Often asked
Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the application process.
How do I get a prize for my research?
Science awards honor special scientific achievements in research and/or teaching and are aimed at different career stages. They are awarded by major funding bodies such as the DFG as well as by foundations, associations or companies. Such awards strengthen your research profile and give you an advantage when applying for and acquiring third-party funding.
TU Dortmund University itself awards numerous prizes. You can find more information here.
For many awards, researchers cannot apply themselves; instead, they must be nominated by a third party - often by the rectorate. If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to Dr. Claudia Breit, Staff Unit University and Research Development.
For project descriptions that need to be submitted, the Research Funding Office team will be happy to assist you with the application process.
You can find out about prizes yourself on the following websites:
Information on content-related questions
Are there any writing guidelines for cross-cutting topics?
Explanations and suggestions on various relevant cross-cutting topics can be found in the application resources available in the service portal.
This document is intended for members of TU Dortmund who are preparing third-party funding proposals. It supports the preparation of such proposals, particularly with regard to addressing non-scientific evaluation criteria that are relevant in the review process alongside the research idea and expertise. The document provides information on existing structures and support services at TU Dortmund related to various cross-cutting topics. It also includes general information about TU Dortmund, such as key figures and facts that can be used in proposals. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Research Support team at any time.
The individually customizable information service Information Service Research, International Affairs, Transfer - FIT for Science compiles current calls for proposals from a wide range of funding organizations. These calls can be filtered according to your personal preferences, such as subject area, career stage, or funding body. You can also freely choose how often and on which days of the week you would like to receive the FIT newsletter.
FIT covers a large proportion of available funding formats. Exceptions are ministerial funding schemes, which are unfortunately not always included. If you are interested in funding calls from a specific ministry, we recommend subscribing to the respective RSS feed (please feel free to contact us).
For members of TU Dortmund University, the personalized FIT newsletter is free of charge.
Information on formal questions
Some funding formats require the submission of own funds. Early consultation and involvement of the Section Third-Party Funding Management and Legal Matters in Research at the beginning of the application process is essential.
In principle, the applicant's project management (formally the department) is responsible for providing own contributions; central funding pools are not available.
If own contributions must be made in the form of free third-party funds and these are not available at the applying department, smaller amounts (<100,000 euros) of free third-party funds may be provided in exchange for equivalent other funds from the project management after individual case assessment.
The draft proposal is usually the most decisive for the assessment! This is where the greatest selection is made. As a rule, the funding amount applied for in the outline phase cannot be exceeded in the full application.
A legally binding signature can only be provided by the Rectorate or, on behalf of the Rectorate, by the Section Third-Party Funding Management and Legal Matters in Research Department of the Finance and Procurement Division. The prerequisite for this is a formal review of the financially and formally final application by the Third-Party Funding Management (10 working days due to any necessary coordination).
The overheads, referred to by the DFG as a program allowance and by federal ministries as a project allowance, are used to cover the so-called indirect project costs (e.g. provision of offices and workstations, administrative facilities that support the project, etc.). The university decides autonomously on the use of the overhead, but it may only be spent on indirect costs - and not to reinforce the project funds. The overhead is therefore not available to the project leaders.
It is generally possible to submit applications to funding bodies that do not pay overheads. However, if funding bodies exempt the application for overheads, these must be applied for in full.
EU collaborative projects are characterized by the complementary composition of the consortium. If your consortium still lacks expertise, we offer support in the search for suitable partners, e.g. via the partner search function of the Funding & Tenders Portal.
The provisions are based on § 44 Abs. 1 HG NRW.
Yes, the Project Development and Management department will be happy to assist you and take care of EU project management in all project phases.
Important information and leaflets on project calculation and implementation can be found in the Serviceportal.
On the service portal, you can find information on the estimated personnel and material costs for each funding agency.
AI can support research grant proposals and their peer review, for example, in developing ideas, structuring proposal documents, and presenting existing research. At the same time, funding agencies such as the DFG, the EU, and foundations expect AI tools to be used responsibly, transparently, and with scientific integrity.
This page provides a concise overview of how third-party funding agencies evaluate the use of AI in the context of grant applications, project implementation, and peer review; what guidelines currently apply; and what applicants should pay particular attention to.
A special focus is placed on the peer review of research grant applications. AI must not replace the expert judgment of reviewers. Evaluations must be based on the reviewers’ own expertise, verifiable scrutiny, and independent scientific judgment. AI tools can be used only in a supportive capacity; the evaluation of content and funding recommendations remain the responsibility of humans.
Likewise, applicants remain solely responsible for the content, scientific accuracy, authorship, and good scientific practice. The use of AI must be disclosed if funding agencies require it or if it is relevant to the transparency of the application and the review process.
Practical Guidelines for Applicants
- Document AI use: Specify the tool, version, and purpose of use in the application.
- Take responsibility: Review and correct AI-generated content and take professional responsibility for it.
- Protect data privacy: Do not enter any confidential or personal data into AI tools without consent.
- Ensure transparency in AI use: Disclose its use when required or appropriate, e.g., in the methodology or integrity sections.
- Protect confidential processes: Exercise particular care when using AI tools for confidential content.
Overview of regulations from individual funding agencies
EU
The EU guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research emphasize transparency, scientific integrity, data protection, confidentiality, and copyright; regarding the review of grant applications, the ERC further clarifies that AI must not replace independent scientific evaluation and that confidential application content must not be entered into external AI systems.
The European Commission/ERA’s Living Guidelines on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research are aimed at researchers, research institutions, and funding organizations and emphasize, in particular, research integrity, transparency, data protection, confidentiality, and the protection of intellectual property rights.
The ERC Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Evaluation of Grant Proposals make it clear that the review of grant proposals must not be delegated to AI, and that confidential proposal content must not be entered into external AI systems.
The European Parliament’s report Copyright and generative artificial intelligence – opportunities and challenges addresses copyright issues related to generative AI, particularly transparency, licensing, the interests of rights holders, and the handling of copyrighted material during AI training.
DFG
The following information from the DFG summarizes the guidelines for the use of AI in grant proposals and in review procedures. The DFG generally considers the use of generative AI in the preparation of grant proposals to be permissible, provided that its use is disclosed and full responsibility for both content and form remains with the applicants.
For the peer review process, the DFG has adopted new guidelines for 2025: In the future, AI may only be used in a supportive capacity in accordance with the principles of confidentiality, transparency, quality assurance, and accountability; responsibility for the content of the review report remains entirely with the reviewers.
The DFG guidelines on the use of AI in peer review specify that human analysis and scientific evaluation of the application remain a core component of the peer review process, that AI may be used only in a supportive capacity, and that confidential application content may be entered into AI systems only under clear conditions of protection.
The DFG’s “Artificial Intelligence” topic page compiles relevant information on AI in the application process, in peer review, and in specific funding opportunities; it also notes that the 2023 statement regarding the use of AI in peer review will no longer be valid as of December 2025.
Foundations
Some foundations have already developed their own guidelines for the use of AI. We list a few examples here. When submitting proposals to foundations, always check the respective website for the conditions governing the use of AI in proposals and the peer review process.