German academies of sciences and humanities honour researchers with prizes and medals and also award scholarships.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes research collaborations between excellent international and German researchers. It awards more than 800 research fellowships and research grants every year.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) is the central research funding organisation in Germany. It supports research projects and funds cooperation between researchers – also at an international level.
The European Union (EU) funds research in a variety of ways through its research and innovation framework programme. These measures include not only support for basic and applied research, but also funding programmes for collaboration and exchange in higher education.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is the world’s leading applied research organisation. With its focus on developing key technologies that are vital for the future and enabling the commercial exploitation of this work by business and industry, Fraunhofer plays a central role in the innovation process.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers.
The Helmholtz Association is the largest German research organisation. It offers several opportunities for young researchers.
The Leibniz Association brings together almost 100 research institutions covering various scientific disciplines. Leibniz Institutes offer opportunities for doctoral students, postdocs and senior researchers alike.
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is an independent non-profit research organisation. The 86 Max Planck institutes and research facilites focus on basic research, often taking an interdisciplinary approach. They are also engaged in supporting young researchers.
Public and private foundations enable research through the provision of funding. The range of different foundations is very wide. Many of them specifically aim to promote young talent.