Individual Research Grants

Research grants enable individuals who have completed their academic training to conduct at any time research projects with clearly defined topics and durations, regardless of the subject.

Purpose

To enable scientists and academics to carry out a research project on a specifically defined topic within a limited time period.

Eligibility Requirements

Qualified researchers (as a rule, those holding a doctorate) from all disciplines working at German research institutions

Researchers working at institutions which serve purely commercial purposes or those who are not permitted to publish findings in a generally accessible form are not eligible to apply.

Proposal Requirements

A research project of high scientific quality and originality, carried out at an international level

Type and Extent of Funding

Modules:

Funding Duration

The duration of funding is based on the individual project needs (as a rule, several years).

Forms and Guidelines

First proposal: No submission deadline

Renewal proposal: At least 6 months before the approved funds have been exhausted

The DFG has a wide range of options to support research groups engaging in international collaboration.

DFG support for collaborative ventures

  • Travel funds and guest funds for foreign cooperation partners as part of the Basic Module
  • Travel funds and, where applicable, remuneration for foreign cooperation partners in connection with the Mercator Fellows module
  • Travel funds for foreign cooperation partners in connection with the Project-Specific Workshops module
  • Funds for project implementation by the foreign cooperation partner under special procedures via transfer of funds on the part of the project management entitled to apply to the DFG (cooperation with the Middle East and with developing countries)

Support for cooperation provided by foreign partner organisations

In addition, researchers at a foreign research institution can participate as part of a so-called “general international cooperation”.

Further Information

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) uses the term ‘long-term project’ to refer to research projects in the humanities and social sciences that require continuous funding for at least 7 years and a maximum of 12 years (possible examples being editions, corpora, archaeological excavations, and social or behavioural longitudinal studies). To be recognised as a long-term project, a project must be characterised by its central scholarly importance, thorough preparation and planning, and professional management.

Detailed information on the proposal process