MOBILITY – Expanding academic horizons

MOBILITY is the University of Münster's internal funding scheme for academic mobility. It comprises two programmes with different target groups and funding objectives: the Mobility Fund for students and doctoral researchers, and the Ulysseus Programme for participants in Ulysseus collaborative projects.

Both programmes support research stays and active participation in academic events, with the aim of fostering professional networks, enhancing international visibility, and further developing participants' academic profiles.

For students and doctoral researchers at the University of Münster

The Mobility Fund enables students to broaden their academic horizons beyond Münster. Funding is available for research stays with established research groups as well as for active participation in academic conferences in Germany and abroad.

  • Who can apply?

    Students enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or doctoral programme at the University of Münster are eligible to apply, provided that:

    • the proposed project is clearly related to their studies or to their Bachelor’s, Master’s, or doctoral thesis,
    • the project is not already fully funded through other sources, and
    • at the time of application, they have received confirmation from the host institution (for research stays) or notification of acceptance of their paper or contribution (for conference participation).

  • What is funded?

    The Mobility Fund supports two different types of activities:

    Research stays with research groups in Germany or abroad, including:

    • visits to renowned research groups and scholars
    • archival research
    • laboratory stays

    Research stays should contribute to the development of participants’ academic profiles, foster professional networking, and advance their Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctoral, or other research projects.

    Minimum duration: one week; maximum duration: three months.

    Active participation in academic conferences with an individual research contribution, such as:

    • a lecture or poster presentation
    • leading a workshop or discussion session
    • serving as a panel chair

    Active participation in the academic exchange is required. Attendance without an individual contribution is not eligible for funding.

    Maximum duration: five days.

    What happens next

    Following their funded stay, recipients share their experiences in a science communication format of their choice.

    Experiences of funding recipients

    “Attending the conference was an important step for me in sharpening my academic profile, expanding my professional network, and gaining new inspiration for my research in Münster.”

    Leah Salome Schultz, Medicine – Conference Participation in Zurich, 2025

    Read more testimonials from recipients about their funded stays [here].

    Contact

    If you have any questions about your application, please contact the Zukunftslabor:

    barbara.gotzes@uni-muenster.de

  • Key facts

    • Research stay: up to €500
    • Conference participation in Germany: up to €300
    • Conference participation abroad: up to €500
    • Open to: all disciplines and subject areas
    • Application deadlines: at least four weeks before planned start 

    Please note: Co-funding through the SAIL Mobility Fund for the same stay is not possible.

  • Application and contact 

    Depending on the type of project, the following documents must be submitted:

    In both cases, please also submit a current certificate of enrollment. The funding guidelines can be found here:

    Funding Guidelines

    Applications should be submitted to the Zukunftslabor (zukunftslabor@uni-muenster.de). Please send all documents as a single file. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Zukunftslabor in advance.

  • What happens next?

    Following their funded stay, recipients share their experiences in a format of science communication of their choice.

    Experiences of funding recipients

    “Attending the conference was an important step for me in sharpening my academic profile, expanding my network, and gaining new impulses for my research work in Münster.”

    Leah Salome Schultz, Human Medicine – Conference Participation in Zurich, 2025

    Further reports from recipients about their funded stays can be found below.

Reports

Ulysseus