Research Funding

Internal University Funding

Foundations at JGU (in German only)
A multitude of foundations promote research projects and dissertations at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. In addition, there are funding options for equipment and excursions, one-off grants or allowances for study trips.

Internal University Research Funding
With “Stufe 1”, JGU`s internal university research funding line, the university provides financial support in form of start-up funding for individual or cooperative research projects to secure third-party financing. “Stufe 1” also provides funds for networking activities and travel expenses for actively participating in international scientific conferences. The funding line is administered by the Department of Research and Technology Transfer. Its staff members also give advice on applying for third party-funding to support early career researchers in gaining scientific independence.

Rhineland-Palatinate re-commencing scholarships (in German only)
Twice a year, the State Ministry of Rhineland-Palatinate for Science, Further Education and Culture awards re-commencing scholarships to female researchers. The scholarship’s goal is to promote the continuation and completion of an already launched research project at a university in Rhineland-Palatinate in order to gain further qualification to be a candidate for a professorship or obtain a doctorate.

External funding

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
The Foundation promotes and supports a great variety of academic endeavors and research projects and focuses on young researchers from all disciplines and of all nationalities. It supports research stays in Germany and abroad, individual projects and the establishment of new research groups.

Daimler and Benz Foundation
Every year, the Daimler and Benz Foundation awards ten fellowships to selected postdocs, junior professors or junior research group leaders. The annual funding sum amounts to EUR 20.000 and the fellowship is granted for a duration of two years.

German Research Foundation (DFG)
In addition to specific programs and prizes, DFG supports every graduate with respect to individual and thematically-focused research projects that are limited in time by awarding, among other measures, research scholarships and grants.

DFG Emmy Noether Programme
This program’s goal is to support young researchers‘ independent projects. During the DFG-funded period, they lead their own independent junior research group. As a rule, researchers who have acquired between two and four years of postdoctoral research experience are eligible to apply. Applicants must have international research experience.

ERC Starting Grants
The ERC Starting Grants are open to researchers in all disciplines with 2 to 7 years of postdoctoral research experience. This scheme is intended to support recipients in building their own independent career and junior research group for a maximum duration of five years.

Frankfurt Foundation maecenia for Women in Academia and Art (in German only)
The Frankfurt Foundation maecenia for Women in Academia and Art promotes women who carry out forward-looking projects in all fields of academic research, art and culture. In particular, maecenia supports interdisciplinary projects with a critical and constructive focus on society from the point of view of women.

Fritz Thyssen Foundation (in German only)
Project support by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation focuses on scholars in the humanities, social sciences and biomedicine fields. The planned project should be limited to a maximum duration of up to three years. Postdoctoral researchers can apply for their own post within the framework of a project (usually a TV-L E13 post).

‚Freigeist‘ Fellowships
The Fellowships focus on researchers with an outstanding and strong personality who are at the early stages of their career. They should be working at the borders of neighboring established fields or disciplines and wish to engage in risky science. Application for the ‘Freigeist’ Fellowship is open to whoever identifies with the scheme’s objectives and has postdoctoral experience of up to five years.

Fulbright-Cottrell Award (in German only)
The program is intended to serve the realization of a three-year teaching and research project. Young researchers in their advanced postdoc phase who have teaching responsibilities in bachelor’s programs in the disciplines Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy and Biology are eligible for application. In addition to funding in the amount of EUR 63.000, recipients are given the opportunity to participate in the annual Cottrell Scholars Conference.

Gerda Henkel Foundation
The program primarily focuses on historical humanities. It offers funding for research projects and research scholarships. Within the research projects scheme, the costs i
ncurred in connection with hosting visiting foreign scholars can also be financed.

Lichtenberg Professorships
The Volkswagen Foundation offers outstanding researchers funding for periods of five to eight years in order to help them establish new and interdisciplinary lines of research at a German university of their choice. Young highly qualified researchers from all disciplines are eligible to apply. As a rule, they should have gathered some experience working abroad and have been awarded their doctorate within the past four to seven years.

Marie Skłodwska-Curie actions (MSCA)
This scheme supports joint doctoral training networks (Innovative Training Networks – ITN), research stays of experienced researchers (Individual Fellowships – IF), Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) and research mobility (COFUND). The actions are open to researchers at all career stages irrespective of their nationality.