The Social and Cultural Anthropology, Non-European Cultures, Jewish Studies and Religious Studies Review Board has formulated recommendations and expectations for the handling of research data(interner Link) in both proposals and funded projects, taking into account subject-specific challenges. This guide (in German only)(Download) is intended to provide applicants and experts with subject-specific orientation. It complements the DFG’s “Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data”.

Research data (in a broad sense) is an essential starting point for the vast majority of projects in the field of archaeology while at the same time constituting a major proportion of the research results. Review Board 101 (“Ancient Cultures”) has formulated recommendations and expectations (in German only)(Download) for the handling of research data in proposals and funded projects, taking into account subject-specific challenges. The Review Board’s guide aims to provide concrete guidance on this important aspect both for the application and the review process.

No, the eligibility requirements for a return grant state that the application must be made while abroad, at least two months before returning to Germany.

If there is an opportunity to work in Germany immediately after the foreign visit, no return grant can be awarded.

This information is provided in the module guidelines WB fellowship, DFG form 52.19(interner Link).

In this informal letter, the host institution should declare that appropriate work facilities will be provided for the duration of the return grant. This declaration should be signed by the office that, based on the organisation of the university or non-university research institution, can provide a binding assurance of work facilities and provision of basic equipment. In general, the signature of the university lecturer in whose working group you want to work is sufficient here.

No, previous funding through a WBP fellowship from the DFG is a mandatory eligibility requirement for a return grant from the DFG.

No, the rotation position is intended for Germany. It is, however, possible to combine the rotation position in Germany with the Walter Benjamin fellowship abroad.

Yes, for example, two phases in different institutions or locations in Germany are permitted. The periods must be specified in the proposal. The employer’s declarations and statements from the host researchers must be included with the proposal.

A project costs allowance is granted. No other funds (with the exception of high publication costs for planned book publications) can be applied for in addition to a Walter Benjamin fellowship or the Walter Benjamin position. The expectation is that the host institution will provide the required additional allowance for direct project costs.

It is not possible to submit a proposal for a research grant in parallel.

No, because the review process for a proposal in the Walter Benjamin Programme makes no distinction between a position or a fellowship. The most important factor is that you choose a suitable environment for your project – whether this is in Germany or abroad or a combination of the two. Uniform funding criteria apply for the programme.

Here you can find further information on the guidelines for reviews in the Walter Benjamin Programme (DFG form 10.219(interner Link)).

The DFG expects the host to guarantee your work facilities for the planned period. If additional funds are required for the implementation of the project (additional staff, equipment, consumables, etc.), these must also be guaranteed. A further contribution to your fellowship remuneration is desirable, but this is not mandatory.

Whether you submit a proposal for a position (or rotation position) in Germany, a fellowship in another country or a combination of both depends entirely on your project, for which you can choose the most suitable environment.

Submission of a proposal for a combination has neither advantages nor disadvantages in the funding review process. The deciding factor is what makes sense for your project. If you submit a proposal for a combination of the two modules, clearly specify in your proposal which months you would like to spend at a specific institution for the position or fellowship. Make sure that the acceptances from the institutions correspond with the details you provide. It is also essential that the two phases are directly consecutive.

In its calculation of fellowship grants (plus additional amounts) the DFG assumes that these will cover the necessary living expenses at the relevant location to enable you to devote yourself entirely to the planned research project. Additional employment is therefore permitted only in exceptional cases provided this does not adversely affect the objective of the fellowship. This must be reported to and approved by the Fellowship Office.

Possible income from employment, i.e. from an additional occupation, will also be offset against the fellowship according to the applicable guidelines, as will flat-rate allowances for living expenses and monetary value benefits from the host institute or other funding organisations, and benefits according to legislation on parental leave and family allowances.

If, before the start of and/or during your fellowship visit, you receive an additional fellowship or similar benefits, please contact the Fellowship Office immediately to clarify whether and to what extent these sums must be offset against your fellowship benefits.

Proposals for the Walter Benjamin fellowship must be accompanied by an informal declaration from the host promising to accept the applicant in the event of approval, and provide a workplace for the performance of the project.

In the case of the Walter Benjamin position (or rotation position), the host institution must confirm that it will be your employer for the duration of the project (-> employer’s declaration form DFG form 41.027(interner Link), in German only). You will also need an informal signed statement from the host researcher at this institution.

If your proposal relates to a rotation position, you also need to follow the proposal instructions provided in the module guidelines DFG form 52.04(interner Link) - 06/19.

This statement is not a letter of testimonial for your character or an appraisal of your research work to date. Instead, it should clarify how you will be supported and advised in relation to your career during the funding period. Before submitting your proposal, please agree with your contact person at the host institution the relevant support measures that will be available for you. The aim is for you to conduct your research independently, implement your own research project while at the same time benefiting from career development measures.

In the statement, the host researcher promises his or her support. If additional funds will be required for the implementation of your project, an assurance must be provided that these will be made available to an appropriate extent on site.

He or she must also explain the specific measures and activities he or she intends to use to contribute to the development of your research career. These measures could include:

• Feedback on the progress of your research project and advice on suitable activities to develop your independent research profile.
• Consultations and mentoring in relation to your career prospects and plans, and advice on appropriate next steps for your career.
• Measures to ensure integration in thematically relevant research groups at the local institution and in regional, national and international research networks.
• Enabling participation at key conferences in your research area and at technical training sessions.
• Support for your cross-disciplinary qualification. For example, guaranteed access to training opportunities for postdocs at your host institution (e.g. sessions on career planning or management qualifications).

This list provides examples of possible support measures. The contact person must describe the relevant measures as meaningfully and specifically as possible in the statement.

Funding in Germany is generally provided through a Walter Benjamin position. Outside Germany, funding is provided through a Walter Benjamin fellowship.

No, it is not possible to combine the WB position, rotation position or WB fellowship with an existing part-time position. Proposals for funding through the Walter Benjamin Programme must be on a full-time basis.

You can submit a proposal at any time while in (part-time) employment and wait for the result of the review process. If approval is granted, you would then need to terminate other existing employment relationships before the start of the project, i.e. before taking up the WB position, rotation position or WB fellowship, as you are obliged to devote all your working time to the approved WBP project.

No, however, the objective of the funding through the programme should be achievable.

If you are planning to spend a period of one to three months abroad, please discuss with your future employer whether this phase would be better completed through a position.

No, funding will end in such cases. If this is a new project and the other requirements for the programme have been met, you can, if you wish, submit a new proposal for a project through the WBP.

Yes, for up to 3 months in agreement with the future employer.

If, at the time of submitting a proposal, you can already anticipate that due to family reasons or a disability/chronic illness you will want to take up the position/fellowship part-time only, please nevertheless submit your proposal on a full-time basis. Calculate the duration of the project and then work out how much time this would require on a full-time basis. Reductions in working hours or subsequent increases to full-time employment can be implemented flexibly to suit your current needs when you take up the position/fellowship.

Funding under the Walter Benjamin Programme can be taken up as part-time funding solely for family reasons. In particular, in cases where the grant recipient looks after children living in the household or relatives in need of care, or in the event of his or her own disability or chronic illness. No other reasons are recognised.

It should be noted that in the case of funding for a fellowship, benefits are also granted which are intended to enable the recipient to work full time. For details, refer to the information for parents in connection with a Walter Benjamin fellowship (DFG form 55.05(interner Link) - 06/19).

In the case of part-time uptake, in the interest of the productivity of the project, the scope of the position or fellowship should not be below 50%. In the case of the position, the scope can be reduced only in connection with parental leave, with 20% as the very lowest threshold.

All available working hours must be devoted to the project. No other occupations alongside the part-time funding received through the Walter Benjamin Programme are permitted.

1. Remuneration (generally exclusively 100%) for the applicant, optionally over the three modules

• Walter Benjamin fellowship (abroad)
• Walter Benjamin position (in Germany), or
• rotation position under the Walter Benjamin Programme (in Germany).

For information on options for combining the modules, see the other FAQs.

2. In addition, a standard monthly allowance for direct project costs is granted as flat-rate funding for direct costs and travel expenses as well as publication costs:

• For the fellowship, the allowance amounts to €313.
• For the position as well as the rotation position, the allowance amounts to €250.

3. The only other items for which funding can be applied for are increased publication allowances for book publications of up to €5,000 per year.

All other required items (funds for additional staff, allowance for direct project costs, investments, etc.) must be provided by the institutions at which the project is to be carried out. This support is considered in the review process.

Funding under the Walter Benjamin Programme is provided for a maximum period of two years. Extensions are permitted only in a limited number of exceptional cases.

Yes, for example, two phases in different institutions or locations abroad are permitted. The periods must be specified in the proposal. Agreements from the host institutions to this effect must be included with the proposal.

No. The approval must show the number of months during which your research will be funded at the relevant institution. You must therefore specify precisely in the proposal the number of months you wish to spend researching at a specific institution.

The decisive factor is which non-university research institution you wish to choose for the temporary position for principal investigator and for your project, rather than the institution you are coming from.

In the case of a proposal for the Walter Benjamin position module (or rotation position) in the Walter Benjamin Programme, the “institution with a duty to cooperate” must generally guarantee funding for 45% of this position in addition to the support services set out in the programme.

This applies for the following institutions:

• Institute or member organisation of the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society and the Helmholtz Association,
• Member organisations of the Leibniz Association, if as an exception these do not pay one-off amounts to the DFG,
• Research institutions associated with these organisations which receive their basic funding from public funds,
• German locations of internationally funded research institutions.

No, your proposal will not be treated or reviewed any differently. However, you must specify in your proposal the other organisations which you have also applied to for funding. Parallel uptake of funding is not permitted. Please inform the DFG immediately if at any point during the review process you decide to accept alternative funding.

For all questions relating to legal time frames, please contact your research institution’s human resources department as it alone can and must decide how statutory options for fixed term employment can be used in your case and to what extent the institution is prepared to conclude a fixed-term employment contract with you.

For further information please have a look at the frequently asked questions on the Fixed-term Employment in Higher Education and Research Act (WissZeitVG)(externer Link) (in German only) of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

No restrictions apply for the Walter Benjamin position. For the Walter Benjamin fellowship (or a combined proposal), you are eligible to submit a proposal only if you have worked for at least three years in the German research system (during the doctoral phase and subsequently) in Germany.

There are clear differences between the WBP and research grants in terms of funding objectives, requirements and funding criteria.

The aim of the WBP is to provide funding for the applicant's research career. It funds a stay at a host institution during an early career phase. Therefore, the review process for the WBP also considers the applicant's career potential. In particular, for the WB position this also applies for the planned support.

The research grant, on the other hand, is intended to fund an independent project and this is the focus of the review process rather than the career development of the person managing the project.

You are eligible to apply for funding through the WBP if you are in an early qualification phase following your doctorate and are seeking a career in research.

Special rules apply for proposals submitted from outside Germany, or from persons who have completed the majority of their schooling or university education outside Germany. Please note the relevant instructions.

You do not need to be in current employment to be eligible to submit a proposal.

Whether you wish to carry out your project in Germany or abroad, you will need to locate it at a research institution. In the case of funding through a WB position, you will need an institution that will take on the role of employer.

Please note that the programme supports geographic mobility (see FAQ “Do I need to change institution?”).

Before you submit a proposal, you need to identify a host institution that will accept you. The institution must provide an assurance to this effect when the proposal is submitted (see question: What assurances need to be provided by the institutions/host researcher?). For the WB position in particular, you need a researcher who will support your career development and describe the specific measures planned for this purpose.

No restrictions apply for the Walter Benjamin position. Researchers based abroad can apply for the position irrespective of nationality and whether they have previously worked in Germany. You will need to present an “Employer’s declaration” (DFG form 41.027(interner Link), in German only) from a German research institution and prove that a local researcher is supporting your career development.

For the Walter Benjamin fellowship (or in the case of a combined proposal), you are eligible to submit a proposal only if you completed the majority of your schooling and university education in Germany and if you spent no longer than three years abroad for research purposes after your doctorate in Germany or abroad.

In addition, you must not have been working for the host institution selected for the fellowship in a research capacity for more than one year. The date of the proposal shall apply.

The Walter Benjamin Programme generally involves a change of institution. As an instrument for individual funding, the programme aims to support mobility in the early career stage following a doctorate. Mobility remains an important component of a research career in most disciplines in order to establish a personal, independent research profile and build up networks.

