FAQ Application
FAQ Antragstellung IMF-Projekte
Who is eligible to apply?
All RWTH members of staff with the necessary scientific qualification (PhD or higher) are eligible to apply for project funding. However the application must be approved by the person responsible for the cost center.
Is it possible to submit a joint project proposal with partner institutions such as Forschungszentrum Jülich institutes, the Helmholtz Institute, an affiliated institute, or the Fraunhofer Institutes?
Can I submit an IMF project proposal as a member of staff of Forschungszentrum Jülich?
You can do so if you are at the same time employed at RWTH Aachen and thus are entitled to open an RWTH account.
What exactly does “Women’s Quota” mean? When is a project a “Women’s Project”?
A project is assigned “women’s project” status if one of the project applicants, and thus project managers, is a woman.
What is a suitable team composition? Who is considered a “junior researcher,” who a “senior researcher”?
The ideal team consists of both experienced and early-career researchers. W2/W3 professors are considered senior researchers, while Junior Professors, PDs (Privatdozenten), and postdocs are considered junior researchers.
What is the maximum funding budget for IMF projects?
Unless otherwise specified in the call for applications, there are no clearly defined budget limits for projects. The total sum of available IMF project funds is distributed among all approved projects. The maximum funding budget is 25000 €.
How can I calculate the costs for members of staff?
In your calculation of personnel costs, you can refer to the DFG remuneration guidelines. If you want to hire student assistants, you can use the “ HiWi-Komfort-Rechner” (Student Assistant Calculator) provided by Division 8.1.
What type of costs can I claim?
You can calculate and claim the real (direct) costs incurred by your institute. Overhead costs cannot be claimed.
Is there a template for project applications?
No. You can structure your project proposal according to the list of requirements given in the call for applications.
Does the specified maximum number of pages include accompanying documents?
Your application, including all accompanying documents (e.g. bibliography), is not to exceed the maximum number of pages as specified in the call. If this number is exceeded, the application will not be taken into account.
Does the application have to be signed?
No, a signature is not mandatory. It makes clear, however, that the official applicant knows the application in detail (e.g. if it has been created by an employee). An original paper document with a signature is not required.
Is there any disadvantage to writing the application in German?
This depends on the scientific community of the discipline. If there are a sufficient number of experts in the German-speaking countries who can act as reviewers, this should be no problem.
Is it possible for applicants to exclude certain reviewers from the review process?
Yes, please let us know in the comment section of the application portal whether there are any potential reviewers that should not be selected, e.g. for competitive reasons.