Doctoral research | Current announcements

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Scholarships, Fellowships, Research Grants

On this page, we refer to a selection of current calls for applications for scholarships, prizes, research grants, or fellowships. Despite great care, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.

Research Information Service (FIT)

As a member of the UDE, you can subscribe to the Research Information Service (FIT) free of charge. FIT is an e-mail service that provides you with tailored information on research funding. This service is only available in German.

January 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia: Programme to promote the return of highly qualified young researchers from abroad (NRW Return Programme 2024) 09.01.2025 Postdoc, Junior Faculty (doctorate 2-6 years ago, at least 12 months abroad, centre of life before and after stay abroad: Germany) future computing
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS 14.01.2025 Postdoc Reference to the roles of the USA and Germany at a crucial moment in world history
Karg-Foundation: William Stern Programme 15.01.2025 PhD, PhD+Postdoc talent research (psychology, educational science, pedagogy; interfaces with disciplines from the social, educational and human sciences)
Volkswagen Foundation: Call for papers: Conference 'Universities and the Public Good' 19.01.2025 all (PhD see Young Scholars Forum) history of colleges and universities in the transatlantic region as centres of education and research since 1945
AMA Association for Sensor Technology and Measurement Technology e.V.: Innovation Award 2025 23.01.2025 all sensor technology/measurement technology and associated technologies with recognizable market relevance
Semikron Danfoss & European ECPE Network: Innovation Award and Young Engineer Award 31.01.2025 all (Innovation Award)
all under 30 years (Young Engineer Award)
power electronics

February 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) - Foundation basic research in biomedicine: PhD fellowships 01.02.2025 PhD natural sciences, biomedicine
CAST e.V. and the 'Security - Protection and Reliability' department of the Society for Informatics e.V. (GI): PhD Prize IT Security 2025 02.02.2025 PhD (shortly before completion), Postdoc (max. 2 years after dissertation) security in computer science
Information Technology Society in the VDE Association for Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology e.V. (VDE ITG): Dissertation Award 2025 05.02.2025 Postdoc (dissertation in 2024 and max. 32 years) information technology
Schering Foundation: Ernst Schering Prize 2025 09.02.2025 Postdoc, Junior Faculty basic research in life sciences/biomedicine (biology, medicine or chemistry)
Schering Foundation: Schering Young Investigator Award 2025 09.02.2025 Postdoc (max. 6 years after dissertation; working in Germany) basic research in life sciences
Society for Computer Science e.V. (GI) in cooperation with Austrian Computer Society (OCG) and Swiss Informatics Society (SI): Dissertation Award 14.02.2025 Postdoc (dissertation in 2024) computer science
Kurt Eberhard Bode Foundation in Stifterverband: Junior Research Group ‘Water - Research for Sustainable Resource Utilisation’ 15.02.2025 PhD, Postdoc water and x; networking and dialogue between medicine, biology, chemistry, physics and computer science
DECHEMA, Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology e.V.: Industrial Bioprocess Award 15.02.2025 Postdoc (dissertation between Dec. 2023 and Dec. 2024) bioprocess engineering
Information Technology Society in the VDE Association for Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology e.V. (VDE ITG): Literature Award 15.02.2025 all (for dissertations see Dissertation Prize 2025) information technology
Bernd Rendel Foundation in Stifterverband and German Research Foundation (DFG): Bernd Rendel Prize 20.02.2025 PhD earth sciences
Klaus Tschira Foundation: PlainText Prize for Science Communication 28.02.2025 Postdoc (dissertation in 2023 or 2024) biology, chemistry, geosciences, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience and physics (including related fields)
Marianne and Dr. Fritz Walter Fischer Foundation in Stifterverband: Junior Research Group ‘BEN - Biodiversity, Ecology, Nature in National Parks and Biosphere Reserves’ 28.02.2025 Postdoc (max. 6 years after dissertation + time off) biodiversity, ecology, nature

March 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
Körber-Foundation: German Study Award 01.03.2025 Postdoc (dissertation in 2024 with magna or summa cum laude) all
German Chemical Industry Association (VCI): Kekulé Scholarship 01.03.2025 PhD (start) (EU nationality) chemistry and chemistry-related subjects
Daimler and Benz Foundation: Bertha Benz Prize 2025 01.03.2025 Postdoc (dissertation not older than 2 March 2024 and magna or summa cum laude) engineering
Hamburg Foundation for Science, Development and Culture Helmut and Hannelore Greve and Academy of Sciences in Hamburg: Hamburg Science Prize 2025 ‘Immunomodulation’ 15.03.2025 all (with several years of internationally recognised research achievements) immunomodulation
Wissenswerkstadt, Bielefeld Marketing GmbH: FameLab Germany: 'Talking Science' 17.03.2025 all 21 years and older natural or social sciences, technology or medicine
ARD.ZDF media academy: Women + Media Technology Award 2025 31.03.2025 PhD audiovisual media production and distribution or related subject areas
Tyczka Energy Foundation, Technical University of Munich, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and Research Centre for Energy Economics e.V.: Dr Tyczka Energy Prize 31.03.2025 PhD energy (especially practical or implemented energy saving concepts)
industrial gases and hydrogen (innovative applications of technical gases as well as the extraction, storage and applications of hydrogen)
Goldschmidt Foundation: Karl Goldschmidt Prize 31.03.2025 PhD (without high school diploma and without university entrance qualification) engineering (mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering)

April 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
VolkswagenFoundation: 'Scoping Workshops' in Hannover 01.04.2025 Postdoc, Junior Faculty all

May 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
German-American Fulbright Commission: PhD program (university and university of applied sciences) 01.05.2025 PhD (start) (German nationality) all

June 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) - Foundation basic research in biomedicine: PhD fellowships 01.06.2025 PhD natural sciences, biomedicine
Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation: Heinrich Wieland Prize 01.06.2025 all (if outstanding research) biologically active molecules and systems in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology as well as their clinical importance

July 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
German Chemical Industry Association (VCI): Kekulé Scholarship 01.07.2025 PhD (start) (EU nationality) chemistry and chemistry-related subjects
Foamed Plastics and Polyurethanes Association (FSK): Innovation Award for Foamed Plastics and Polyurethanes 15.07.2025 all all disciplines related to foam plastics and polyurethanes

October 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) - Foundation basic research in biomedicine: PhD fellowships 01.10.2025 PhD natural sciences, biomedicine

November 2025

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
German-American Fulbright Commission: PhD program (university and university of applied sciences) 01.11.2025 PhD (start) (German nationality) all
German Chemical Industry Association (VCI): Kekulé Scholarship 01.11.2025 PhD (start) (EU nationality) chemistry and chemistry-related subjects

April 2026

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
German Society for Biomedical Engineering in the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE DGBMT) and Klee Family Foundation: Prize for Innovation in Biomedical Technology 30.04.2026 all medical issues solved through technical transfer

Anytime

Call Deadline Career stage Subject group(s)
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Scholarship Program 'ERA Fellowships - Green Hydrogen' Master: spring/autumn; PhD/Postdoc: anytime Master, PhD, Postdoc Natural sciences, engineering, economics, social sciences and law in regard to hydrogen
Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation: Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship
(Information event on 24.09.2024)
anytime Postdoc, Junior Faculty all
Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation: Henriette Herz-Scouting-Programme anytime Postdoc, Junior Faculty (without German citizenship) all
Chemical Industry Fund: Liebig Scholarship for the start of a university teaching career (3-year funding, equipment for the working group and a doctoral scholarship for one research assistant) anytime Postdoc chemistry
Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) - Research scholarship (funding period: 6-24 months) anytime PhD, Postdoc all