Mikrofon vor Menschen

More financing options

How do I finance a conference trip or a publication?
Mikrofon vor Menschen
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Apart from full scholarships to support doctoral candidates, there are institutions that will support you – irrespective of whether you are a grant holder – with subsidies towards your expenses for travelling, printing, or taking part in conferences. Other institutions specifically promote women in academic careers. We have also put together a selection of links to databases where you can search for financing options for your individual project.

Travel expenses

You will find information and links to foundations, funds and associations that grant subsidies or stipends towards working as a visiting researcher or towards travel expenses for seminars, conferences etc.

  • Scholarships independent of subjects
    • Friedrich Schiller University Jena: ProChanceexchange
      Friedrich Schiller University Jena is committed to generating equal opportunities for women and men in academia. The objective of ProChanceexchange is to enhance the scientific interaction and increase the noticeability and scientific qualification of female researchers at Jena University. This objective is attained by providing funding for the participation in academic events, in which the applicant is a presenting author or leading to the enhancement of the applicant's scientific qualification. Eligible are female doctoral candidates at Jena University, as long as they are not employed by a non-university research institution. Applications may be submitted at any time, but at least six weeks prior to the date of intended utilisation of funding.
    • Friedrich Schiller University Jena: Impulseconferences
      The programme IMPULSEconferences provides funding for the participation in scientific events in which the applicant is a presenting author. Eligible are doctoral candidates as well as postdocs at Jena University, as long as they are not employed by a non-university research institution. Applications may be submitted at any time, but at least six weeks prior to the date of intended utilization of funding.
    • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)External link
      The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers travel grants for conferences and more. Unfortunately, information about this funding option is only available in German.
    • Fazit StiftungExternal link
      The Fazit Stiftung offers travel grants for doctoral candidates. Unfortunately, information about this funding option is only available in German.
    • Minerva StiftungExternal link
      Minerva Short-Term Research Grants are available for all subject areas and are open to applicants from all research facilities (in Israel - public or governmental research institutes) and universities in Germany and Israel. Applicants should not be older than 38 years.
  • Subject-specific scholarships
    • Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (B.I.F.)External link
      The B.I.F. awards travel grants for young researchers pursuing experimental projects in basic biomedical research. Travel grants are awarded for short-term visits of up to 3 months. The B.I.F. do not support attendance of conferences, symposia and workshops without practical training.
    • Christoph-Dornier-StiftungExternal link
      This foundation provides funding for young researchers in the area of clinical psychology, such as grants for research trips abroad or travel to conferences. Unfortunately, more information about this funding option is only available in German.
    • Max-Weber-Stiftung - Deutsche Geisteswissenschaftliche Institute im Ausland (DGIA)External link
      Once a year the Max Weber Foundation offers Gerald D. Feldman travel grants to German academics with support of the Peters-Beer-Foundation in the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft. The travel support aims to improve the professional opportunities for outstanding, internationally orientated academics in the humanities.
    • Weichmann-StiftungExternal link
      This foundation funds research on political exile. It offers grants to fund trips to archives for doctoral candidates whose dissertation projects are already in an advanced state of completion. Unfortunately, more information about this funding option is only available in German.

Publication grants

Here is a list of links to foundations and organizations which offer publication grants for your dissertation or postdoctoral thesis.

  • Scholarships independent of subjects
    • Publication fond of Thuringian University and State LibraryExternal link
      The Thuringian University and State Library (ThULB) can cover publication costs of articles in open access journals written by researchers of the University of Jena. Funding is also available for open-access monographs resulting from projects funded by the German research foundation (DFG). The funds are provided by the DFG and the state of Thuringia and are available from 2023 to 2025.
    • Deutscher AkademikerinnenbundExternal link
      The grants committee of the Deutscher Akademikerinnenbund (German Female Academics' Alliance) accepts applications for publication subsidies from female academics of all fields of study. The committee awards grants for academic publications done at a German publishing house (up to 500 euros) and also offers female academics the opportunity to have their dissertation published in the alliance's own series at the LIT Verlag (Münster/ Hamburg/ London) (without publication subsidies).
    • FAZIT-StiftungExternal link
      This foundation offers publication grants for the mandatory copies of your dissertation or postdoctoral thesis if you have no chances of receiving funding from another source. In addition, you can also request a list of publishers which print dissertations for a relatively low price.
    • Gerda Weiler StiftungExternal link
      The Gerda Weiler Foundation provides funding for feminist women's studies. It awards publication grants for research projects which fulfill the criteria of the foundation and which would otherwise not be published due to insufficient funding. Work in the following research areas is eligible for funding: anthropology, biology, history, art, medicine, music, philosophy, religion, social sciences, spirituality, linguistics and literary studies.
    • VG WortExternal link
      The endowment fund of the German copyright collection society VG Wort provides funding for science and research, particularly through grants for the initial publication of academic monographs which would otherwise not be published due to their high degree of specialization and small print run. A committee composed equally of publishers and researchers uses strictly academic criteria to decide whether a publication can receive funding and, if approved how much.
  • Subject-specific scholarships

Conferences

This page provides information on and links to foundations, endowment funds, and other organizations which offer funding for conferences.

  • Scholarships independent of subjects
  • Subject-specific scholarships
    • DZ-BankExternal link
      This foundation supports conferences on topics with direct relevance for cooperatives and banking.
    • Fonds der chemischen IndustrieExternal link
      The endowment fund of the German chemical industry funds selected international conferences in Germany. The organizers of the conferences can also apply for travel stipends for international participants.

Financial support for women

Only few foundations focus primarily on promoting young female researchers. However, most DFG programmes include measures that aim at establishing equal opportunities, such as the extension option for scholarships granted to parents or financial support for childcare.

Below you will find a number of foundations that support women. The Friedrich Schiller University Jena also has its own programme to promote women in academia. For more information on doing a doctorate with children, click here.

  • Funding opportunities of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

    ProChance – Programme for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Science

    The ProChance programme supports the scientific activity and qualification of female researchers. The aim of the ProChanceexchange programme line is to provide financial support for short research stays, publication costs and participation in workshops and summer schools. Within the framework of the ProChance decareer programme line, funding can be applied for to carry out research projects or organise conferences, for mobility (e.g. for stays abroad), for planned third-party funding and for academic leave.

  • Further funding opportunities for women
    • Christiane-Nüsslein-Volhard-FoundationExternal link
      The Foundation promotes talented female researchers with children and is particularly aimed at postgraduate and postdoctoral students of experimental natural sciences or medicine.
    • Deutscher Akademikerinnen Bund e. V.External link
      Female academics of all subject fields are supported, especially with regard to publications and achievements, by the provision of awards. The association provides support without consideration for politics, religion, nationality or age. Female students are also invited to apply for support.
    • UNESCO-L'Oréal promotional programme for researchers with childrenExternal link
      Every year, the UNESCO-L'Oréal Support Programme in Germany supports three outstanding female PhD candidates with children. The programm is for young scientists in experimental life sciences or medicine. The yearly support amounts to max. 20000 EUR for each PhD candidate.

Databases

Most databases that will help you find full scholarships will also contain information on where to apply for one-off subsidies. One database even provides an option to search explicitly for additional financing options for doctoral candidates: