Funding for Student Research Projects

Please find our FAQ here.

A conference initiated and conducted by you, your conference contribution, a stay at another research institution or a field study in Germany or abroad?

You can get an impression of projects already funded by the University of Münster in the brochure "Förderung von Forschungsprojekten Studierender" [de].

Visit the Online Exhibition on "Julius Otto Grimm" [de]. Developed from the projects of PD Dr. Peter Schmitz and Anna Maria Plischka (Student Research Projects). Supported by the Fundraising Department.

All reports of completed Student Research Projects can be found here.

General information

The Rectorate allocates 50,000 euros a year to support student research projects. Funding is awarded on the basis of an evaluation conducted by the Rectorate Committee for Research Affairs (RKF). Individual projects can receive up to 5,000 euros in funding. The funding period may not exceed 12 months.

Projects eligible for funding:

• Research projects in all areas of the University which are initiated and carried out by students
• Projects which are suitable for encouraging and/or expanding on academic cooperation and/or collaboration in a national or international field
• Projects in which students independently organise and carry out seminars or conferences on academic or cultural topics

Application consultation

We encourage you to contact us before submitting your application if you need help or have any questions. Experience shows that most applications require some revision in order to fully comply with the funding requirements. Therefore, it is important to submit your application (in paper and digital form, including all required documents and signatures) at least three month prior to the next Rectorate Committee for Research Affairs (RKF) session. This gives us enough time to suggest changes that can help you improve your chances of receiving funding. We ask you to submit your final application at least two month prior to the next RKF session. Your project may not commence earlier than one month following the RKF session at which your application is considered.

The projects must be innovative and academically informed. They should also attract a high level of general interest with a corresponding degree of visibility. Enhancing your personal academic qualification should not be the primary purpose of the project, and thus your project should be clearly distinguishable from your doctoral, professional or academic pursuits.

Eligibilty to apply

Students are eligible for funding if they are enrolled as a student of the University of Münster at the time of application and at the beginning of the project, have not yet completed their doctoral programme at the time the project commences, and as a rule, have not yet reached the age of 28 at the time of application. Applications may be submitted by a group of students, provided that each individual is eligible for funding. Funding cannot be used as operational stopgap financing for institutions.

Please read the funding guidelines (pdf) for more details on Student Research Project financing as well as:

• How to Structure Your Funding Application (pdf)
• Instructions for Assesors (pdf)

• Application Form( docx)
• Declarations (pdf) /Declarations for Groups (pdf)
• endorsement of the planned project by a professor or senior lecturer of the University of
  Münster
• current semester certificate
• curriculum vitae in tabular form
• one quote for each position listed in the financing plan (for trips, e.g. a screenshot from
  the Deutsche Bahn website will suffice)

Contact

Linda Dieks
Dept. 6.1 – Research Funding Support SAFIR
Office of Student Research Projects
Robert-Koch-Straße 40
48149 Münster
Tel.: +49 (0) 251 83-21083
Email: Linda Dieks