DAAD Funding Opportunities for Postdocs

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Union, the DAAD initiated the P.R.I.M.E. funding programme in 2014 and has since then supported international mobility in the postdoctoral phase through temporary positions at German universities instead of traditional scholarships.

Who can apply?
Postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities, who see their long-term career perspectives in Germany, will be given the opportunity to combine employment at a German university with a research stay abroad. The (first) doctoral degree should have been obtained no more than 6 years ago. Exceptions are possible, e.g. parental and caring periods are taken into account.

Applications may be submitted before completion of the PhD. However, the PhD must be completed before the start of the funding period with excellent results. The choice of the destination country is conditional. Applicants who are EU nationals, resident citizens, or have been continuously active in research for three years in the EU (full-time equivalent) prior to the application deadline may spend their research stay outside of the EU. All other applicants must stay within the European Union. In addition, applicants must not have spent more than 12 months in the country of destination in the three years prior to the application deadline.

Type and Extend of Funding
Funding is provided through an 18-month temporary job position at the selected German university, of which the first 12 months have to be spent abroad and the remaining six months in Germany (reintegration phase). The position will be remunerated according to the appropriate rate for postdoctoral researchers at the respective university (usually according to the German pay scale TV-L E13).
DAAD will provide the respective universities with a grant agreement to cover the costs for the regular salary and an additional expatriate allowance for the 12-month research stay abroad.
An additional lump sum travel allowance in accordance with DAAD rates for the selected candidate and accompanying spouse or partner (within the meaning of the German law on civil partnerships) and children will be paid directly by DAAD.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

DAAD grants provide foreign academics and scientists with an opportunity to carry out research and continue their education in Germany. There are funding programmes for various qualification phases and stages in a career.
The aim of this particular programme is to support short-term research stays and thus promote the exchange of experience and networking amongst colleagues.

Who can apply?
University teachers and established academics and scientists who have usually completed a doctoral degree and work at a university or research institute in their home country.

Type and Extend of Funding
Research stays at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany. A research stay can also take place at several host institutions at the same time.

Funding may only be claimed once within three years.

Lecture tours or visits to congresses are not funded.

Duration of the funding: One to three months; the length of the grant is decided by a selection committee and depends on the project in question and the applicant's work schedule. The grant is non-renewable.

Value: Monthly payments of 2,000 Euro for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers, 2,150 Euro for professors;

Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

DAAD research grants provide foreign doctoral candidates and young academics and scientists with an opportunity to carry out research or continue their education in Germany. There are funding programmes for various qualification phases and stages in a career. The grants also promote the exchange of experience and networking amongst colleagues. The primary aim of this programme is to promote research projects within the context of doctoral programmes.

Who can apply?
Excellently-qualified doctoral candidates and young academics and scientists who have completed a Master's degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a Bachelor's degree at the latest by the time they begin their grant-supported research, or those who have already completed a PhD (postdocs).

Type and extend of funding

A research project or course of continuing education at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany, which is being carried out in coordination with an academic adviser in Germany.

Duration of the funding: One month to a maximum of six months; the length of the grant is decided by a selection committee and depends on the project in question and the applicant's work schedule. The grant is non-renewable.

Value: Monthly payment of euros 1,000 Euro; Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover; Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

To improve international relations and bilateral research cooperations between German and foreign universities, the DAAD supports exchanges of scientists and academics from partner countries. The basis of these exchanges are cultural exchange programmes and bilateral agreements with foreign partner organisations.

Who can apply?
Foreign academics and scientists who have usually completed a doctoral degree and work at a university or research institute in their home country.

Type and Extend of Funding

Research stays at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany. Funding may only be claimed once within three years.Lecture tours or visits to congresses are not funded.

Duration of the funding: 14 days to three months; the length of the grant is decided by a selection committee and depends on the project in question and the applicant's work schedule. The grant is non-renewable.

Value: Monthly payments of: 2,000 Euro for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers, 2,150 Euro for professors unless otherwise regulated by bilateral agreements, the costs of the outward and return journey are borne by the respective sending country.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

Through its PPP programmes DAAD supports joint bi-national research projects of a high academic standard in order to strengthen academic relations between a German institution and an institution abroad and to promote cooperative research activities. The provided project funding is intended to cover mobility costs for German participants arising from the research project, and in particular to enable young academics involved in the project to conduct a research stay at the partner institution abroad, thereby supporting them in their international training.

For the purposes of this programme, young academics are defined as junior researchers currently completing their doctorate and academics at the outset of their academic careers who completed their doctorate no more than five years ago.

Who can apply?
Eligible to apply are German universities, higher education institutions and research institutions.

Type and Extend of Funding
If DAAD and the foreign partner organisations of the DAAD do not state otherwise, the PPP Programmes provide funding allowances for stays in the partner country arising in the course of project-based collaboration. The allowance covers all expenditures within the scope of mobility and the stay.

