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Second Competition Round 2024-2026: Call for Proposals and Assessment for the Funding Period of 2027-2033

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The application process for the second round of the Universities of Excellence funding line has with the publication of the call for proposals on 28 March 2024. Up to four additional universities or university consortia can be included in the funding line, if they are successful in the competitive procedure. Further, if universities drop out of the funding line, additional spots might then become available.

With the decision of the Excellence Commission in the Cluster of Excellence funding line on 22 May 2025 means that for the funding period of 2027-20233 in addition to the up to four additional spots, one additional spot can be filled in the Universities of Excellence funding line.

Formal funding requirements

As in the first competition round, an individual university is eligible to apply if it has at least two Clusters of Excellence or is involved in two joint Clusters of Excellence. The submission of an application as a consortium of two or three jointly applying universities requires the funding of at least three Clusters of Excellence at these universities. Each of the universities participating in the consortium must either have at least one Cluster of Excellence or be involved in at least one joint Cluster of Excellence as an applicant.

Based on the decisions on the Clusters of Excellence on 22 May 2025, universities and university consortia need to submit their letters of intent until 27 June 2025. Proposals need to be submitted until 12 November 2025. The on-site visits will take place from March to July 2026 in order for the Excellence Commission to make decisions on the inclusion of four additional universities or university consortia in the funding line in early October 2026. Further, if universities drop out of the funding line, additional spots might then become available.

Timetable for the 2nd competition round of the two funding lines Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence Timetable of the two funding lines Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence for the second competition round (October 2022) Source: WR/DFG

The necessary application documents and information sheets for the Universities of Excellence funding line are listed below:

General documents:

  • Timeline for the Excellence Strategy until 2027 (German and English)
  • Call for proposals (German and English)
  • Instructions on writing a letter of intent for a planned proposal (German only)
  • Data protection information for new proposals (German only)
  • Guidelines on use of funds (German and English)
  • Funding Criteria – Institutional Strategy (German and English)

For applications as an individual university:

  • Proposal template with explanatory notes, new proposal as an individual university (German and English)
  • Model tables for the data annex for a proposal as an individual university (German and English)

For applications as a university consortium:

  • Proposal template with explanatory notes, new proposal as a university consortium (German and English)
  • Model tables for the data annex for a proposal as a university consortium (German and English)