To understand what makes a strong application for junior research group funding, we spoke with fellows of the North Rhine-Westphalia Returning Scholars Program (Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen): Alexander van Meegen, Erna K. Wieduwilt, and Juba Bouaziz. The program is one of several that support researchers in establishing their own group in Germany. Drawing on lessons from this program, the article offers practical advice for junior research group applications more broadly. Where a funding scheme involves a host university, Helga Soer-Sodmann adds the institutional perspective, with guidance on when to make contact and what to clarify while preparing the application.

Start with fit: why this project, why this call, why now?

For junior group leader schemes, fit is part of the case for independence. You need to show how your expertise, the call, the proposed project, and your career plans connect.

Alexander van Meegen was a postdoc in Lausanne when people in his network encouraged him to apply to the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen. Although he had only recently started the position, the Future Computing call offered both a scientific fit and an opportunity to take an earlier than expected step toward independence. Its broad framing gave him room to develop a theoretical project on the principles underlying biological and artificial neural networks.

Erna Wieduwilt was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow in Denmark when she applied to the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen. The Future Computing call offered her the opportunity to build a group around a new research direction. She combined her expertise in computational chemistry with machine learning to address a research gap in the study of plastic-degrading enzymes, a topic with strong societal relevance. As she put it, the challenge was to “take my core expertise and really try something new with it.” Alongside the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen funding, she also secured a Wübben Tenure Track Professorship.

Juba Bouaziz, then an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow in Japan, was looking for a way to return to Germany and establish his own group. The call arrived at a point when both the scientific topic and the career opportunity matched his plans. His background in computational quantum materials connected closely with the Future Computing call. This helped him develop “a clear and coherent scientific vision.”

Timing depends on your career path

All three applied in the same round, from different fields and at different career stages. In each case, the call connected a credible research idea with a concrete next step. Their experiences reflect a broader consideration that also applies to the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen: there is no single ideal time to apply. The right timing depends on the individual career path and personal career planning. Early application can help researchers make use of eligibility windows and support their long-term goals. Later application can provide more time to strengthen a publication record or gain further leadership experience.

Strong applications present a convincing overall profile that combines solid scientific achievement with a clear and realistic plan for establishing an independent research group.

Make the scientific case easy to follow

Application formats often impose strict limits. In the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen, for example, you have only two pages for the five year work plan. A clear structure must therefore carry much of the argument.

Alexander’s advice is to reduce the proposal to its core. Introduce the topic, explain the current state of research and its limitations, present your approach, and show the expected contribution. He organized his application around one larger question, with each work package contributing to it. Technical detail and references stayed limited to what the reader needed to follow the logic.

Erna emphasized that writing concisely is a skill in its own right. Previous grant applications had helped her learn how to present a complex project clearly within a limited format. She also encouraged researchers to apply for grants even when success rates are low, because the process itself helps sharpen the structure, argument, and level of detail.

The aim is to make selection easy for the reviewer: what belongs in the proposal, what to leave out, and where each point should appear. If every paragraph has a clear function, the application becomes more focused and much easier to assess.

Show ambition and feasibility

The strongest proposals combine scientific excellence and an ambitious research vision with a convincing implementation plan.

When you apply to the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen, for instance, reviewers assess both the scientific quality and whether the proposed junior research group can realistically be established and developed over the funding period.

Juba described this as one of the key challenges: translating the research idea into “a realistic and structured implementation plan with measurable outcomes.” The scientific concept was clear, but defining milestones, demonstrating feasibility, and communicating impact in limited space required extra refinement.

Alexander adds that the written proposal is only one part of the overall application. The CV, reference letters, selection symposium, and the impression created across all components also contribute to the final assessment. Together, these documents should support the same case: that the research is strong, and you can realistically build and lead the group.

Build support around your junior research group funding application

At this career stage, good support matters beyond one proposal. Mentors, peers, former fellows, and professional advisers can help you test your plans and understand the process. They can also support decisions about timing, institutions, and the step into leadership.

