Funding lines, awards, programs. Find a selection of current calls related to computational neuroscience and the Bernstein Network.
Lower Saxony Impulse Professorship
The "Lower Saxony Impulse Professorship" addresses academics approaching the end of their early career phase up to a maximum of ten years after completing their doctorate. It is intended to support universities in the state of Lower Saxony in their efforts to attract and retain early career researchers – thereby consolidating Lower Saxony as a science location.
The program addresses academics approaching the end of the early career phase up to a maximum of ten years after completing their doctorate. The funding is intended to increase their promising career potential in terms of disciplinary expertise as well as their capacity to shape research profiles and structures. In this light, it seeks to boost their potential for future leadership roles ("rising stars").
Deadline: June 1, 2025
Second deadline: December 1, 2025
Addressees: Academics whose doctorate was awarded up to 10 years ago
Call for proposals for a major instrumentation initiative 2026
The German Research Foundation (DFG) invites scientists to submit topic proposals for the establishment and announcement of a large-scale equipment initiative.
Deadline: June 10, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2025
Addressees: All researchers
The Brain Prize
The Brain Prize is an international award that recognises and celebrates highly original and groundbreaking advances in any area of brain research, from basic neuroscience to applied clinical research. The window for nomination is open from May 1 to September 1 every year.
Deadline: September 1, 2025
Second deadline: September 1, 2026
Addressees: Neuroscientists still actively engaged in research
Plus 3 perspectives program
With its Plus 3 funding programme, the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation aims to support outstanding junior group leaders in Germany conducting basic research in biology, chemistry, and medicine.
Deadline: September 15, 2025
Addressees: Junior group leaders in Germany
Rise up!
The Rise up! programme is aimed at outstanding and exceptionally creative basic scientists in biology, chemistry, and medicine who have accepted their first appointment to an associate professorship at a German university. With Rise up!, they can bring forward an especially innovative research programme that may have a lasting impact on their field.
Deadline: September 15, 2025
Addressees: Scientists with accepted associate (W2) professorship at a German university
Tenure Track Professorship
Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft’s Tenure Track Professorship program supports German universities in appointing and onboarding international talents for tenure track positions by funding the first years of the professorship.
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Addressees: outstanding researchers from abroad
FENS/IBRO-PERC Exchange Fellowships Programme
FENS and IBRO-PERC are offering funding of up to EUR 4.000 each to early career researchers interested in participating in cross-border laboratory visits. FENS and the IBRO Pan-Europe Regional Committee (IBRO-PERC) are dedicated to supporting early career researchers and promoting intra-European mobility. The FENS/IBRO-PERC Exchange Fellowships Programme is designed to advance neuroscience research and training in Europe by enabling master or PhD students and early postdoctoral fellows to broaden their methodological expertise through targeted laboratory visits.
Deadline: October 15, 2025
Addressees: Master or PhD students, or early postdoctoral fellows
Lower Saxony Professorship
The "Lower Saxony Professorship" addresses exceptional academics who are professionally excellent and have several years of (management) experience in the science system. They are expected to have the capacity to shape the profile and structure of their university location and impact the research region at large.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Scientists with a doctorate
Walter Benjamin Program
The Walter Benjamin Programme enables researchers in the postdoctoral training phase to independently conduct their own research project at a location of their choice for up to two years. The project can be carried out at a research institution in Germany or abroad, with the host institution providing support for the project.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Early-career postdocs
Emmy Noether Program
The Emmy Noether Programme gives exceptionally qualified early career researchers the chance to qualify for the post of professor at a university by leading an independent junior research group for a period of six years.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Early-career researchers up to 4 years after completion of their doctorate
Heisenberg Program
The Heisenberg Programme is directed primarily at those researchers who have qualified for professorship via the Emmy Noether Programme, leadership of a junior research group, DFG project staff positions, private-sector research or mid-level faculty positions. The target group also includes junior professors who have received positive evaluations, those who have achieved their habilitation or an equivalent qualification, and German researchers returning from abroad, as well as appropriately qualified foreign researchers (who have not yet achieved a full professorship) looking to pursue careers in Germany.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Researchers in all disciplines who have qualified for a professorship
Reinhart Koselleck Projects
Interdisciplinary research is often particularly challenging and requires special efforts at newly emerging interfaces. In order to create an additional opportunity for interdisciplinary research and to make the achievements of scientists who conduct research at scientific boundaries more visible, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) launches an open call under the Reinhart Koselleck programme. The aim is to enable outstanding researchers with a proven scientific track record to pursue exceptionally interdisciplinary and innovative projects.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Scientists with or eligible for a professorship
Joint Proposal Submission with Researchers Abroad under a Standing Open Procedure (SOP)
In principle, researchers at a German institution in Germany and abroad can always submit a research project proposal (usually Individual Research Grants Programme ) with international participation if the appropriate co-financing is available.
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Second deadline: December 31, 2026
Addressees: Scientists with a doctorate