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Hamburg Research Academy

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Funding

The postdoc phase at a Hamburg university or a non-university research institute generally serves to provide further academic qualifications, ideally until you are successfully appointed to a lifetime professorship or a position in science management and careers outside of academia. Postdoc positions are mostly temporary because they are by definition meant to be a transitional period. The Academic Fixed-Term Labor Contract Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG) sets limits to this time: If it is not a third-party funded position, it usually ends six years after the doctorate or you are required to change to permanent employment. Unfortunately, permanent research positions in the German academic system are extremly rare.

Tips and recommendations

Comprehensive advice on different funding options and how to apply is available from your university research department.

You can find funding opportunities for research activities within Germany and Europe through these portals and databases:

  • The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) free database for scholarships offers a good overview of international academic funding programs.
  • The EURAXESS funding database lists various scholarships from more than 40 European and international countries and regions. It further contains the details of the funding programs offered by countless organizations in Germany generally providing funding for ten or more people every year.
  • Research in Germany maintains comprehensive information on the career situation and prospects for postdoctoral researchers.

The family office of University of Hamburg (UHH) provides comprehensive information on the complex topic of the Academic Short-Term Lavor Contract Act (WissZeitVG), giving an overview and explanations of different possible cases. We refer to this website as the information is not specific to University of Hamburg (UHH).