Research grants for German researchers

Online certified education programme open to Master students, Master graduates, PhD students, and healthcare professionals in healthcare-related studies. Covers health data analytics, AI, FAIR principles, GDPR, EHDS, telemedicine, and precision medicine. Costs vary: EU students €1,000, non-EU students €2,000, EU professionals €2,000, non-EU professionals €4,000. Professional English required.

Online education programme open to Master's and PhD students and working/healthcare professionals seeking to upskill in digital medical devices. Covers AI, cybersecurity, MDR/IVDR regulation, and personalised health solutions. Costs vary by applicant type (EU student €1,000 to non-EU professional €4,000 excl. VAT); professional English required.

EIT Label-certified online education programme (up to 30 ECTS) open to Master students/graduates, PhD students, and healthcare professionals in healthcare-related fields. Professional English required. Costs vary: EU students €1,000, non-EU students €2,000, EU professionals €2,000, non-EU professionals €4,000 (excl. VAT). Focuses on high value care, innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in healthcare.

Full proposal stage (by invitation only) for the Crazy 8 Brain Tumor grant targeting pediatric brain tumor research. Open since January 2026; notification in November 2026.

For postdoctoral researchers with a PhD in a biological discipline who wish to pursue frontier, interdisciplinary life sciences research in a new country. Applicants must change country, cannot work in their country of nationality or PhD country, and must have at least one lead-author publication. 100% FTE commitment required; for-profit host institutions ineligible.

For postdoctoral researchers holding a doctoral degree in a non-biological discipline (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science) with little or no life sciences experience, wishing to transition into frontier life sciences research in a new country. Same mobility, publication, and host-institution rules as LTF; 100% FTE commitment required.

For postdoctoral researchers with a PhD in a biological discipline who wish to pursue frontier, interdisciplinary life sciences research in a new country. Applicants must change country, cannot work in their country of nationality or PhD country, and must have at least one lead-author publication. Purely applied, clinical, or pharmaceutical projects are excluded. Full-time commitment required; 100% FTE.

For postdoctoral researchers holding a doctoral degree from a non-biological discipline (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science) with little or no life sciences experience, wishing to transition into frontier life sciences research in a new country. Applicants must change country, cannot work in their country of nationality or PhD country, and must have at least one lead-author publication. Full-time commitment required; 100% FTE.

For postdoctoral applicants with a PhD in a biological discipline or prior life sciences experience. Must propose to undertake fellowship in an HFSPO member country and must not have previously worked/studied in the proposed host country or with the host supervisor. Excludes clinical, pharmaceutical, applied engineering/biotech projects. Preference for interdisciplinary training involving new methods or study systems.

For postdoctoral applicants with a PhD outside the life sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science) who have never worked in the life sciences. Must propose fellowship in an HFSPO member country; mobility rule prohibits prior work/study in proposed host country or with host supervisor. Excludes clinical, pharmaceutical, and applied projects.

Childhood cancer bio-therapeutic research grant from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Opened April 2026; notification November 2026. Scope and eligibility details available on the applicants page.

Thematic multilateral call on personalised medicine under the EP PerMed partnership. Budget cap per call and/or proposal applies. Luxembourg partner must submit INTER application at both pre-proposal and full proposal stage via FNR online system. Thematic call — no bottom-up funding.

Horizon Europe Research Infrastructure programme calls open March 10 – June 16, 2026. Targets research infrastructure projects; EU consortium requirement applies. FCT coordinates Portuguese national participation. An EC info day was held March 18, 2026. Eligible entities include universities, research centres, and ERIC members.

International awards recognising outstanding contributions across multiple categories: Basic Sciences, Biology & Biomedicine, Climate Change & Environmental Sciences, Economics/Finance/Management, Humanities, ICT, Music & Opera, and Social Sciences. These are prizes for lifetime/career achievement rather than funded research grants.