Your position should not be located at the university where you completed your doctorate or where you are currently based. If, despite this, you wish to conduct your project there, you will need special justification. For example, cases where family reasons (childcare, relatives in need of care) allow only limited geographic mobility or cases of highly specialised subjects for which facilities such as essential infrastructures are available only at the current institution. In such situations, there must also be a particular focus on processing new themes (thematic development of your research) and this must be justified in the proposal.

You must include your curriculum vitae. The documents explained in the guidelines and in the FAQ “What assurances need to be provided by the institutions/host researcher?” must also be submitted.

Please do not attach any endorsements from third parties to your proposal. Only the information provided by you in the proposal will be reviewed and evaluated. To make sure all applicants receive equal treatment, endorsements are not passed on to reviewers or decision-making bodies. The supporting letter for the WB position is different and is not covered here.

If your project involves other persons or cooperation partners, you must include confirmation from these people with your proposal, together with a description of the planned cooperation for the project in the proposal. (See the chapter “Cooperation with researchers in Germany and abroad for this project” in the WBP guidelines DFG form 50.10(interner Link)).

If you have not completed your doctorate at the time of submitting the proposal, please note the additional instructions.

The Walter Benjamin Programme is aimed exclusively at postdocs in an early phase after completion of their doctorate. The guideline is the EU definition of “recognised researcher” (R2), to be developed according to the specific subject area. No formal deadline for submission of proposals is specified in the programme. Parental leave is taken into consideration.

For advanced postdoctoral researchers, the DFG offers individual funding opportunities in the Emmy Noether Programme and for researchers eligible to be appointed as professors, the Heisenberg Programme.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) does not offer direct individual funding for doctoral researchers. To be eligible for funding under the Walter Benjamin Programme, you must have a doctorate.

Doctoral researchers are funded either through DFG-funded projects or in Research Training Groups. Research Training Groups are university training programmes established for a specific time period, which allow doctoral researchers to complete their doctorates in a structured research and qualification programme.

Researchers who are eligible to submit proposals to the DFG can also submit a proposal for an individual grant for a project which includes a position for you.

For further information, visit:

• Research Training Groups(interner Link)
• Job advertisements for non-doctoral research staff in a DFG project(interner Link)
• You can search for more DFG projects in GEPRIS(externer Link)
• Further information on funding for research careers(interner Link)

You can write your proposal in German or English. If in doubt, please contact the department responsible for your subject area. Until English versions are available, please use the German documents.

You can also try to obtain a fellowship from an organisation other than the DFG. You can find extensive lists of research funding organisations under the following links, for example.

• DAAD scholarship database(externer Link)
• Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen e.V. (Association of German Foundations)(externer Link)
• Stifterverband(externer Link)
• German Education Server(externer Link)
• Lots of vacancies for doctoral posts are published on SCIENCE-JOBS-DE(externer Link)
• EURAXESS offers a wide range of information on research visits in Germany(externer Link)

No, parallel submission of proposals is not possible.

You can do this as soon as you have submitted your dissertation to the responsible examinations office. You will need to include the following documents with your proposal:

• An electronic version of your dissertation
• Proof of submission of your dissertation
• A statement from your dissertation supervisor on the prospects of success for your doctoral project.

Please forward details of your doctoral grade as soon as you receive this information. Proof of completion of the doctorate should be forwarded as quickly as possible.

If a proposal is approved, funding cannot be accessed until the doctorate has been completed and proof of completion submitted to the DFG.

The “2 year home requirement” means that upon expiry of a J-1 visa, the holder is not permitted to enter the USA for at least two years, after which period he or she can apply for a work or immigration visa. In normal circumstances, J-1 visas for German nationals are not subject to this rule. If the following endorsement is included in the visa: “Bearer is not subject to section 212(E). Two year rule does not apply.”, the holder will generally not encounter any problems during his or her stay. However, for this entry to appear in the visa, it must already feature in the original DS-2019. If this is not the case, this regulation would pose a problem if the holder wished to remain in the USA upon expiry of the visa. He or she would then need to apply for the “J-1 Waiver” from the US Department of State.

Note: The German Embassy processes applications very quickly. However, the processing time at the US Department of State is regularly 2-3 months so these applications should therefore be submitted at least 3 months before the expiry of the visa or a return trip home. The application for consent can be obtained from the Fellowship Office. Please contact the responsible administrator.

