# DFG Heisenberg Programme

**Funder:** DFG
**Budget:** Position/professorship + research costs, up to 5 years
**Duration:** Up to 5 years
**Consortium:** No — single PI
**Application:** Single-stage (rolling)
**Frequency:** Continuous (no fixed deadline)
**Eligible countries:** DE
**Official call:** https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-opportunities/programmes/individual/heisenberg
**Last updated:** 25 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

DFG Heisenberg supports established researchers who have qualified for a professorship (habilitation or equivalent) to continue at a German institution — the senior career bridge above Emmy Noether. Excludes existing permanent W2/W3 professors.

## Summary

The DFG Heisenberg Programme funds a position or professorship plus research costs, for up to five years, for researchers who have already qualified for a professorship (habilitation or equivalent) but do not yet hold a permanent W2/W3 chair. It is the senior career bridge above Emmy Noether, intended to let established researchers continue independent work at a German institution while they seek a permanent post. Applications are accepted continuously, with no fixed deadline.

## Who should apply

- Researchers who have completed habilitation or an equivalent professorial qualification
- Applicants not currently holding a permanent W2/W3 professorship
- Researchers based at, or moving to, a German institution
- Single principal investigators applying independently

## Key dates

- Continuous submission, no fixed deadline
- Single-stage, rolling evaluation
- Up to five-year funding duration

## Tips for applicants

- Because submission is rolling, apply once your habilitation or equivalent qualification is complete rather than waiting for a call cycle.
- Clarify in the proposal that you do not hold a permanent W2/W3 chair, this eligibility line is checked explicitly.
- Frame the application as a bridge toward a permanent professorship; the programme's purpose is continuation, not a standalone project grant.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the DFG Heisenberg Programme pay?

It funds a position or professorship along with research costs, for up to five years.

### Who is eligible for the DFG Heisenberg Programme?

Researchers who have qualified for a professorship through habilitation or an equivalent route, but do not already hold a permanent W2/W3 professorship.

### Is there a deadline for the DFG Heisenberg Programme?

No, proposals are accepted continuously with no fixed deadline.

### Does the DFG Heisenberg Programme require a consortium?

No, it is a single-PI grant with no consortium required.

### How long does DFG Heisenberg funding last?

Up to five years.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/dfg-heisenberg-programme-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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