DFG: open calls

DFG funding for Ukrainian researchers as part of expanded refugee researcher support. Covers living expenses up to €1,000/month per Ukrainian project leader and allows supplemental proposals to include Ukrainian partners in existing German or German-Ukrainian projects. Requires confirmation from Ukrainian university of limited or no salary payment. Open to proposals received up to 31 August 2026.

DFG funds the Ukrainian share of bilateral German-Ukrainian research projects under Cooperation with Developing Countries. German applicants can request up to €1,000/month per Ukrainian project leader for living expenses. Supplemental proposals possible for existing projects. Initiation of International Collaboration instrument also available.

Joint Dutch-German basic research projects via Lead Agency Procedure. Scope: NWO Domain Science areas (Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics) and corresponding DFG review boards. Requires at least one DFG-eligible German PI and one NWO-eligible Dutch PI. Non-university German institution members must fulfil Kooperationspflicht with a German university. Max 36 months.

Joint Lead Agency Procedure for Dutch-German basic research teams. Scope: NWO Domain Science areas (Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics) and corresponding DFG review boards. Each organisation funds its own national researchers; unilateral funding is not possible. Proposals outside the defined scope cannot be considered.

Three-year pilot for a joint Lead Agency Procedure between DFG and NWO (Dutch Research Council), open from 6 August 2024 until 30 July 2027. Facilitates bilateral research projects between researchers in Germany and the Netherlands through mutual opening of individual funding procedures.

Joint basic research proposals within NWO Domain Science (Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics) and corresponding DFG review boards. Commercial companies excluded. Non-university German researchers must fulfil DFG 'duty to cooperate' with a German university partner. No fixed budget cap; standard DFG Sachbeihilfe rules apply. Proposals compete with all other individual grants.

Bilateral basic/curiosity-driven research in NWO Domain Science disciplines (Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics). Requires one German and one Dutch PI; commercial companies excluded. DFG 'Sachbeihilfe' rules apply for German part; NWO budget rules for Dutch part. Non-university German researchers must also cooperate with a German university partner.

Open to German universities (and doctorate-granting institutions of equivalent status). Funds long-term, multidisciplinary research programmes including staff, instrumentation, consumables, travel, Mercator Fellows, Integrated Research Training Groups, equality measures, science communication, and transfer projects. Early-career researcher support is a key review criterion. CRC/Transregio allows up to 3 co-applicant universities; international project integration possible.

Funds distinguished researchers (typically 2–3 principal investigators) to collaborate on a broadly defined humanities or social sciences topic at a specific German site, including a fellow programme for visiting researchers from Germany and abroad for up to 2 years. No specific thematic or interdisciplinary requirement. Host institution must be in Germany.

Supports structured doctoral training programmes at German universities (and universities of applied sciences/HAW/FH). Proposal must be submitted by one eligible German university. International Research Training Groups (IRTG) require early contact with DFG Head Office. Proposals in German or English; preparatory workshop funding available for IRTGs.

Joint US-German collaborative research in chemistry (DFG subject areas 3.11–3.17), process engineering/technical chemistry (4.21), and fluid mechanics/thermodynamics (4.22). German applicants must meet DFG Research Grants eligibility; non-university institution members must comply with Kooperationspflicht. Proposals must justify the need for US-German collaboration. Each agency funds its own national researchers.

Promotes German-Italian exchange in humanities and social sciences via small dialogue events (max 25 participants). Supports early-career academics. Proposals and announcement documents are in German only. Focuses on European culture, history and society from a comparative German-Italian perspective.

Multilateral research projects in humanities and social sciences submitted through the Trans-Atlantic Platform (T-AP), involving the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ). Calls are published at irregular intervals and not all T-AP members participate in every call.

Bilateral research projects between researchers at German and Swiss institutes, facilitated through the Lead Agency Procedure between DFG and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). Funding proposals can be submitted at any time under the mutual opening agreement.

Joint French-German projects in natural, life and engineering sciences (excluding space technology, nuclear research and defence). German applicants must meet DFG Research Grants (Sachbeihilfe) eligibility; non-university research institution members must fulfil Kooperationspflicht with German universities. Proposals submitted to both DFG (elan portal) and ANR. Social sciences/humanities projects use a separate call.

Funds integrated German-French research projects in humanities and social sciences (no topic restrictions; data infrastructure components allowed). Requires convincing collaboration between German and French partners. German applicants apply to DFG; French partners are cooperation partners. Projects must demonstrate clear cross-border research benefit and leverage multilingualism.

Joint UK-German research proposals in Chemistry, Physics (excl. Particles/Nuclei/Fields, Astrophysics), Mathematics, and Engineering Sciences (DFG scope) / all EPSRC research areas. Proposals must be in English, max 36 months, and involve substantive contributions from both sides. No dedicated budget — proposals compete within standard DFG Research Grants and EPSRC Standard Research Responsive Mode funding lines. Non-university German institution members must fulfil Kooperationspflicht with a German university.

Multinational and translational research projects within the European Partnership for Brain Health framework. Published 14 January 2026.

Joint call between NRF (Korea) and DFG (Germany) for bilateral research projects in the engineering sciences. Published 7 January 2026.

