University of Münster funding

IDEAS: strategic value for future external funding applications

Are you pursuing an unconventional research idea that is not (yet) suitable for any other funding programme? IDEAS supports early-stage, exploratory research ideas and can therefore be used specifically as a stepping stone for external applications. Securing your first competitively awarded external funding and leading an independently managed project demonstrate skills that are relevant in individual-based programmes such as the Emmy Noether Programme or the ERC Starting Grant.

IDEAS is therefore a potential starting point for a longer-term funding strategy.

Link to IDEAS (Future Lab)

START: Support for establishing your research collaboration

Do you want to initiate a new collaboration or further develop an existing initiative? This is where START comes in. The programme funds workshops, networking events and joint preparatory work, thereby fostering the robust collaborative structures required for network-oriented programmes such as DFG networks (research groups, SFBs, GRKs) or collaborative strands in Horizon Europe. The explicit encouragement of involving external, international and non-university partners supports the formation of precisely the consortia that can successfully submit such applications.

Link to START (Future Lab)

ADVANCED: targeted support for your specific collaborative proposal

Are you already making concrete plans for a collaborative proposal and have a clear funding scheme in mind? If so, that’s exactly where ADVANCED comes in. This programme supports you through the crucial phase immediately prior to submission: through preparatory research, personnel support for proposal development, and consortium meetings and retreats.

Link to ADVANCED (Future Lab)

UT-UM Strategic Collaboration Grants

The executive boards of the Universities of Twente and Münster jointly award strategic collaboration grants to researchers at both universities to promote research partnerships.

The deadline for the current call was 15 March 2026. 

Learn more about the Strategic Collaboration Grants.

Mobility Fund

Students can apply for funding to finance conference participation and research visits and in Germany and abroad.

* The current funding phase is fully allocated. We’ll post updates here as soon as there’s news on the continuation of the funding program.*

The Santander Mobility Fund is financed by “Santander Universities”.

More information on the Mobility Fund.

Direct (external) link to the application: Funding Santander Mobility Fund – santanderopenacademy.org

Student Research Projects

The Rectorate-funded programme "Student Research Projects" offers funding to students at the University of Münster to conduct their (first) research projects during their studies. It is important that projects are clearly distinguishable from one’s doctoral, professional or academic pursuits.
Project proposals can be submitted at any time.
More information on the Student Research Projects programme.