Hints and requirements for applying at the DFG
for Charité applicants
Michael Fromm

All German universities have a "Confidential Person of the DFG" (Vertrauensdozent). At the Charité, which is financially independent, but not a university by its own, this function is named "Representative of the German Research Foundation (DFG)" - and I am that person since a few years.

A few hints:
- Please read the respective DFG pages before you start writing the proposal.
  - All funding programmes: DFG page
  - Only in German: "My first proposal": DFG page

- Always use an actual version of forms and guidelines!
  - Forms and Guidelines (Main Listing): DFG page
  - Since October 2011 there are new guidelines for project proposals under the Research Grants, Emmy Noether, Research Units, and Priority Programmes. See guideline form 54.01:

Proposals consists of the following three parts:
A. Proposal Data and Obligations
B. Project Description
C. Appendices (Please note that an academic curriculum vitae with a list of the five most important publications must be included for each applicant.)

- Publication lists with only few papers!
  - Info (in German only): PDF

- Note: It is scientific misconduct, if a DFG grant application contains an already completed study.
Verbatim: "Bei einer Antragstellung müssten sicherlich auch überzeugende Vorarbeiten geleistet worden sein. Ein fertiges Manuskript mit den entsprechenden Arbeitsergebnissen dürfe aber noch nicht vorliegen." See German DFG press release

May I wish you every success with this proposal.

Prof. Dr. Michael Fromm
Representative of the German Research Foundation (DFG) at the Charité
Institute of Clinical Physiology
Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin
Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin

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