Eligible for funding are short-term stays of academics (up to 30 days) and young academics (up to 50 days). On the German side, DAAD provides funding for members of the German research group for stays at the foreign partner institution if no other arrangement was made with the foreign partner institution.

Funding period: The total funding period for a project is generally 2 years.

For the maximum available funds per funding year, see country-specific information; the funds are based on agreements with the foreign partners.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Union, the DAAD initiated the P.R.I.M.E. funding programme in 2014 and has since then supported international mobility in the postdoctoral phase through temporary positions at German universities instead of traditional scholarships.

Who can apply?
Postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities, who see their long-term career perspectives in Germany, will be given the opportunity to combine employment at a German university with a research stay abroad. The (first) doctoral degree should have been obtained no more than 6 years ago. Exceptions are possible, e.g. parental and caring periods are taken into account.

Applications may be submitted before completion of the PhD. However, the PhD must be completed before the start of the funding period with excellent results. The choice of the destination country is conditional. Applicants who are EU nationals, resident citizens, or have been continuously active in research for three years in the EU (full-time equivalent) prior to the application deadline may spend their research stay outside of the EU. All other applicants must stay within the European Union. In addition, applicants must not have spent more than 12 months in the country of destination in the three years prior to the application deadline.

Type and Extend of Funding
Funding is provided through an 18-month temporary job position at the selected German university, of which the first 12 months have to be spent abroad and the remaining six months in Germany (reintegration phase). The position will be remunerated according to the appropriate rate for postdoctoral researchers at the respective university (usually according to the German pay scale TV-L E13).
DAAD will provide the respective universities with a grant agreement to cover the costs for the regular salary and an additional expatriate allowance for the 12-month research stay abroad.
An additional lump sum travel allowance in accordance with DAAD rates for the selected candidate and accompanying spouse or partner (within the meaning of the German law on civil partnerships) and children will be paid directly by DAAD.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

The aim of the program is to carry out a self-selected research project abroad and thus to gain an important qualification step for the later career path in science, business or the cultural sector.

Who can apply?
Candidates with above-average qualifications who have completed their doctorate before granting their scholarship with very good results (at least magna cum laude respectively very good) can apply.

Type and extend of funding

Research stays in all disciplines are supported at a self-chosen guest institute abroad.

Structured projects for the acquisition of an academic degree, as well as participation in courses, workshops or similar, are not supported.

Duration of support: Three to six months (The scholarship is not renewable).

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website (available in German only).

To improve international relations and bilateral research cooperations between German and foreign universities, the DAAD supports exchanges of scientists and academics from partner countries. The basis of these exchanges are cultural exchange programmes and bilateral agreements with foreign partner organisations.

Who can apply?
Foreign academics and scientists who have usually completed a doctoral degree and work at a university or research institute in their home country.

Type and Extend of Funding

Research stays at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany. Funding may only be claimed once within three years. Lecture tours or visits to congresses are not funded.

Duration of the funding: 14 days to three months; the length of the grant is decided by a selection committee and depends on the project in question and the applicant's work schedule. The grant is non-renewable.

Value: Monthly payments of: 2,000 Euro for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers 2,150 Euro for professors, unless otherwise regulated by bilateral agreements, the costs of the outward and return journey are borne by the respective sending country. Other payments cannot be made.

Please note: this programme supports exchanges between scientists and researchers from Germany and its partner countries. Funding is available when German researchers also apply for a research fellowship at the same time.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website.

Short-term lectureship
A short-term lecturer is a generally at least four-week, at most six-month lehraufufhalt of a university lecturer at a state-recognized foreign university.

Long-term lectureship
A long-term lecturer is usually at least one year of teaching at a foreign university institution. They can be promoted for a maximum of five years.

More information you can find directly at the DAAD Website (currently not available in English).

This program funds the active participation of German scientist at international conferences and presentations abroad.

Who can apply?
Doctoral students and researchers, with above-average qualifications. he prerequisite is that the contributions are relevant and relevant for the further scientific development of the scientists.

There must be a close relationship between the applicant's research-related work or plans and the topic of the lecture and the content of the event.

The lecture has to present its own original scientific results from more recent times.

Type and Extend of Funding

With the help of the German Foreign Office, the DAAD promotes the active participation of German scientists and scholars in congresses abroad.

The program enables active participation in a well-known international scientific event (congress, conference, etc.) abroad.

The subsidy is made up of: 1. a subsidy to travel expenses in the amount of the applicable DAAD travel expenses, 2. a subsidy to the conference fees and 3. a subsidy to the costs of the stay (lump sum per proven congress day).

More information about conference funds or presentation funds can be found on the DAAD Website (currently not available in English).