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:
- Basic Modul
- Temporary Positions for Principal Investigator
- Replacement
- Temporary Substitutes for Clinician
- Project-Specific Workshop
- Mercator Fellow
- Public Relation
- Standard Allowance for Gender Equality Measure
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
- Under calls for proposals with DFG partner organisations
- In the case of the so-called Standing Open Procedure (Weave Lead Agency procedure and others), proposal submission along with European cooperation partners (in the Weave Lead Agency procedure)
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