Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences - Women* at the Department of Physics

Important Notice: Women's Support Funding

The application deadline for the next round of funding to support women is 31 May 2025.

We are pleased to continue offering financial support for women despite ongoing budgetary constraints. As funds are limited, we particularly welcome applications from women whose social situation forms the basis for their funding request.
If this applies to you, we kindly invite you to briefly outline your circumstances in your cover letter/justification and description (begruendung.pdf).

Please note:
We can only consider complete applications. Thank you for your understanding.

Goals

• Equality concept at the Department of Physics (pdf)
• Berliner Chancengleichheitsprogramm (equality program in Berlin)
• Landesgleichstellungsgesetz (equality act for Berlin)
• Audit Familiengerechte Hochschule (pdf)

Guidelines for the allocation of funds for the advancement of women at the Institute of Physics

Last changes in 2025

In accordance with the decision of the Academic Senate of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Institute of Physics provides annual funding for the advancement of women amounting to at least 5% of the consumptive budget.

These funds are used annually for projects of the Equal Opportunities Board and for the financial support of individuals. The funding is intended to support women at the Institute and to work towards increasing the proportion of women at the Institute of Physics.

Individual Support

There are two deadlines per year for applications for personalised funding:

• 31 May
• 30 September

Eligible to apply

Female members of the Institute of Physics at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Funded Measures

The following career-promoting measures are eligible for funding:

1. Scholarships

• A completion scholarship for doctoral researchers (max. 3 months, €1,000 per month).
• A scholarship to prepare a project proposal for a personal postdoctoral position (e.g. with the goal of qualifying for habilitation; max. 3 months at €1,000 per month; applications accepted up to 12 months after completing a PhD in the Department of Physics).

2. Partial funding for participation in conferences, workshops and international stays.

• Active participation is required (e.g. poster or oral presentation).
• Eligible costs include travel (train or flight), reasonable accommodation costs in accordance with university travel policy, and conference fees. Not covered: food and meal expenses.

3. Training measures:

• Soft skills workshops and other training courses are eligible, provided they are not part of the university's regular course offerings.
• Course fees will be reimbursed.

4. Publication and printing costs
5. German Conference of Women Physicists (DPT): Up to six Bachelor's or Master's students can receive support each year.Only the early bird conference fee will be covered, and only for those actively participating (i.e. presenting a poster or talk).

You can also apply for support for career-promoting activities not listed above.  As a general rule, a maximum of 20% of the costs, but no more than €500, will be subsidised. In justified exceptional cases, the amount of funding may vary.

Application

Applications can be sent informally via mail to the Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer at the Institute of Physics (frauenbeuaftragte@physik.hu-berlin.de). It is the responsibility of the applicant to check the applications for completeness. Incomplete applications cannot be processed. Complete applications contain all of the following documents in individual PDFs:

1. brief justification of the project and description of the impact on education/scientific career (Begründung.pdf),
2. complete breakdown of costs (Kostenaufschlüsselung.pdf),
3. declaration of support for the project by the head of the research group and their own contribution to the costs (Kostenbeteiligung.pdf),
4. only for stays abroad: Invitation from the group in the host country (Invitation.pdf),
5. proof of application for other funding options (see list of alternative funding options); if no applications have been submitted elsewhere, a justification is required (Nachweis.pdf)
6. for scholarships additionally: timetable and curriculum vitae

All costs are subject to verification.

Application processing

The Equal Opportunities Board of the Institute of Physics decides on the allocation of funding. Decisions are made twice a year on the applications submitted after the respective deadlines. The amount of funding or the number of scholarships is determined by the number of applications received.  All invoices must be submitted by 30 November of the same year.

Only the german version is binding.