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Your Funding Opportunities @ LMU

Further funding opportunities at LMU level:

Investment Fund (Investitionsfonds)

Who can apply?

The call is open to all scientists at LMU. The LMU promotes a culture of internationality, diversity, and equal opportunity among its members and therefore urges all scientists to participate in the call.

What can be applied for?

The investment fund supports acquisition of third-party funding for innovative research ideas and the establishment of new research fields.

In dependence on the type and scope of the planned third party funding project (speaker position at LMU), start-up funding can be applied for in the following funding categories:

a) Start-up funding of up to 50.000,- EUR and additionally a (compensated) reduction of the teaching load in the amount of up to 5 SWS. Eligible for funding in this category are:

  • DFG Research Groups
  • DFG Research Training Groups
  • DFG Priority Programs
  • DFG Reinhart Koselleck Projects
  • ERC Advanced Grants
  • ERC Consolidator Grants
  • or comparable projects

b) Start-up funding of up to 100.000,- EUR and an additional (compensated) reduction of the teaching load of up to 10 SWS. Eligible for funding in this category are:

  • DFG Collaborative Research Centers
  • DFG Collaborative Research Centers Transregio
  • BMBF International Research Training Groups in the Humanities and Social Sciences
  • ERC Synergy Grants
  • or comparable projects

The requested funds can be used for personnel and material costs as well as investments. Within the scope of the funding, the applicant may additionally be granted the following: Compensated reduction of the teaching load in the above-mentioned amount can be provided or distributed among the participating scientists. The funds are to be spent flexibly within one year, starting at a time to be agreed upon between the applicant and the university management. In the case of third-party funded projects with several funding phases, no additional funding can be requested for continuation applications, but the planned flexibility of the teaching load can be requested.

Where to apply?
Guidelines for proposal submission can be found here.

Junior Researcher Fund (Nachwuchsförderungsfonds)

Who can apply?

All lines of funding are open to postdoctoral researchers at the LMU (up to six years of scientific activity after the doctorate), and the start-up funding of funding line 1 is also open to junior professors and professors of the LMU (in each case also up to six years of scientific activity after the doctorate). LMU promotes a culture of internationality diversity and equal opportunities among its members and therefore urges all the above-mentioned scientists to participate in the call.

What can be applied for?

Funding line 1: Start-up funding

Start-up funding for a planned third-party funded project (with LMU as the host institution) in the amount of up to 50.000,- EUR over a period of one year as well as an additional (compensated) partial reduction of the teaching load in the amount of up to 5 SWS within the one-year funding period. The requested funds can be used for personnel and material costs as well as for investments.

Funding line 2: Sabbatical
Start-up funding for a planned third-party funded project (with LMU as the host institution) in the form of a complete substitution of the own position for the for the duration of one semester as well as material funding of up to 15.000,- EUR within a funding period of up to one year. The requested funds can be used for personnel and material costs as well as for investments.

Eligible for funding in both funding lines are respectively:

  • ERC Starting Grants
  • DFG Emmy Noether Junior Research Groups
  • BMBF Junior Research Groups
  • Sofja Kovalevskaja Awards of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
  • or comparable projects.

The funds are to be spent flexibly from a point in time to be agreed between the applicant and the university management within the funding period.

Where to apply?

Detailed information on the funding requirements can be found here.

Knowledge Transfer Fund (Wissenstransfer-Fonds)

Who can apply?

This call is directed at all postdoctoral researchers of LMU who have gained no more than six years of professional academic experience since having completed their doctorate. LMU fosters a culture of internationality, diversity and equality of opportunity and therefore strongly encourages all academics to apply.

What can be applied for?

