The Academies Program is the joint research program of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities. It supports long-term basic research in the humanities and in the historical social sciences, including law, economics, and sociology. Research questions and materials at the intersection of these fields and the natural sciences may also be addressed within the framework of the Academies Program. The central task of the Academies Program is to document, preserve, and study cultural traditions of outstanding academic and societal relevance.

The Academies Program receives approximately 77 million euros annually in funding as part of the joint research funding initiative of the federal and state governments. These funds are currently used to finance127 projects at 192 research institutions (external link).

Researchers who have earned a doctoral degree and are affiliated with an institution in Germany may apply (either as individual applicants or together with one or more co-applicants) to one of the academies with a research proposal. The proposal must meet the following requirements and criteria for applications to the Academies Program in terms of focus, scope, and duration.

Submissions for the 2028 Academies Programare now being accepted through January 31, 2026.

For more information about the Academies Program and the application guidelines, please visit the application page ( internal link).