The Volkswagen Foundation — Germany's largest private science funder — looks for researchers who team up with partners outside academia (NGOs, authorities, civil society, small businesses) to research how societies change and to actively trigger that change. "Change!" Fellows get their own position funded with €1.5–1.8 million over 4–5 years, across all disciplines. The next fellowship deadline falls in 2027 (exact date to be published).
Why it is notable: the mandatory transdisciplinary design — you cannot apply without at least one and at most three non-academic partners, and the project must aim to actively induce change, not just study it. It's one of the few European instruments that funds a researcher's own position at this scale outside the ERC.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Own position funded within a total grant of €1.5–1.8 million over 4–5 years (amount depends on personal qualification):
Personnel, material and travel costs per the approved expenditure plan (10% overheads claimable for universities/universities of applied sciences in most calls):
Additional funding for preparing research data for reuse / Open Data:
Equal-opportunities funds can be requested as part of the regular application (calls with cut-off dates from 1 January 2025):
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
PhDfor Postdoc
This scholarship is offered for Postdoc programs.
Who can apply
all nationalities. Lead applicants must be affiliated with a German university or research institution, OR attach a statement from a German university/research group confirming it will employ them and administer the funds if approved. Applicants from non-eligible institutions (foundations, private companies) can join as cooperation partners only. Scientific institutions abroad may apply within a funding initiative provided there is agreed cooperation with researchers in Germany — in many initiatives the German institution must take the lead.
Experience
postdocs 2–15 years after the doctorate (reference: call due date); junior professors; professors ≤3 years after first tenured professorship
Language Certificate
not applicable
Other Certificates
CV in the Foundation's template; proof of doctorate
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
all nationalities eligible; the binding constraint is institutional: the grant is awarded to universities/scientific institutions in Germany, and the lead…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
completed doctorate; postdocs 2–15 years after the doctorate (reference: call due date); junior professors and professors ≤3 years after first tenured professorship.
02
Documents
Foundation templates only (CV, expenditure plan); project description within page limits; data management plan where applicable.
03
Partnership
mandatory involvement of at least 1 and at most 3 partners from outside academia (civil society, NGOs, associations, authorities, small businesses).
04
Institutional anchoring
grant goes to a German university/scientific institution; lead applicant affiliated or with a written employment/administration commitment.
05
Submission
electronic via the funding platform; PI creates the application; German partner is PI for international participation; register all applicants early.
06
Fee
no fee.
Document checklist
01Project description (template, page limits per call)
02Expenditure plan (Foundation Excel template only)
03Tabular narrative CVs of all applicants (Foundation template)
04Data management plan (if generating large volumes of data)
05Employment/administration commitment from the German host institution (if not yet affiliated)
06Partner confirmations (non-academic partners)
Application fee
No fee — completely free.
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Germany researcher/hosting-agreement route — the German host institution issues a hosting agreement (Aufnahmevereinbarung) for the EU Blue Card / researcher residence permit (§18d AufenthG). (Concise —…
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Confirm fit: your project researches transformation processes
transdisciplinarily with 1–3 non-academic partners, and you meet the postdoc/junior-professor window.
→
02
Secure the German host
affiliation with a German university/research institution, or a written employment-and-administration commitment from its management.
→
03
Read the call Guidelines carefully and use
ONLY the Foundation's templates (CV, expenditure plan) from the funding platform / programme announcement page.
↓
06
Review by an external scientific committee →
Board of Trustees decision (meets three times a year).
←
05
Submit the electronic application by the call
deadline (2027 — exact date TBA). Applications by post/email are not part of this scheme's process — follow the call's submission rules exactly.
←
04
Register early on the Foundation's funding platform (portal.volkswagenstiftung.de)
the PI creates the application (for international participation the German partner must be defined as PI); invite co-applicants via the platform.
↓
07
Project description (template
page limits per call)
→
08
Expenditure plan (Foundation Excel template only)
→
09
Tabular narrative CVs of all applicants (Foundation
template)
↓
10
Data management plan (if generating large volumes
of data)
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official German universities and research institutions platform.
all nationalities. Lead applicants must be affiliated with a German university or research institution, OR attach a statement from a German university/research group confirming it will employ them and administer the funds if approved. Applicants from non-eligible institutions (foundations, private companies) can join as cooperation partners only. Scientific institutions abroad may apply within a funding initiative provided there is agreed cooperation with researchers in Germany — in many initiatives the German institution must take the lead.
What does the scholarship cover?
Own position funded within a total grant of €1.5–1.8 million over 4–5 years (amount depends on personal qualification):; Personnel, material and travel costs per the approved expenditure plan (10% overheads claimable for universities/universities of applied sciences in most calls):; Additional funding for preparing research data for reuse / Open Data:; Equal-opportunities funds can be requested as part of the regular application (calls with cut-off dates from 1 January 2025):
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Germany · German universities and research institutions