Funding Opportunity for British-German Basic Research Projects in the Engineering and Physical Sciences (UKRI-EPSRC – DFG)
In April, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI-EPSRC) signed an agreement for a joint Lead Agency Procedure.
Information About the Funding Opportunity
British-German research teams are invited to submit their joint research proposals within the scope of all themes within EPSRC, through the responsive mode standard grant funding route, and all corresponding subject areas of the DFG.
Please note that proposals outside the scope cannot be considered. In case of questions regarding the scope, please contact the funding organisations beforehand.
EPSRC and DFG Lead Agency cooperation is applied to existing funding programmes, i.e. EPSRC: “Standard Research Responsive Mode funding route” via the “Working with Overseas Scientists” Opportunity; DFG: “Research Grants Programme”.
The Joint EPSRC-DFG Lead Agency Procedure in a Nutshell
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) work in a partnership to encourage and support research proposals that involve international collaborative teams. We currently have in place a Lead Agency Agreement which aims to reduce some of the barriers to working internationally that researchers in the UK and Germany currently encounter.
Through a single main proposal and single external review process, the funding organisations aim to simplify the submission and selection procedures for joint UK-German research proposals. Decisions are taken separately by both funding organisations and funding will be granted to the projects which are successful on both sides.
The agreement will enable collaboration between UK and German researchers in a key area of common interest and will be structured so that successful researchers in each country are supported by their respective funding organisation.
Proposals can be submitted at any time under this Lead Agency Agreement. This arrangement between the ESPRC and the DFG is intended to be open-ended, however, it will be periodically reviewed to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.
Please note that there are no separate funds available for this joint initiative. These opportunities follow the general funding lines and budget processes of EPSRC and the DFG. Proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit and teams in comparison with other proposals.
Applicants should demonstrate how bringing together researchers based in Germany and the UK will add value and advance research. It is expected that each partner substantially contributes to the joint project. The division of responsibilities should be reflected in the amount of funds requested by each partner. Projects should be integrated but do not have to be symmetrical in the sense that neither the sums requested nor the items requested have to be identical on the German and UK sides. Teams should ensure that there is a plan for the effective delivery and coordination of research across the partners.
Note: joint proposals submitted under this opportunity should have a maximum duration of 3 years.
Overview of the Main Steps to Submit a Joint Proposal
Only joint German-UK proposals will be eligible under this opportunity. Each joint research project must involve researchers based in Germany and in the UK.
Your project must fall within the scope of the joint EPSRC-DFG funding opportunity.
Within the DFG subject area structur(Download), proposals may be submitted in the following subject areas:
- Chemistry (Review Boards 3.11-3.17)
- Physics (Review Boards 3.21- 3.23, excluding Particles, Nuclei and Fields (Review Board 3.24), Astrophysics and Astronomy (Review Board 3.25)
- Mathematics (Review Board 3.31)
- Engineering Sciences (Review Boards 4.11 – 4.51)
This opportunity is open across all EPSRC’s research areas. EPSRC supports high quality research in:
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- digital security and resilience
- energy and decarbonisation
- engineering
- healthcare technologies
- information and communication technologies (ICT)
- manufacturing and circular economy
- mathematical sciences
- physical sciences and advanced materials
- quantum technologies
You need to comply with the usual eligibility rules of the DFG and the EPSRC:
For the DFG, see the general eligibility rules for Individual Research Grant(interner Link).
If applicable to you, the duty to cooperate (Kooperationspflicht) for members of non-university research institutions has to be fulfilled with universities in Germany, i.e. it cannot be fulfilled by the British applicant.
Applicants in the UK must meet the EPSRC eligibility requirement(externer Link).
Proposals that contain unnecessary duplicate requests for the same costs and resources from both the DFG and EPSRC may be returned without review.
Before submitting a proposal, applicants should identify a prospective Lead Agency (either the DFG or EPSRC); the Lead Agency can be chosen freely by the applicants. It is recommended that applicants discuss the proposed project with the Lead Agency prior to submission.
