Colorful wave-shaped graphic
Funding Awards
© Nataliia Kalinina

Funding Awards

Award for Outstanding Achievements

Recognizing the special achievements of our students and graduates is important to Osnabrück University!

The Funding Awards ceremony is a special highlight in the University's calendar of events. For decades, a large number of different prizes have been awarded by private donors, associations and companies to recognize outstanding students for their achievements. Information for  donors is available here!

Every student, every graduate and every doctoral candidate brings their own little story to university life. Many see their studies or their personal situation alongside their studies as a special challenge that needs to be overcome. Be it that the topic of the Master's thesis was particularly extensive and yet led to a particularly good grade, that a Doctorate was successful despite being pregnant at the same time or that the gray theory of the studies was supplemented with many cultural impressions and practical or social experiences. Anyone who invests a lot of energy, commitment and effort in an academic degree will be delighted to receive special recognition.

Osnabrück University awards more than 20 different Funding Awards every year. Regional and national donors recognize outstanding Doctorate, examination and study achievements in various disciplines. Funding Award scholarship holders are nominated by their lecturers. This alone is a special achievement.

With the public presentation of the Funding Awards, Osnabrück University aims to give visibility to the motivation of its students and young academics.

Here you will find information about the  Call for Tenders 2025/2026!

The Funding Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Castle Hall.

A group of people stands on a stage holding certificates. The individuals are smiling and are dressed in formal attire.
© Uwe Lewandowski
The Funding Awards Ceremony 2024/25

Application Information

Call for Tenders 2025/2026

The call for nominations for Funding Awards in the academic year 2025/2026 began on November 28, 2025. Teachers can nominate their Funding Award scholarship holders until January 9, 2026!

If you have any questions, please contact  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de.

As changes may occur due to internal processes on the part of the sponsoring institutions, the respective sponsorship award amounts are given without guarantee!

Organization/Price Number of prizes Endowment per prize Criteria/topic Proposal from Formal examination Decision

Transfer Prize of the Kreishandwerkerschaft Osnabrück

not subject-related

1 500 Particularly successful examples of knowledge and technology transfer into operational practice with reference to the skilled crafts sector Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Management

Funding Award of the Verkehrsverein Stadt und Land Osnabrück e.V.

Not subject-specific

1 2000 Increasing the importance of the city/district of Osnabrück as a science location Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of MLP Finanzberatung SE

Not subject-specific

3 300 Outstanding work/achievements in studies Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Osnabrück Student Services

not subject-related

1 1000 Special commitment to student issues related to the field of activity of Osnabrück Student Services (food, housing, children, finances, counseling, international affairs, public relations). Call for applications in detail Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Inpijn-Bakker-Grundwald Prize of the University Society Osnabrück e.V.

Not subject-specific

3 2000 Outstanding doctorates for all subjects Doctoral supervisors President (KM) Jury

Funding Award for Excellent Young Researchers of the University Society Osnabrück e.V.

Not subject-specific

1 3000 Outstanding habilitation for all subjects Professors and lecturers President (KM) Jury

Doctoral Prize of the Association for the Promotion of Economic Sciences (GFFW)

subject-specific

1 500 Outstanding Doctorate in the School of Business Administration and Economics University lecturers in the schools of Business and Economics GFFW Board of Directors Commission/ Board of Directors

Funding Award of the Alumni Association for Social Sciences at Osnabrück University

subject-related

3 250 1x the best Bachelor's thesis in political science, 1x the best Bachelor's thesis in sociology and 1x the best Master's thesis in one of the three social science Master's programs: Democratic Governance and Civil Society, European Governance and Sociology Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Hans Mühlenhoff Foundation

subject-specific

1 1000 Outstanding work in the field of natural sciences, law, economics and cognitive science Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Jury

Funding Award of the Herrenteichslaischaft Osnabrück

subject-specific

1 1000 Outstanding academic work in the field of cultural and legal history of the Osnabrück region Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co.

subject-specific

3 1000 Outstanding achievements in the fields of chemistry, computer science, business administration (marketing) and materials science during studies Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the ROSEN Technology & Research Center GmbH

subject-specific

3 500 Outstanding final achievements in the fields of physics, computer science/information systems and cognitive science Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

European Prize Prof. Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering

subject-related

1 500

Social sciences, cultural studies, law, and economics with a focus on European policy

