# Global Minds in DFG Consortia – Professorships Module

**Funder:** DFG
**Budget:** Up to €3.5M
**Deadline:** 27 January 2027 (12:00 noon; letter of intent required by 8 December 2026)
**Duration:** 5 years
**Consortium:** Required — applicant higher education institution(s) hosting a currently funded EXC, RI, RTG or CRC/TRR consortium; joint submission if multiple applicant institutions
**Application:** 2-stage: letter of intent (8 December 2026, 12:00 noon) → full proposal (27 January 2027, 12:00 noon)
**Eligible countries:** DE
**Official call:** https://www.dfg.de/en/news/news-topics/announcements-proposals/2026/ifr-26-69
**Last updated:** 20 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Enables DFG consortia (Clusters of Excellence, Research Impulses, Research Training Groups, Collaborative Research Centres) to appoint an outstanding researcher working abroad for ≥3 years to a long-term professorship in Germany. Proposal must be in English, submitted via elan portal by the consortium spokesperson; funding starts in 2028.

## Summary

The DFG Professorships Module lets Clusters of Excellence, Research Training Groups, or Collaborative Research Centres appoint an outstanding researcher currently working abroad to a long-term professorship in Germany, with up to €3.5M available over five years. It targets researchers who have spent at least three years outside Germany, and the appointment is made through an existing DFG-funded consortium rather than an individual application. Funding starts in 2028, and the proposal must be submitted in English by the consortium spokesperson via the elan portal.

## Who should apply

- Researchers who have worked abroad for at least 3 years
- Candidates being nominated by a currently funded DFG consortium (EXC, RI, RTG or CRC/TRR)
- Host higher education institutions in Germany hosting the consortium
- Joint applications where multiple institutions co-host the consortium

## Key dates

- Letter of intent due 8 December 2026, 12:00 noon
- Full proposal due 27 January 2027, 12:00 noon
- Five-year funding period, starting 2028

## Tips for applicants

- The consortium spokesperson must submit via the elan portal, confirm early who holds this role and their portal access.
- The letter of intent stage is separate and precedes the full proposal by about seven weeks, so line up the candidate's commitment before December.
- Proposals must be in English regardless of the consortium's working language.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much funding does the DFG Professorships Module provide?

Up to €3.5M over a five-year funding period.

### Who can be nominated for the DFG Professorships Module?

An outstanding researcher who has worked abroad for at least three years, nominated by a currently funded DFG consortium such as a Cluster of Excellence, Research Training Group, or CRC/TRR.

### Can an individual researcher apply directly to the DFG Professorships Module?

No, the proposal must be submitted by the spokesperson of an existing DFG-funded consortium, not by the candidate directly.

### What are the deadlines for the DFG Professorships Module?

A letter of intent is due 8 December 2026 at noon, followed by the full proposal due 27 January 2027 at noon.

### When does funding start under the DFG Professorships Module?

Funding starts in 2028.

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