Subsidies

Various funding agencies include travel grants for – in most cases – researchers and academics holding a doctorate. The following list provides some examples of travel grants:

 

BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research)

The International Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) provides financial support to German universities, research institutes and small and medium-sized enterprises for cooperation in science and research with partners from selected countries and for work in particular scientific and technical fields.

As a rule, the financial support consists of grants for exploratory measures to assess the potential for cooperation, for the establishment and deepening of contacts with organisations abroad as well as for the preparation of cooperative projects – including feasibility studies and pilot investigations.

For further information, please visit the website of the International Office of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).  

 

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)

Study and research stays for German researchers in the context of bilateral exchange programmes

Researchers holding a doctorate are eligible to apply. The application needs to be submitted at least 2 to 3 months prior to the planned trip. There are deviating regulations for some countries. Lecture tours and attendance of conferences are not eligible. Funding includes a travel allowance. The foreign partner covers the subsistence costs.

For a list of eligible countries taking part in the bilateral researchers exchange agreement and further information, please consult the German Academic Exchange Service´s (DAAD) scholarship data base.

 

Short Term Lectureships - teaching at a foreign university through intermediary of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Academic teaching staff is eligible to apply. An application can be submitted any time; however, a deadline of at least 10 weeks before an Expert Committee meeting, taking place four times a year, must be respected. Travel expenses will be funded and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) subsidises the subsistence costs for teaching assignments of at least four weeks and no longer than six months.

In particular, lectureships are funded:

  • which aim at training graduates in the form of compact courses, block courses or special courses, or
  • which are connected with other programmes of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or other academic or research funding institutions, or
  • which prepare, support oder follow up on a long-term lectureship.

 

Conference and lecture tour programme

Eligible to apply are

  • researchers holding a doctorate, who are able to account for research achievements,
  • doctoral students who are integrated in the German scientific and research system and who permanently reside in Germany with the intention of staying for the long term,
  • German scholarship or fellowship holders abroad (with PhD candidate status) who are funded by German organisations and cannot receive financing for their lecture tours and conference attendances from their funding organisation.

 

The grant application for conference attendances must be submitted at least 4 months before the first day of the event. Funding includes the respective travel allowance of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), a cost allowance for conference fees as well as a lump sum provided for subsistence expenses, to be paid for the duration of the applicant´s participation at the event. The maximum funding period is 8 conference days.

The application for lecture tours must be submitted one month before the start of the trip. The respective travel allowance of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) will be paid.

For further information, please visit the websites Scholarships of the DAAD.

 

DFG (German Research Foundation)

Grants to Support the Initiation of International Collaboration

All researchers based at a German research institution in Germany or abroad who have completed their research training, generally by obtaining a doctorate, are eligible to apply. Proposals may be submitted at any time but must be received no later than 3 months before the beginning of the proposed activity.

This grant programme aims to support the initiation of international collaboration. It consists of the funding elements “Bilateral Workshops”, “Trips Abroad” and “Guest Visits”. Funding is provided for up to 12 months from the date of approval. Funding can be applied to:

  • trips abroad or guest visits from professors and/or doctorates at the German or foreign partner institutions, for up to three months; and
  • joint workshops.

For further information, please visit the website of the German Research Community (DFG).

 

Cooperation with Developing Countries

Scientists who have completed their academic education (as a rule, doctorate) are eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted at any time. Funding is limited to developing countries (list of eligible countries). Personnel, equipment, consumables, travel costs, publication costs and other costs incurred by the institute in Germany and the co-operating partner/institute in the developing country are eligible for funding.

For further information, please visit the website of the German Research Community (DFG).

 

Foundations

Various foundations fund trips with scientific objectives. The following databases (in most cases in German) offer customized search options: