Proposals can be submitted to the DFG either by individuals or institutions, depending on the programme.

Proposals are accepted from researchers of all nationalities, providing the research project is to be carried out at a university or non-university research institution in Germany. Additional requirements apply when submitting a proposal under certain DFG programmes: see the descriptions of the individual programmes for details.

In DFG forms, eligibility in the case of proposals submitted by individuals (cf. All funding programmes at a glance) is worded as follows:

Researchers in Germany, or those working at a German research institution abroad,  who have completed their academic training (a doctorate as a rule) are eligible to apply for DFG research grants. 

In general, you are not eligible to submit a proposal if you work at an institution that is not non-profit or does not allow immediate publication of research findings in a generally accessible form.

Requirements

This means that when a proposal is submitted by an individual, there are both personal and institutional requirements which must be met: 

The person submitting a proposal must always

• be employed at a research institution in Germany or at a German research institution in another country,
• hold a position which is at least 20 percent of a full-time position and must include research activity,
• must have completed their academic training – normally with a doctorate – or have academic achievements that are equivalent to a doctorate, and must
• meet any other programme-specific requirements. Please see the guidelines for details.

Proposals submitted under the following programmes are excluded from the first two points: The Walter Benjamin Programme (relating to the position held), the Emmy Noether Programme, the Heisenberg Programme and the Temporary Position for Principal Investigators, which explicitly involves applying for funding for the position in Germany. For this reason, it is also possible to submit a proposal from another country in this case.

For answers to questions on individual aspects such as fixed-term employment contracts, tenure-track positions, emeriti, recognition of foreign qualifications and dual appointments, please see the FAQ.

The institution at which the research work is to be carried out (or its sponsoring institution) must always

• be legally independent,
• be a public sector organisation or else a private institution with official non-profit status,
• meet the requirements for implementation of the specific project in question (research infrastructure) and
• authorise the project leader to publish the research results in a generally accessible form without delay or restrictions.

If it is the first time an institution is named as the place where a DFG research project is to be based, an assessment must be carried out to determine whether these requirements are met and clarify the subsequent issues of financial handling and implementation of the DFG Code of Conduct - Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice. For this purpose, please complete DFG form 4.01 and submit the necessary documentary evidence.

When an individual submits a proposal, the so-called duty to cooperate must also be observed. According to this, researchers employed on a permanent basis at institutions of the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association and certain Leibniz Institutes can generally only submit proposals together with researchers who are based at a German higher education institution (university or university of applied sciences). See DFG form 55.01 for details. 

Further Information

In addition, please see the FAQ for further details. If you have any queries, please get in touch with your DFG Head Office contact person.

In the case of proposals submitted by organisations (cf. All funding programmes at a glance), please note that the applicant institution is subject to programme-specific requirements.

If you have any questions on your eligibility to submit a proposal under the Walter Benjamin Programme, Emmy Noether Programme or Heisenberg Programme, please contact procedures-researchcareers@dfg.de.