Researchers may apply for seed funding for a planned transfer project aimed at developing an application with a partner from business and society, or at advancing a spin-off. The funding is directed at preparatory activities for the successful procurement of funding by spin-off or other transfer-oriented third-party funding programs as well as for the successful conclusion of a cooperation agreement or exploitation contract. Postdoctoral researchers may receive funding for material and personnel expenses to be expended within a period of up to one year in order to pursue cost-intensive validation work, to obtain additional external expertise as well as to initiate or continue patent applications. In all cases, prior consultation regarding the planned project with LMU’s Transfer Unit is a prerequisite for submitting an application. Researchers may apply for seed funding in one of the following three funding categories:

a. Validation: total funds of up to 50.000,- EUR. Funding may be applied for to support planned applications to spin-off related third-party funding programs with significant potential funding and scope (eligible formats: EXIST Transfer of Research, GO-Bio, m4 Award, or programs comparable in type and size) or necessary validation work for a collaborative project with at least one specific partner institution from business or society and culture.

b. External Expertise: total funds of up to 15.000,- EUR. Funding may be applied for to support planned applications to spin-off related third-party funding programs with limited potential funding and scope (eligible formats: EXIST-Gründerstipendium, FLÜGGE , Medical Valley Award, or programs comparable in type and size) or for the acquisition of additional external expertise required for the continuation of cooperation negotiations with at least one specific partner institution from business or society and culture.

c. Patenting: total funds of up to 10.000,- EUR. Funding may be applied for to support patent applications or the continuation of patent applications establishing priority.

The funds may be used flexibly during a period of up to one year once the applicant and the University Governing Board have agreed on a starting date.

Where to apply?

Detailed information on the funding requirements can be found here.

Gender equality in research and teaching (Gleichstellung in Forschung und Lehre)

Who can apply?
  • Junior female researchers at the LMU with a doctoral degree / PhD who have time-limited contracts at the LMU (university positions or contracts funded by third parties), private lecturers (i.e. PD / Privatdozentinnen) with a time limited contract at the LMU and female junior-professors (W1).
  • The contract term must at least be valid until six months following the application deadline.
  • When technical/electronic, specialized equipment is involved, a contract term of at least 12 months following the application deadline is mandatory.
What can be applied for?

Funding opportunities include:

  • Funding for student assistants for one’s own academic qualification
  • Travel funds: Conference fees and travel expenses
  • Material resources
Where to apply?

Applications must be submitted via the faculty. Please send your application to the Dean’s office (signed paper version) and the women’s representative of our faculty: PD Dr. Monika Popp and Prof. Dr. Bettina Scheu.

Bridging maternity leave (Überbrückung von Mutterschutzzeiten)

Who can apply?

Only the chair holder who employs the pregnant researcher is entitled to apply.

What can be applied for?

The contribution to bridge maternity leave for pregnant academic staff is an instrument to promote equality in research and teaching at Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München (LMU). Scientific institutions can receive up to 2.400,- EUR (for a full position) for bridging maternity leave for a female scientific employee.

Where to apply?

The application must be submitted to the Contact Point for Equality and Inclusion before the start of maternity leave.

Applications can be submitted here.

Bavarian Gender Equality Grant (Bayerische Gleichstellungsförderung)

Who can apply?

The Free State of Bavaria has been making state funds available since 2008 to intensify efforts to realize equal opportunity in research and teaching. The grant’s objectives are to boost the percentage of women at all academic qualification levels, from the postdoc phase onward, as well as in each respective degree, and in particular, to increase the number of women in leadership positions at research and teaching institutions, especially in professorships. Applications can be submitted by:

  • female postdocs
  • graduate female researchers at the LMU seeking a habilitation at the LMU
  • excellent graduate researchers (Post-Habil)
What can be applied for?
  • Stipends for female postdocs: 2.200,- EUR/month
  • Habilitation stipends: 2.600,- EUR/month
  • Stipends for excellent graduate researchers (Post-Habil-Grant): 3.000,- EUR/month
Where to apply?

Further information on the submission process can be found here.

Grants for Childcare Services

Who can apply?

Young female researchers with children up to and including the age of 12 can apply. It does not matter if the applicant has a position or a scholarship with the LMU.

What can be applied for?
  • Evening childcare costs (e.g. babysitters etc.) in order to, for example, take part in a lecture, a meeting, or a similar university event.
  • Weekend or holiday childcare costs (babysitter, nanny, etc.) in order to, for example, take part in an academic symposium, congress, or other education event.
  • Costs involved in taking a child to a symposium, congress, daily event, excursions or field research (i.e. for train tickets, overnight costs or childcare); to reimburse travel expenses to, for example, a symposium or a congress a scientific contribution (speech, poster contribution, workshop moderation etc.) is required.

