DFG Research Scholarship 2026
About this scholarship
The DFG Research Scholarship supports research-based doctoral and postdoctoral opportunities in Germany, often through DFG-funded projects and research frameworks at German universities and institutes.
The DFG Research Scholarship is associated with funding from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), Germany's major public research funding organization. In practice, opportunities linked to this programme often appear as research-based doctoral or postdoctoral positions within DFG-funded projects, collaborative research centres, and university-led research initiatives.
Based on the referenced posting, DFG-funded research scholarship opportunities can support PhD and PostDoc level researchers through fully funded research appointments. In the cited example at the University of Bonn, support is provided under a secure multi-year DFG research framework, with salary-based funding, professional development, seminars, and international fieldwork opportunities. The research area in that posting focuses on agricultural diversification, food policy, dietary diversity, and related biological and socioeconomic questions, including collaboration in Germany and Ghana.
Funding under DFG-supported schemes may include a living stipend or salary-equivalent research employment, and can also involve research-related mobility or fieldwork support depending on the host project. Coverage and exact terms vary by call, host institution, and project structure. Applicants are typically expected to have a strong academic background, a research profile aligned with the funded project, and the qualifications required for doctoral or postdoctoral research in the relevant field.
Eligibility, required documents, and application steps usually depend on the specific DFG-funded position rather than a single centralized scholarship portal. In general, applicants should prepare academic transcripts, a CV, research-related supporting materials, and any documents requested by the host university or research group. Because DFG funding is frequently tied to specific research projects, students and researchers should apply through the recruiting institution or project call rather than assuming one universal application route.
- Typical host setting: German universities and research institutes
- Common levels: doctoral and postdoctoral research
- Funding style: fully funded research support or salaried research appointment
- Application route: through specific DFG-funded calls or host institutions
Eligibility
Who can apply for this scholarship
Eligibility depends on the specific DFG-funded project or host institution. Referenced opportunities are open to doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with strong academic records and research interests aligned with the funded topic. In the cited Bonn example, applicants were expected to have interest in agricultural diversification, food policy, crop and supply chain diversification, dietary diversity, and biological or socioeconomic drivers of nutrition-related outcomes.
Requirements
Documents typically needed to apply