The proposal should indicate that it is to be considered under this Lead Agency Agreement by prefacing the title with ”EPSRC-DFG”. The duration of the projects will normally be, and must not exceed, 36 months. Proposals must be written in English.
Academic CVs of all applicants need to be prepared, i.e. for the principal investigators from Germany and the UK, formatted according to the DFG guidelines (DFG template 53.20(interner Link)). Please upload the CVs combined in one PDF document.
| DFG as Lead Agency | EPSRC as Lead Agency |
|---|---|
For the DFG as Lead Agency, the rules and template of the DFG Research Grants Programm(interner Link) apply.
The proposal must include a description of the full proposed research programme and research team and the total resources for the joint project (meaning the funds requested for the UK and German side including the justifications).
Applicants should also submit a summary and justification of funds to be requested from EPSRC via ‘OPP676: EPSRC Working with Overseas Scientists - Other Agency Led(externer Link) TFS Opportunity. This application can be downloaded as a PDF and submitted to the DFG. | Proposals must comply with the proposal preparation requirements outlined in UKRI's Funding Finde(externer Link) and applications should be submitted via the UKRI Funding Service through the “EPSRC working with overseas scientists: responsive mod(externer Link)” call.
Researchers requesting funding from the DFG should be included as project partners in the application, with funding totals included as project partner contributions.
The resources and cost justification section should include a clear summary and justification of the German costs sought from the DFG as well as the funding sought from EPSRC. The German costs must adhere to the DFG rules and regulation (please refer to DFG form 50.0(interner Link)).
The cost breakdown should only include UK expenses, costs for partners based in the UK, which will be supported by EPSRC.
A detailed breakdown of funding requested from the DFG should be submitted to EPSRC as an attachment to the ‘International Agency Requirements’ sections of the TFS applicatio(Download). |
| DFG as Lead Agency | EPSRC as Lead Agency |
|---|---|
Proposals must be submitted by the principal investigator of the German team via elan, the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system. Please select “EPSRC-DFG Opportunity 2025_DFG Lead” under “Proposal Data”.
Enter a project acronym for your proposal. For each module, please only enter the funds requested from the DFG in the elan portal. Note that only Germany-based applicants should be entered as “applicants”. UK partners (and potential further international partners) should be entered as “cooperation partners”.
A CV for each of the applying individuals should be provided. Please use the current templat(interner Link) on the DFG’s website with submission instructions. | Please follow the EPSRC Guidance for the Working with Overseas Scientists Opportunity on the Funding Finde(externer Link).
In parallel, a copy of the application must be submitted by the German project partner to the DFG no later than a week after the submission to EPSRC (otherwise the proposal may be rejected for formal reasons). You can download your EPSRC application as a PDF on TFS. Submit this application and any separate attachments. |
| DFG as Lead Agency | EPSRC as Lead Agency |
|---|---|
In parallel, a copy of the proposal must be submitted by the UK project partner to EPSRC no later than a week after submission to the DFG (otherwise the proposal may be rejected for formal reasons).
Proposals should be submitted via the UKRI Funding Service through the “OPP67(externer Link): EPSRC working with overseas scientists: non-lead lead agency” Opportunity.
Applicants should select this as an EPSRC-DFG non-lead proposal and preface their proposal title with ‘EPSRC-DFG’.
Please upload a full copy of the proposal that was submitted to EPSRC as one file (including any appendices, etc.)
The cost breakdown should only include UK expenses, costs for partners based in the UK, which will be supported by EPSRC.
Complete the necessary sections as requested and detailed on the funding service portal. | In the DFG’s elan portal, the German project partner should select “EPSRC-DFG 2025_DFG non Lead” under “Proposal Data”.
Enter a project acronym for your proposal.
For each module, please only enter the funds requested from the DFG in the elan portal. Note that only Germany-based applicants should be entered as “applicants”. UK partners (and potential further international partners) should be entered as “cooperation partners” (please select “participating individuals”, “cooperation partners”). At least one cooperation partner from the UK must be specified.
A CV for each of the applying individuals should be provided. Please use the current templat(interner Link) on DFG’s site with submission instructions.
Please upload a full copy of the proposal that was submitted to EPSRC as one file (including any appendices, etc.) in elan.
