Here, 'momentum' is meant as an impulse to keep something moving or developing dynamically after it has started. In this sense, the initiative addresses academics at an early stage following the appointment to their first tenured professorship. The goal is to open up opportunities in this phase of their career to advance the content and strategic development of their professorship.

Deadline: April 28, 2025

Second deadline: April 21, 2026

Addressees: professors three to five years after taking up their first tenured professorship at a university

Mit unserem Forschungs- und Wissenschaftspreis im Bereich der Lebenswissenschaften, dem „Life Sciences Bridge Award“, fördern wir begabte Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und Nachwuchswissenschaftler, um ihnen ein selbstständiges wissenschaftliches Arbeiten zu ermöglichen.

Deadline: April 30, 2025

Addressees: Promovierte/bereits habilitierte Nachwuchswissenschaftler:innen , Junior-Professor:innen, Qualifikations- und Tenure Track-Professor:innen, Gruppenleiter:innen

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

Addressees: high-performing academics whose doctorate was awarded up to 10 years ago

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: Scientists

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.

Deadline: September 1, 2025

Addressees: Outstanding Scientists

With the "Lower Saxony Professorship" funding program, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK) and the Volkswagen Foundation support Lower Saxony's universities in approaching and attracting leading academics directly.

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Addressees: excellent, internationally recognised scientists

The Walter Benjamin Programme enables researchers in the postdoctoral training phase to independently conduct their own research project at a location of their choice.

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Addressees: Postdocs

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

Addressees: postdocs and junior professors

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

Addressees: Researchers in all disciplines who have qualified for a professorship

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

Addressees: Scientists with interdisciplinary projects

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

Addressees: national and international researcher