Internal research funding: Seed Grants and Mobility Fellowships

01.12.2023

The University of Würzburg is further expanding its support measures for researchers in early career phases. Seed Grants and Mobility Fellowships can now be applied for.

Flaggs at the University of Würzburg. (Bild: Robert Emmerich / Universität Würzburg)

From Start-up Funding to Seed Grants

Self-acquired third-party funding not only opens up research freedom but is also an important building block for a successful academic career. This is why Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) specifically supports scientists in the early stages of their careers in acquiring third-party funding projects. Through the "Seed Grants" funding program, researchers, who completed their doctorate no more than eight years ago, can apply for up to 30,000 Euros in order to prepare a proposal for a competitive research grant scheme.

Funding is available to prepare individual projects (e.g., DFG individual funding, ERC, foundations and other public or private funding bodies), but not for sub-projects in consortia. The proposal must be the early-career researcher’s first major application. 50 percent of the requested funds must be provided by a decentralized unit (by the faculty, institute, or chair). This co-financing is intended to support project ideas that are already considered promising in the respective subject area.

The seed grants replace the previous start-up funding and expand it to include new aspects: The funds can now also be used partially for external scientific and/or personal qualification measures, networking activities, the establishment of collaborations and the involvement of external mentors.

NEW: Mobility Fellowships for Stays Abroad and Knowledge Transfer

To further expand translational networking, JMU will be funding one- to three-month stays abroad in the form of mobility fellowships. Commencing in 2024, this funding opportunity will serve to support early career researchers to learn new methods or skills in foreign institutions of research and / or higher education. Both the personal and institutional added value of the stay abroad will be considered important for a successful application.

Doctoral students, postdocs as well as W1 professors, junior research group leaders and habilitation candidates can apply for a maximum of 15,000 euros for their planned travel and accommodation (in exceptional cases also material resources). As with the Seed Grants, 50% of the funds applied for must be co-financed decentrally (faculty, institute, or chair). A prerequisite for applying is that the fellow's JMU employment contract must continue for at least one year after their return.

Further Information

Four rounds of calls for proposals are planned for both funding formats each year. The first application deadline is February 19, 2024. Details on both application procedures can be found here. RAC is also offering an online information event on both funding lines on January 15, 2024 from 12 to 12:45. Please register in advance by e-mail.