It is compulsory to submit the “project data form(Download). Please upload the form in elan under “Other Attachments”. |
Peer review
Proposals submitted under this Lead Agency Agreement will not undergo a special review process; they will be reviewed in competition with other EPSRC responsive mode/DFG proposals. All submitted proposals will be managed following EPSRC´s internal processes and review criteria (UKRI’s Funding Service (TFS(externer Link)). Proposals received by the DFG will be managed following DFG’s internal processes.
Applicants should note that all documents submitted to the DFG or EPSRC may be shared by secure electronic means between the funding organisations if necessary.
Funding decisions
When the DFG is the Lead Agency, the Review Board (Fachkollegium) gives a funding recommendation based on the reviews which must be confirmed by the Joint Committee.
When the DFG is the non-lead agency, the Review Board (Fachkollegium) gives a funding recommendation based on the evaluation and outcome of the Lead Agency which must be confirmed by the Joint Committee.
When EPSRC is the Lead Agency, the Head of Programme will make a decision on funding based on the panel rank order and the available budget.
When EPSRC is the non-lead agency, the Head of Programme will review and approve the overall evaluations provided by the Lead Agency and the recommended outcomes, taking into account availability of funds.
EPSRC’s funding recommendation must then be confirmed by the DFG’s Joint Committee before an award is made.
Agreement by the DFG and EPSRC to fund a proposal will be contingent upon sufficient funding being available on both sides. Projects can only be funded if both organisations arrive at a positive decision. As the participating organisations have different funding cycles, it is possible that some projects will have delayed start dates in order to ensure that sufficient funds are available. Should a proposal be declined for funding, researchers should refer to each participating organisation’s individual resubmission policies.
Post-award considerations
Awardees must comply with the award conditions and reporting requirements of the organisations from which they receive funding. Grant holders are requested, where possible, to keep their project components synchronous and initiate their grants in a timely manner.
Awardees will be required to acknowledge EPSRC and the DFG in any publications arising from the grant. Requests for no-cost extensions will be considered by the corresponding funding organisations using their standard procedures and any changes to awards will be discussed with the other funding organisation before a mutual decision is reached.
EPSRC and DFG requirements for data management apply to researchers funded by the respective organisations.
Forms and Guidelines
| DFG as Lead Agency | EPSRC as Lead Agency |
|---|---|
General Information on the DFG's Individual Grants Programm(interner Link)
Guidelines Research Grants Programme (including eligibility requirements) – DFG form 50.0(interner Link)
Project Description – Project Proposal – DFG form 53.0(interner Link)
EPSRC Lead Agency Procedure – Project data for(Download)
Curriculum Vitae (CV) template – DFG form 53.20(interner Link)
Information on the review, evaluation and decision processe(interner Link) in the DFG’s individual grants programmes
Code of Conduct – Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practic(externer Link)
Here you can access the DFG’s elan submission syste(externer Link).
Please note the DFG’s data protection notic(interner Link) on research funding, which can be viewed and downloaded. If necessary, please also forward this information to those individuals whose data will be processed by the DFG due to their involvement in your project. | EPSRC’s Research Area(externer Link)
EPSRC’s Eligibility Guideline(externer Link)
EPSRC’s Guidance for Applicant(externer Link)
UKRI’s Funding Servic(externer Link)
UKRI’s Funding Service Submission Syste(externer Link)
UKRI’s Data Protection Polic(externer Link)
EPSRC’s Working with Overseas Scientists Opportunit(externer Link)
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Contact Information
| DFG | EPSRC International Team |
|---|---|
Scientific questions: Chemistry (3.11-3.17): Markus Behnk(externer Link) Physics (3.21-3.23): Michael Mößl(externer Link) Mathematics and Engineering (3.31, 4.41-4.43): Bastian Moh(externer Link) Engineering (4.11-4.32, 4.51): Christiane Richte(externer Link) Administrative questions: Simone Junior, simone.junior@dfg.d(externer Link), Tel.: +49 (228) 885-2832 | International@epsrc.ukri.or(externer Link) |