Further information can also be found on the DFG-Wiki(externer Link) (in German only).

No, parallel funding through the Walter Benjamin Programme and an additional DFG project (research grant, project by a FOR or a PP) or as part of a CRC is not possible. Towards the end of the funding period, you can of course submit additional proposals to take account of the processing time.

At the moment, the average processing time for the individual grant is around six months. This period may vary depending on the specific case.

You should follow up the approval as soon as possible. You must have taken up the funding within one year of approval.

Renewal proposals for a maximum of one year can be permitted only in very limited exceptional cases where external factors justify an extension.

It is possible to apply for license fees for testing to be covered, provided these are necessary to carry out the project. Given the fact that open access testing is becoming increasingly widespread and established, the Psychology Review Board recommends examining whether so-called “licence-free” testing can be used for the project in question.

The Economics Review Board has formulated subject-specific expectations(Download) that applicants are to follow with regard to the careful handling of research data. These expectations complement and flesh out the RatSWD guidelines, for example.

Please use a format that is meaningful and common in psychology (APA Style or comparable). Proposals using a more abbreviated format will be returned for revision.

Based on its experience of receiving research proposals for edition projects, the Theology Review Board has developed a guide (in German only)(Download) to assist applicants in selecting the appropriate funding format and preparing proposals.

Yes. Licensed psychologists who hold a doctorate in psychology and who are active in patient care can apply for a temporary substitute to be released from their clinical duties.

A flat-rate amount is used to finance a temporary substitute position(interner Link) based on the category “postdoctoral position and equivalent”, irrespective of the actual remuneration of the person to be released.

Please also note the information contained in the module guidelines “Temporary substitutes”(interner Link).

At the initiative of DFG Review Board 104 “Linguistics”, two round-table discussions on the survey of oral and written language corpora took place in 2012 and 2013. As a result of these round tables, working groups were established which have formulated recommendations for the survey of language corpora (in German only)(Download). These recommendations relate to “Data system standards and tools in the survey of language corpora” and “Legal aspects involved in handling language corpora”. Both papers are intended to serve as a guide for all researchers in this field, especially applicants and reviewers in connection with DFG programmes.

The determination of appropriate sample sizes for statistical hypothesis testing is of key importance in terms of the validity, interpretation and replicability of empirical research results. Explicit sample planning based on plausible criteria is therefore an essential quality feature for the funding eligibility of DFG proposals in the field of psychology. The review board has compiled the following information for applicants:

Sample sizes, i.e. the number of planned research units per study, should be determined based on statistical decision-making criteria. As a rule, a statistical power analysis is carried out to determine a priori sample size using an effect size that is theoretically postulated or empirically derived from previous studies. Realistic assumptions about a given effect size are necessary, for example the smallest effect size relevant to the respective research subject or an aggregate of estimated effect sizes from previous (pilot) studies, taking into account any possible bias of published effect sizes through p selection.

For studies in which statistical hypothesis testing is conducted using a significance test, the justification of the planned sample size should include the following information:

• an indication of the statistical model by means of which the data is analysed,
• specification of the specific statistical test in this model for which the sample size determination was carried out (usually testing the main question of the empirical study),
• specification of the underlying effect variable to be detected with 1-β probability (statistical power) for type-1 error probability α (significance level) based on the determined sample size,
• an explicit justification of the underlying effect size, and
• specification of the chosen α and β error probabilities of the statistical test.

The information should be presented in such a way that the calculation is plausible and replication of the resulting sample size is possible.

Sample planning using a statistical power analysis based on the above information can be performed for many statistical procedures using freely available software (such as GPower, R packages, fMRIpower). For more complex statistical procedures (such as multivariate structural equation models, multilevel analyses or multivariate procedures and connectivity analyses in neuroimaging), statistical power analyses are often very complex or lack established, standard procedures. In individual cases, it may be necessary to resort to simulation studies that allow a statistical power analysis of the detection probability of an effect of a given size with a certain sample size.

