5722, sjsuh@nrf.re.k(externer Link)
Privacy Policy
We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, please refer to the DFG’s Privacy Polic(interner Link). If you intend to transmit personal data of third parties, please make sure to do so only if the necessary legitimation under data protection law exist. Before transmitting data of third parties to the DFG, please forward the DFG’s Data Protection Notice to the individuals affected (data subjects). If there is a legitimate interest not to inform individuals beforehand (e.g. for reasons of secrecy or in case of a nomination or candidate proposal), these individuals should be informed no later than at the time of publication.