Erna reached out to two fellows of the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen at her university who were already further along in the program. They reviewed her draft, met with her to discuss their feedback, and later practiced the presentation with her. Even though sharing an unfinished draft felt uncomfortable, she found the support extremely valuable and strongly recommends contacting other fellows to ask about their experience.

Alexander had little time to gather feedback on the written proposal itself. His mentor still played a decisive role by encouraging him to apply while he was still onboarding in Lausanne: “Your career has absolute priority. Do it.” As Alexander put it, strong mentorship can have an enormous influence at this stage.

Build this circle early. Look for people who can challenge the science, understand the funding context, and discuss the wider career decision with you. The most useful support often starts before you polish the application. It can continue through the selection process, negotiations, and the first steps of establishing the group.

Clarify when and how to involve a potential host institution

The role of the host institution differs between junior research group programs. Some schemes require institutional commitment at the application stage. Others allow applicants to explore several potential hosts or make the final choice after selection. Check the rules of the specific program before beginning these conversations.

For the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen, successful fellows must establish their research group at a university in North Rhine-Westphalia. They can contact universities while preparing the application, but the final host institution can still be chosen and negotiated after selection.

Reach out early

From the host university perspective, Helga Soer-Sodmann emphasizes the value of starting early:

„Once you begin seriously exploring junior research group funding, start identifying departments and research groups that could become a long term academic home. There is no such thing as contacting a university too early.“

At this career stage, universities generally expect researchers to initiate academic conversations themselves. As Helga explains: “Early engagement signals motivation, strategic thinking, and a genuine interest in the institution.” A good first point of contact is usually the department, faculty, or research group where you would like to establish your research.

Show how you would use what the program offers beyond funding

When comparing junior research group programs, the funding amount matters, but it is only one part of what the program can offer. Look closely at how much flexibility you have in choosing a host, how broadly the call is defined, what institutional support is available, and how well the program matches your own goals and priorities. Your application should show that you understand these opportunities and have a clear plan for how you would use them to build the group and develop your academic career.

The Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen, for example, combines substantial funding with flexibility. It awards the funding directly to successful researchers. They can then negotiate with universities in North Rhine-Westphalia about the institutional setting. This creates opportunities to shape both the research project and longer term career prospects.

Another distinctive feature is the breadth of the annual calls. Although each call has a thematic focus, the topics are deliberately defined in broad terms so that researchers from different disciplines and with different career paths can apply. The successful applications of Alexander, Erna, and Juba to the Future Computing call illustrate this breadth. They came from different research backgrounds and made a strong case by connecting their expertise and research questions with the objectives of the call.

The program is designed to support researchers with international experience in establishing or further developing their careers in North Rhine-Westphalia. It may be particularly relevant for those considering a return to Germany. This includes researchers who already intend to return but are still looking for the right time and location, or who are planning their long term academic future in Germany. The funding makes it possible to establish an independent research group, provides several years of planning security, and creates room to discuss resources, institutional integration, and longer term prospects with different universities.

In this sense, the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen offers funding, visibility, flexibility, networking opportunities, and valuable room to make informed decisions at a critical career stage.

Know your why and carry it through the application

Formal requirements matter in an application for junior research group funding, but they can easily take over the process. Before refining budgets, milestones, and host arrangements, be clear about the case you want to make. Why does this research direction matter to you? Why are you ready to pursue it independently? What kind of group do you want to build?

That narrative should run through the whole application. Your track record, project, staffing plan, budget, and choice of program should point in the same direction. They should show where you want to go and how you plan to get there. If the opportunity fits, the project is strong, and you meet the requirements, do not wait until you feel completely ready. As Erna put it: “You have to be brave. Doing it prepares you for it.”

About the Rückkehrprogramm Nordrhein-Westfalen

Since 2007, the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia has promoted the return of outstanding young scientists from abroad. Around 65 researchers have received up to 1.25 million euros over 5 years to establish research groups in the region. The next call for applications is expected to open in autumn 2026.