If sample size is limited by the availability of study units (e.g. in the case of small clinical or neuropsychological populations or rare personal characteristics), or by the practical feasibility of very complex studies or other external factors, such limitations should be plausibly substantiated. In such cases, a sensitivity analysis can show the effect size that can be detected with sufficient statistical power based on the sample size that can realistically be achieved. On this basis, an assessment should be made of the extent to which the study can be expected to produce meaningful results despite the limited sample size.

If statistical decision criteria for hypothesis testing are used that do not provide for an a priori determination of the final sample size (e.g. Bayesian updating, sequential testing), the reasons for not using a specific number of cases should be explicitly stated. When applying for funding (e.g. remuneration for participants, personnel and material resources as survey costs), justified upper limits of the expected number of cases should be specified that allow the feasibility of the project to be assessed. Furthermore, the statistical procedure of hypothesis testing using the flexible sample size should be plausible and include the chosen cut-off rules for sampling and statistical decision-making.

The Psychology Review Board has discussed possible causes of false-positive findings and countermeasures and published the results of this discussion in an article in Psychologische Rundschau (Ulrich et al. (2016), Inflation von falsch-positiven Befunden in der psychologischen Forschung ("Inflation of false-positive findings in psychological research”). Psychologische Rundschau, 67, 163-174.). This discussion gave rise to the determination of funding criteria for direct replication studies (in German only)(Download).

If you have any questions about funding opportunities offered by the DFG or about subject-specific issues, the relevant contact persons(interner Link) at the Head Office will be happy to help you.

The DFG estimates a flat rate of €150.00 per hour of measurement time for MRI instrumentation up to 3 Tesla. For whole-body MRIs from a field strength of 7 Tesla upwards, this rate increases to €375.00 per hour.

It should be noted that these costs only cover a limited project-specific share of the total cost. Most of the full costs, in particular personnel costs for operation, maintenance contracts, depreciation and reinvestment costs, current expenses for building and maintenance etc., must be financed as part of the basic resources of the scientific research institutions.

The DFG contact for questions on the issue of MRI costs is

Dr. Christian Renner
Scientific Instruments and Information Technology Group
Tel. 0228/885-2324
E-mail: Christian.Renner@dfg.de(externer Link).

For further information, please see:

DFG form 55.04 - Note on benchmark figures when applying for usage costs(interner Link)

At the initiative of DFG Review Board 109 “Educational Research”, a round-table discussion was held in 2014 on the provision and use of quantitative data in educational research. The quality of research in this field often depends on the available data sets, while the generation of such sets is highly sophisticated. The round table produced a memorandum (in German only)(Download) describing fields of action and development perspectives with the aim of providing the most effective support possible for the handling of research data within the community of educational researchers. This is to serve as a guide for all researchers in this field, especially applicants and reviewers in connection with DFG programmes.

Based on its experience of research proposals for edition projects, the Literary Studies Review Board has developed a guide (in German only)(Download) that lays down criteria for the review of scholarly editions as well as standards for digital editions. This guide has primarily been compiled for reviewers, but it is equally relevant to the preparation of proposals in this area. For edition projects with a funding period of more than six years, proposals are to be submitted under the long-term programme.

Only in cases where the instrumentation is not basic but supplementary. Basic instrumentation is the instrumentation generally used at a department, at an institute or in a field of work. The DFG assumes that the usual basic instrumentation is available when awarding grants and does not, as a rule, fund this need. Supplementary instrumentation is the additional equipment required for a DFG project.

For empirical research projects, the Review Boards for Linguistics, Educational Research, Psychology, Social Sciences and Economics have agreed on an exclusion list for typical basic instrumentation. According to this, the following fall under the category of basic resources as a matter of principle:

• PCs, laptops
• Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis if the instrumentation has to meet special requirements and can only be used for a specific purpose (e.g. measuring computers, tropicalised instrumentation)
• External storage media (e.g. hard drives, USB sticks)
• (Digital) recording devices and accessories
• Cameras/digital cameras with typical features
• Video cameras/camcorders with typical features
• Software for the workplace (e.g. Office), literature management and data evaluation (e.g. SPSS, Atlas, MAXQDA, Stata); subject-specific programming systems (e.g. MatLab)

In case of questions or for further information on financial management, please contact the Fellowship Office(Download).

Additional information on the proposal process can be obtained from the relevant programme staff(interner Link).

Please also have a look at the detailed information on the FAQs(interner Link).