  • Students from the member states of the European Union with special academic achievements
  • special social commitment and/or
  • special intercultural understanding/integration achievements
Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Osnabrück District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover

subject-related

1 500 Examination and doctoral achievements in the subject of protestant theology Department of Protestant Theology, internally coordinated proposal of the institute President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Diocese of Osnabrück

subject-related

1 500 Outstanding exam and doctoral theses in the subject of catholic theology Institute Board President (KM) The Bishop

Funding Award of Intevation GmbH

subject-related

1 1000 Outstanding achievements in the development of or collaboration on Free Software as well as other outstanding work on the topic of Free Software Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Music prize of the Pianohaus Kemp

subject-specific

1 600 Outstanding artistic and practical achievements in the subject of music Institute for Musicology and Music Education President (KM) Jury

Kinzler Award for studio work

subject-specific

1 600 Best final thesis for studio production Institute for Musicology and Music Education President (KM) Jury

Funding Award of the Osnabrück University Publishing House / Brill Deutschland GmbH

subject-related

1 1000 Outstanding research achievement for unpublished dissertations and habilitations in the field of humanities, social sciences or social sciences at Osnabrück University and grant-free publication in the Osnabrück University Publishing House worth 4,000 - 4,500 € printing costs Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

FrOG Funding Award of the Friends of Osnabrück Geography Association

subject-related

2 500 Outstanding Bachelor's and Master's theses from the Institute of Geography Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) FrOG Board of Directors

Multimedia Funding Award Prof. Dr. Oliver Vornberger

subject-related

1 1500 For outstanding theses in the fields of computer graphics, web publishing and smartphone applications Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the Förderkreis Osnabrück Peace Forum e.V.

subject-related

1 1000 Outstanding academic work on peace research, value formation and educational peace practice in the past and present Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Board of sponsors

Funding Award of the Osnabrück International Lawyers' Association

subject-specific

1 500 Outstanding student research project in the field of private international law, comparative law and European law in general Subject specialists of the Faculty of Law President (KM) Donor

Funding Award of the CogSci Network e.V.

subject-specific

3 500 Outstanding theses in cognitive science, with a special focus on: Inter- and transdisciplinarity, practical relevance, science communication, student engagement, personal background/exposure of underrepresented groups in Cognitive Science Subject specialists at Osnabrück University President (KM) Jury of CogSci Network e.V. members

Funding Award of the School Foundation in the Diocese of Osnabrück

subject-related

1 500 Focus on the consideration of current and future teaching with regard to children's and young people's proven and assumed future skills and the inevitable changes in teaching Specialists from the Institute of Education. President (KM) Founder

To apply for a sponsorship award, we ask lecturers to send their nomination digitally to  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de using the following documents. Please cc the dean's office of the school.

  • the completed and signed  application form (PDF, 120 kB), which must be completed by the nominees themselves
  • a short CV and a printable application photo (at least 300 dpi) of the nominee
  • a short and generally understandable justification for the nomination (maximum two A4 pages)
  • the thesis to be honored and/or an expert opinion in digital form

Please Note:

  • Please submit the application for only one Funding Award, applications for several Funding Awards cannot be considered
  • Examinations should not be more than 9 months old

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Daniela Räuwer at  +49 541 969 6141 or by e-mail at  daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de.

Funding Awards Ceremony

On March 6, 2025, the prizes for the year 2024/2025 were awarded in the Schlossaula. The ceremony began with the founders and their prizewinners getting together in the foyer before the certificates were presented on stage. After the award ceremony, the Vice President for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Jochen Oltmer, hosted a reception. Impressions can be found in the  picture gallery!

Several people in one conversation
© Uwe Lewandowski

In Portrait

You can find out more about our current award winners and donors in the  sponsorship award brochure 2024/25 (PDF, 2.72 MB) (in German). The brochures from previous years can be found in the  archive.

Two men are sitting at a table with microphones, wearing headphones and talking.

Fördercast: Podcast on the Funding Awards

In  Fundingcast 2024 (in German), volunteer Max Willeke meets three winners of the Funding Awards and talks to them about the topics of their award-winning work. They give an interesting and understandable insight into their research in an exciting 30 to 40 minutes.

Contact Person

Daniela Räuwer

Foto Daniela Räuwer
Kommunikation und Marketing

Neuer Graben 29/Schloss
49074 Osnabrück

Room: 13/E07

 +49 541 969-6141
 daniela.raeuwer@uni-osnabrueck.de