Childcare must be provided by a third person and involve payment for services. It does not include childcare carried out free of charge by a neighbour. It also excludes childcare done by relatives. A grant is only possible if childcare from outside the family is required.

Young female researchers can apply for a maximum of two grants per year. Each grant enables a maximum payment of 300 Euro.

Where to apply?

To apply for the grant you have to send an application to the women´s representative. The application documents should include information about the requested amount (with a detailed explanation), timeframe, and purpose of the grant, and a copy of the child´s / children´s birth certificate(s). Furthermore we need information about the person who will be providing the childcare, why another solution is not possible, and how the grant will support the academic career. To reimburse travel expenses to, for example, a symposium or a congress a proof of participation is required.

Prinzessin Therese von Bayern Stiftung

Who can apply?

The Therese von Bayern prize is awarded alternately between the different disciplines represented at LMU.

What can be applied for?

Therese von Bayern support award for outstanding scientific achievements (especially in transdisciplinary research projects) and for academic career paths that can serve as role models for young female scientists.

Where to apply?

Adele Hartmann Programm

 

Who can apply?

Newly appointed female W2 professors

What can be applied for?

The Adele Hartmann Program supports the appointment of outstanding young female scientists by providing additional equipment for W2 professorships in the case of initial appointments, for example in the context of large-scale equipment purchases (up to 400.000,- EUR).

Where to apply?

Please contact the faculty as part of your appointment negotiations.

CAS Junior Researcher in Residence

Who can apply?

The junior researcher program of the Center for Advanced Studies of LMU (CAS LMU) is aimed at research associates at LMU from the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences. They can apply for research stays as Junior Researcher in Residence at CAS.

What can be applied for?

The status of Junior Researcher in Residence is associated with a workplace in the Seestraße and the use of the comprehensive offers of the CAS. In the context of the respective research project, workshops and conferences can be held and visiting scholars from Germany and abroad can be invited.
In addition, university assistants have the opportunity to reduce their teaching load and to compensate for the loss of seminar hours through teaching assignments.

Where to apply?

Guidelines for proposal submission can be found here.

CAS Young Center

 

Who can apply?

The Young Center includes outstanding young researchers from LMU. These include holders of prestigious funding awards and fellowships (e.g. ERC Starting Grants or Heisenberg Fellowships) as well as the LMU Research Fellowships.

What can be applied for?

In order to stimulate interdisciplinary networking among the members of the Young Center, the formation of interdisciplinary working groups is encouraged. For this purpose, the young scientists receive administrative and organizational support from the CAS. Within the framework of the working groups, guests can be invited and workshops, conferences or lectures can be organized.

Where to apply?

To be invited to the CAS LMU Young Center, you need to qualify by acquiring one of the abovementioned awards.

LMU Research Fellowships

 

Who can apply?

The LMU Research Fellowships are directed at outstanding postdoctoral researchers from all fields of research. Since 2017, the Program has been supported by the European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND Action.

What can be applied for?

Supported by an LMU professor, fellows carry out their own two-year research project and thus sharpen their academic profile. Mobility and networking with international partner institutions are particularly promoted through research stays or collaborations.

In addition to Incoming Fellowships for outstanding international early-career researchers. LMU also awards Outgoing Fellowships for excellent postdoctoral researchers who have completed their doctorates in the last twelve months or are about to do so.

Where to apply?

According to the website, no further calls are planned at this time.

ERASMUS

 

Who can apply?

In order to apply for an Erasmus study visit, you must meet the following general requirements:

  • You are enrolled at LMU.
  • You have already successfully completed your first year of study (in the Bachelor’s program).
  • You have sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction of your host university at the time of your Erasmus application
What can be applied for?

