The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) uses the "FH-Europa" measure to fund projects at universities of applied sciences in order to enable them to expand and strengthen their networks at European level and to establish their research priorities in the scientific community on a sustainable and long-term basis.

As a researcher at a university of applied sciences, you can receive funding for eligible project-related costs on your own or together with another university of applied sciences. Funding is available for the costs you incur in preparing your application for a call in one of the European research funding programs.

There is a prospect of funding for your project,

• for the preparation of research proposals that can be submitted to the European Commission by 31.12.2027
• if your research proposals are aimed at calls for proposals and supplementary programs of "Horizon Europe" in which universities of applied sciences and universities of applied sciences are eligible to apply.
• if the measures you have in mind are intended to support the preparation of research proposals for other European, multinational research funding programs such as "Green Deal" or "EUREKA".

Furthermore, there is a prospect of funding for your project

• to establish and consolidate networks with potential project partnerships from other European countries and for research exchanges in other EU countries (for international doctorates)

Type and scope, amount of the grant:

• Grants are awarded to you by way of project funding as non-repayable subsidies.
• The basis of assessment is the eligible project-related expenditure (full funding) of your project.
• As a rule, the funding volume applied for for your project should not exceed EUR 75,000.
• The BMBF will not grant a project lump sum for your project.
• The maximum duration of your funded project is 12 months
• The project duration of your project regularly ends with the submission of the application to be prepared.
• If additional work on network-building measures is carried out in your project, your project term ends when these measures end.
• Your project must be completed by 31.12.2027 at the latest.
• A maximum of 2 concurrent "FH-Europa" projects are permitted at your university of applied sciences.
• The funds for the formation and continuation of networks with potential projects are not tied to the selected calls or their submission deadlines.

The BMBF will recognize such activities as eligible for funding,

• are geared towards submitting an application to the current Horizon Europe calls and supplementary programs and
• demonstrably serve to network with potential European project partnerships and provide added value for your universities of applied sciences with regard to a joint submission of an application to the European Commission or
• are preparing an application for one of the above-mentioned European multinational research funding programs.

The following are eligible for funding as part of direct application support

• Discussions and meetings with representatives of the National Contact Points (NCPs) and other advisory bodies (e.g. at the EU Commission) for the preparation of applications,
• Research to determine the state of the art in science and technology,
• Travel to agree and coordinate a project idea or to prepare applications with other partners, including international partners; holding networking meetings,
• Preliminary research and development work to validate solution approaches or to prepare a project outline,
• Personnel for the preparation of applications,
• Teaching substitutes for project-leading professors at universities of applied sciences/universities of applied sciences.

In addition to pure application support, the following activities are eligible for funding:

• Networking existing research priorities, for example with the aim of giving them a European orientation
• Measures that improve the expansion and interdisciplinary exchange of experience in the networks of universities of applied sciences, for example by establishing research groups
• Measures to make universities of applied sciences more visible and present as potential partners in (EU) applications, for example by establishing regional cooperation and networks with companies and practice partnerships, participating in partnering activities and portals or exchanging researchers
• High-profile measures that promote the visibility of the university of applied sciences in Europe, for example networking at international events and specialist congresses or organizing and holding events at the university of applied sciences
• Travel by staff involved in the project to potential project or network partnerships or stays at potential project and network partnerships
• Teaching substitutes for professors of the university of applied sciences involved in the project
• Personnel for the implementation and organization of the planned activities

You cannot receive funding for

• Expenses for basic equipment,
• infrastructure services or
• Contracts with service providers to support the preparation of scientific or administrative parts of the application,
• travel expenses for teaching substitutes

There is no entitlement to the grant. Rather, the granting authority decides on the basis of its dutiful discretion within the framework of the available budget funds.