Exploration Funds

• Researchers and interdisciplinary research teams located in the Humanities and Social Sciences
• Professors and Postdocs (please also see requirements)

• Innovative research project with the potential to be expanded into a third-party funded collaborative project (e.g. CRC/SFB, Research Unit, ERC Synergy Grant)

• Own previous work on the topic has already been done

• Interdisciplinary research approach, at least within the Humanities and Social Sciences

• Proven expertise on the proposed topic must be located in Tübingen

• An institutional connection is expected

• The Applicant must have a contract with the university for the duration of the project. At least one person on the main applicant team must be employed on a permanent basis

• Two letters of interest from internal cooperation partners

• Start-up funding for a project up to a maximum duration of 3 years, in the form of:
  • Personnel resources (1 postdoc position E13, 100%, teaching obligation 4 weekly hours per semester). An appointment is only possible on a fixed-term basis for qualification purposes (Qualifizierungsbefristung).
  • Consumables (e.g. student assistants, workshops, retreats, seminar series etc.)
• The actual amount of funding depends on the needs as presented and justified in the proposal
• Doctoral positions cannot be funded within the framework of the Exploration Funds.

Where the state offers start-up funding to support the preparation of applications for DFG formats such as GRK, SFB, TRR, or Research Units, this funding must be used if awarded.

annually

Application deadline: March 15, 2026

Applications can be submitted via the application database from February 15, 2026.

Earliest possible project start: September 2026

Requirements and Structure

Please use the provided template for the application. The preferred language is English. The application must contain the following information:

• Cover sheet showing the following information: Details of the applicant, co-applicants, period applied for (earliest start approx. September 2026), total amount applied for, information on whether the application has been submitted earlier in the same or a similar form, and an abstract (max. 100 words)
• Description of the project (field of research and research questions as well as theoretical and methodological approach), if applicable divided into sub-projects or work packages (max. 8 pages)
• Bibliography (literature cited in the application)
• Schematic description of the project plan incl. steps towards submission of the funding proposal
• Detailed financial plan in tabular form with justification of the requested funds
• List of associated researchers
• Short CVs of the (co-)applicants with a list of publications. At least 5 publications relevant to the project should be highlighted. 

The standard formatting (Arial, 11 pt., line spacing 1.15) must be adhered to, margins must not be changed.

The proposal should address, inter alia, the following aspects:  

• Novelty, innovative approach as well as societal relevance and contemporary significance of the proposed project
• Interdisciplinarity of the project, thematic alignment with existing research areas and structurally embeddedness
• Internal, national, and international partnerships and networks (existing and planned) for project implementation as well as potential outreach aspects and the integration of non-academic partners
• Existing preliminary work, the project’s potential for a specific collaborative research framework (e.g. CRC, RTG, ERC Synergy Grant, etc.), and the planned steps towards submitting a corresponding third-party funding proposal
• Applicant’s qualifications and capacity to successfully implement the project and to develop it into an application for a collaborative third-party funded project (e.g. CRC, RTG, Synergy Grant, etc.)
• Two letters of interest from internal cooperation partners need to be handed in together with the proposal

In addition, please also consider the guidance provided in the template. 

Application

Applications must be submitted via the University’s Online Application Tool.

The application must be submitted in one PDF-Document. The preferred language of applications is English. Incomplete applications cannot be approved for review.

Review process

First, the project proposals will undergo an administrative eligibility check. All applications that meet the formal requirements will be reviewed by external experts/ peer researchers. Based on the proposals and reviews the Advisory Board for the Humanities will invite the main applicants of selected proposals to present these to the board and afterwards provide a funding recommendation; the final funding decision is made by the President’s Office.