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Projects with your own position

How to find a programme to fund your own research projects
Woman looking at a computer simulation
Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)

As an academic with a PhD, you have the opportunity to initiate your own research project and get project funding, i.e. from the German Research Foundation or several funding organisations. You are eligible to apply for staff resources (e.g. for your own position), material resources and travel costs. A project application must be submitted via the university. If the application is approved by external funding sources, the money will be managed by the university and you will be employed from these funds.

There are many different programmes through which you can receive funding. In the third-party funding portal, you will find offers from national and international funding bodies as well as information on how to obtain third-party funding. The Service Center Research and Transfer will advise you on which funding programme to choose and how to apply.

Service Centre Research and Transfer

Universitätshauptgebäude, Room 2.06
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena

Notebook showing different windows
ELectronic Research Funding Information System (Elfi)External link
Very broad database for all types of funding. Use is free of charge for members of the University of Jena.