Call for bilateral research collaboration between Taiwan and Germany across disciplines. Published 28 November 2025.

Joint DFG-CAPES call for collaborative research projects between Germany and Brazil. Published 12 November 2025.

Joint call between UNAM (Mexico) and DFG (Germany) for bilateral research projects across disciplines. Published 6 November 2025.

Supports collaborative research projects between researchers at German institutions and Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia). Proposals can be submitted at any time under the Standing Open Procedure.

Lead Agency Activity jointly run by DFG and NSF covering chemistry, process engineering, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics. German applicants submit to DFG; US applicants submit to NSF (CHE/CBET). Requires a collaborative US-German research team. Full details expected in further page segments.

Supports joint basic research projects between German and Israeli researchers across all scientific and humanities disciplines. Applicants must have a German institutional affiliation (DFG side) and an Israeli counterpart (ISF side). Proposals submitted in parallel to DFG and ISF.

Lead agency procedure between DFG and Israel Science Foundation (ISF) for bilateral research projects. German researchers apply to DFG; Israeli researchers apply to ISF simultaneously.

Joint DFG-Villa Vigoni call for various event formats (workshops, colloquia) for humanities researchers at German and Italian institutes. Call details available in German only.

Swiss researchers can participate in DFG Priority Programmes at project level by submitting applications under a German PI. Maximum project duration in both countries is 36 months. Applications evaluated by DFG. Open to researchers based in Switzerland.

Swiss researchers can participate in DFG Research Units with up to two Swiss subprojects or participations in German subprojects. Maximum project duration in both countries is 48 months. Applications evaluated by DFG. Open to researchers based in Switzerland.

Joint basic/knowledge-driven research proposals between German and Dutch researchers. Scope limited to NWO Domain Science disciplines (Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics) and corresponding DFG review boards. DFG Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants eligibility rules apply, including the duty to cooperate for non-university institution members.

Supports collaborative research projects between researchers at German institutions and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia). Proposals can be submitted at any time under the Standing Open Procedure. Natural sciences, life sciences, engineering, and social sciences in scope.

Supports collaborative research projects between researchers at German institutions and Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). Proposals can be submitted at any time under the Standing Open Procedure (2026–2027 cycle).

Multilateral funding network (ORA) for social sciences research projects. Biennial calls for proposals; ANR (France) and DFG (Germany) are among the partner agencies. Proposals must involve researchers from multiple participating countries.

Joint basic research projects in all fields of sciences and humanities for Israeli-German teams. Proposals must be written in English. Commercial companies excluded as partners. Follows DFG Research Grants Programme ('Sachbeihilfe') rules for German applicants and ISF Personal Research Grant rules for Israeli applicants. Renewal proposals not permitted. Each organisation funds its own national researchers.

Researchers at German institutions may submit joint research project proposals with international partners under a Standing Open Procedure (no fixed deadline). Requires complementary co-financing from a DFG partner organisation abroad. Review is either bilateral (both sides review independently) or via lead agency. Funding contingent on both organisations approving.

Bilateral Franco-German research grants under the DFG Research Grants Programme (Individual Grants Programme). Proposals must include well-justified and interlinked French and German project elements. Commercial companies and industrial/technological centres are excluded. Proposals submitted via DFG elan under 'Frankreich-ANR-DFG (Year) NLE'. No formal funding cap; overheads added automatically for German part.

Open to researchers at German institutions collaborating with partners in countries with SOP agreements (Brazil, Colombia, India, Iran, Turkey, USA for two-sided review; Austria, Belgium, and others for lead agency procedure). Proposals submitted jointly; funding contingent on approval by both organisations. No fixed deadline.

Multilateral T-AP calls for research projects in humanities and social sciences. Not all T-AP members participate in every call. Applicants must review the latest call to confirm DFG and relevant partner organisations (e.g. NWO, HRZZ) are participating. Scope limited to humanities and social sciences.

Fifth T-AP international call funding transnational SSH research on societal anticipation and response to future challenges (climate, pandemics, geopolitical tensions, tech transformation). German applicants must hold a doctorate and be affiliated with a non-profit German research institution. Up to 30% practice-led/applied research permitted in the German portion. Transnational teams required.

Bilateral Franco-German research grants under the Lead Agency procedure (ANR leads). Applies only to Research Grants Programme (not Clinical Trials, Research Units, or Package Proposals). German applicants must be eligible under DFG Research Grants rules; commercial companies excluded. Proposals submitted via DFG elan portal under 'Frankreich-ANR-DFG (Year) NLE'. Both French and German project elements must be well-justified and interlinked.

Bilateral DFG/AHRC initiative supporting humanities research collaborations between German and UK institutions. Now operating on a biennial basis for the next five rounds. Applicants must have partners in both Germany and the UK; proposals submitted separately to DFG (German side) and AHRC (UK side).

Open to all scientific fields. Scientists in an existing DFG Collaborative Research Centre work with one or more cooperation partners (industry, practice, service, education sectors) to test basic research findings under real-life conditions or develop them into prototypes/exemplary applications. Host institution must be part of an active Collaborative Research Centre funded by DFG.