Funding profile

The DFG Heisenberg Program is aimed at outstanding researchers who already meet all the requirements for appointment to a permanent professorship and is intended to enable them to continue preparing for an academic leadership position and at the same time to conduct further independent research. It is open to all disciplines and offers four funding options that can be selected and combined (subject to conditions) after admission: Heisenberg position, Heisenberg rotation position, Heisenberg professorship and Heisenberg fellowship.

Scope of funding

Funding is generally provided for up to 5 years; the funds are initially approved for 3 years and the prospect of a further 2 years is held out, combined with an interim evaluation towards the end of the third year. Depending on the variant, a position/professorship or a scholarship plus material/research resources are granted.

Eligibility to apply and deadlines

Initially, the "Heisenberg Funding" is applied for via the DFG portal; at the time of application, no declarations from the host institution (e.g. on equipment/involvement) are required. After acceptance, funding recipients choose a variant.

Selection procedure

Selection is based on a competitive peer review process: Reviewers assess in particular qualifications/publication profile and visibility, the quality and knowledge gain of the research project as well as work opportunities/environment and formulate a clear vote.

Funding profile Momentum supports university professors 3-5 years after taking up their first lifetime professorship in developing the content and strategy of their professorship and opening up new perspectives in research (and research-based teaching). The program is open to all disciplines, aims to "broaden perspectives" and expressly does not fund pure research projects.

Scope of funding

Funding is provided for two-phase concepts: up to €850,000 for 4 years (1st phase) and - after evaluation and if successful - up to €200,000 for 2 years (2nd phase, consolidation/anchoring). Among other things, personnel and material resources, stays abroad, new teaching formats and science communication are eligible for funding; doctoral positions are excluded and complete exemption from teaching is not possible.

Eligibility to apply and deadlines

University professors (only full professorships) with a lifetime professorship at a university in Germany in the time window 3-5 years after appointment are eligible to apply. There is an annual deadline for applications.

Selection procedure

The procedure is a two-stage process: In stage 1, an outline is submitted via the funding portal (CV according to template, 90-second video pitch, short DE/EN summary) and evaluated comparatively by an interdisciplinary international panel of experts. In stage 2, invited applicants submit the full application (template, cost plan, personnel concept, institutional statement) and present the concept to a panel of experts; among other things, scientific excellence, creative potential, motivation, innovative content, sustainability and strategic embedding are evaluated.

Sponsorship profile

The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship is Germany's most highly endowed science award and is granted to world-leading researchers working abroad in order to attract them to Germany for long-term top-level research and thus strengthen the international competitiveness of the research location.

It is open to all disciplines and aims to permanently integrate the award winners at a German university/research institution.

Scope of funding

The prize money amounts to €5 million (experimental) or €3.5 million (theoretical) and is available over five years to finance the professorship or to establish internationally competitive framework conditions (including equipment/team/working conditions).

Eligibility and deadlines

German universities are eligible to submit proposals; non-university research institutions can initiate a nomination together with an eligible university. Nominations can be made by established researchers working abroad who are world leaders in their field and would be eligible for a professorship in Germany. Nominations can be submitted online; the nomination deadlines are April 15 and September 15.

Selection procedure

After submission, a review is carried out by independent academics from Germany and abroad (duration approx. six months).

An independent selection committee decides on the applications twice a year based on the scientific excellence of the nominees and the persuasiveness of the nominating institution's integration concept; there are no quotas (e.g. by country/subject area/gender).

Funding profile

The Reinhart Koselleck Projects give researchers with an outstanding academic CV the opportunity to implement a particularly innovative or "in a positive sense" risky project within five years, which could not be realized either within their own institution or through other DFG funding procedures. It is characteristic that the project can only be described in outline form at the time of application due to the high risk involved - funding therefore requires a special "leap of faith".

Scope of funding

The funding period is 5 years. A total of €500,000 to €1.25 million can be applied for during this period; the funds can cover personnel, equipment, consumables, travel and publication costs, among other things.

Eligibility to apply and deadlines

In principle, appointed or appointable scientists are eligible to apply. Female researchers at non-university research institutions can apply if the project cannot be carried out as part of the institution's regular work; proposals can be submitted at any time. In contrast to other DFG proposals, the Reinhart-Koselleck focuses less on an elaborated project plan and more on the scientific excellence of the applicant and the transformative potential of the project idea.

Selection procedure

The DFG's Reinhart Koselleck Program is aimed at proven top researchers who are pursuing particularly innovative, high-risk and scientifically excellent projects. Selection takes place in a multi-stage, competitive process with international written reviews and a final decision by the responsible DFG committees on the basis of scientific excellence and originality. The central selection criteria are the outstanding scientific reputation of the applicant and the exceptional, non-incremental potential of the research project.