Advantages of Erasmus+:

  • You are exempt from tuition fees at your host university.
  • You will receive a monthly financial allowance adapted to your destination country.
  • The achievements acquired abroad can be recognized after consultation with your faculty.
  • You can participate in the intercultural support program of the International Affairs Department of LMU.
  • You have the opportunity to participate in online language courses before your stay.
  • LMU and your host university will provide you with joint academic and administrative support.
  • There are additional financial support options for students with special needs.
  • You can also complete an internship abroad as part of the program.
Where to apply?

Students, who study at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, are referred to the faculty’s ERASMUS-Website.

Students, who study at the Department of Geography may contact the ERASMUS-representative PD Dr. Philipp Namberger.

LMUexchange

 

Who can apply?

With the help of the LMUexchange program, students of the LMU can study at partner universities in North and South America, Asia, Russia or Australia and many other regions.

What can be applied for?

LMU offers exchange places at over 150 non-European partner universities worldwide. As part of the LMUexchange program, you will be exempt from tuition fees at the partner university.

Where to apply?

Guidelines for proposal submission can be found here.

LMU Strategic Partnerships & Cooperations

Who can apply?

Originally intended for Professors only, but for senior researchers on permanent positions, it may be worth a try.

What can be applied for?

Funding areas are very diverse and depend on the respective partner university. They include for example:

  • Visiting Professorships (incoming and outgoing)
  • Joint Research Projects
  • Joint Workshops/Conferences etc.
Where to apply?

Cambridge LMU Strategic Partnership, here.

LMU-China Academic Networks (LMU-ChAN), here.

LMU-Bordeaux Research Cooperation Program, here.

LMU-NYU (New York University) Partnership, here.

LMU-TAU (Tel Aviv University) Research Cooperation Program, here.

LMU-Todai (University of Tokyo) Cooperation in the Sciences, here.

LMU-UCB (University of California, Berkeley) Research in the Humanities, here.

 

LMU Open Access Fund

 

Who can apply?

All scientists at LMU, who are “Corresponding Author” of an article published in Gold Open Access or of an Open Access monograph are invited to apply.

What can be applied for?

The fund will provide a publication cost subsidy of 700,- EUR for articles or 5.000,- EUR for monographs.

Where to apply?

The application for the publication costs grant is submited via an online platform specially developed by the University Library. The online application tool and the website with detailed information on the LMU Open Access Fund and the funding requirements can be found here.

LMU Lehre Fonds

 

Who can apply?

TBD

What can be applied for?

TBD

Where to apply?

TBD

Münchener Universitätsgesellschaft

 

Who can apply?

Applications can only be submitted by professors or academic staff, but not by emeriti, other staff and students.

What can be applied for?
  • Support for all types of research projects with substantial student participation or with a strong aspect of promoting young researchers (with a maximum of € 3.000,- EUR) (precondition: one other funding source is available).
  • Organization of conferences only at the LMU or of conferences of the LMU also in premises outside the LMU (e.g. conference centers) (with a maximum of 1.500,- EUR)
  • Printing costs for conference programs (on request)
  • Post-processing of conference contributions
  • Scientific and student assistants (except service during conference breaks, see below)
  • Organization of seminars at the LMU (with a maximum of 1.000,- EUR)
  • Fees or travel expenses of external speakers at LMU events (with a maximum of 250,- EUR per person; within the framework of the Bavarian Travel Expenses Act)
  • Stays of our students at LMU partner universities (with a maximum of 500,- EUR)
  • Student excursions (with a maximum of 100,- EUR per student, no funding for full-time academic scientific support staff
Where to apply?

Guidelines for proposal submission can be found here.

LMU GraduateCenter Completion Grant

 

Who can apply?

All LMU doctoral students.

What can be applied for?

1103,- Euro per month scholarship (no family allowances, allowances for insurances, additional travel and material expenses etc. are paid) for a maximum of 3 months for doctoral candidates whose doctoral project has already been financed for 3 years or for a maximum of 6 months for other doctoral candidates.
Funding is only possible until the time of submission of the dissertation, not during the preparation for the viva or the disputation. If own income exceeds 350 euros per month (gross), the scholarship will be reduced by the entire amount of own income.

Where to apply?

Applications must be submitted via the LMU Graduate Center Portal. More information can be found here.