Thematic multilateral call on neurodegenerative disorders under the EP BrainHealth partnership. Budget cap per call and/or proposal applies. Luxembourg partner must submit INTER application at both pre-proposal and full proposal stage via FNR online system. Thematic call — no bottom-up funding.

13th call for translational oncology research projects. Applicants must read 'What to consider before applying' before submitting a LOI or project outline. Submissions accepted in German and/or English per guidelines.

Thematic multilateral call under the ERDERA partnership (rare diseases). Budget cap per call and/or proposal applies. Luxembourg partner must submit INTER application at both pre-proposal and full proposal stage via FNR online system. Thematic call — no bottom-up funding.

Supports internationally mobile postdoctoral researchers; international mobility is a key requirement (host lab must be in a different country). Includes salary/stipend, relocation allowance, and childcare support. A first-author refereed preprint is accepted as equivalent to a publication. Max one candidate per host lab per selection round.

For early-career researchers across biomedical, clinical, social science, and arts & humanities disciplines. Applications managed in English on the Wellcome Funding platform; administering organisation must approve and submit by 15:00 GMT/BST on deadline day. Global eligibility; researchers based in LMICs encouraged. Global Talent visa endorsement available for UK-based award holders.

Funding for the overarching coordination structure and leadership of the German Pancreatic Cancer Alliance (GPCA). Cancer research focus on pancreatic carcinoma. German-language call; applicants should be based at German institutions.

Supports researchers at the career development stage across a broad range of disciplines (biomedical, clinical, social sciences, arts & humanities, data sciences). Applications managed in English via the Wellcome Funding platform; host organisation must administer the grant. Global eligibility; UK-hosted awardees may access Global Talent visa endorsement.

For early-career independent investigators (lab established 3–8 years prior to Dec 31, 2026; i.e., 2018–2023). Open worldwide to non-profit academic/research institutions. Single PI only; no co-investigators. Applicants must have multi-year independent funding active in 2027. Proposals must be in English and distinct from the applicant's main research portfolio. Indirect costs capped at 10% of direct costs.

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.

Open to postdoctoral researchers with a doctoral degree and <5 years of mentored research experience (M.D. applicants exclude residency years). Research must be in immunology or cancer immunology at a non-profit institution worldwide. No citizenship restrictions. Sponsor must hold assistant professor rank or higher. Only 1 fellow per sponsor per round.

Open to early-career scientists worldwide (<5 years mentored research post-PhD at award activation) at non-profit institutions. Supports dual training in cancer immunology and computational biology/data science. No citizenship restrictions. Must be conducted under a sponsor holding assistant professor or higher rank. Proposals must be hypothesis-driven in basic or translational cancer immunology.

Open to postdoctoral researchers of any nationality with max 8 years post-PhD experience. European Fellowships require a host in an EU/associated country; Global Fellowships require EU/associated country nationals or long-term residents working in a third country then returning to Europe. Researchers must not have resided in the host country for more than 12 months in the last 3 years (standard MSCA mobility rule). Open to all scientific fields including Euratom research.

Postdoctoral fellowships for researchers of any nationality hosted at institutions in EU Member States or Associated Countries. Researchers must hold a PhD and have ≤8 years full-time research experience at the deadline. MSCA mobility rules apply: applicants cannot have resided in the host country for >12 months in the 3 years prior to the deadline. Full-time commitment required as a rule.

Global Fellowships for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Associated Countries, involving an outgoing phase at a non-EU/Associated Country partner and a mandatory return phase. Researchers must hold a PhD and have ≤8 years full-time research experience. MSCA mobility rules apply to both outgoing and return phases. Full-time commitment required as a rule.

Postdoctoral fellowships for researchers of any nationality hosted at EU Member State or Associated Country institutions. Researchers must have a PhD and ≤8 years full-time research experience at deadline. Mobility rule applies: applicants cannot have resided/worked in the host country for >12 months in the 3 years before the deadline. Full-time employment required as a rule.