Information for Applicants and nominators

Researchers and institutions worldwide that are engaged in science, research, education, and scholarship are encouraged to participate in this award. It acknowledges outstanding contributions to advancing the rigor, reliability, and transparency of research. We warmly welcome applications and nominations from marginalized and underrepresented groups. 

→ What we honour
→ Questions on the award categories? Please visit our FAQs

 

Individual Award

Who can win:                    
Individuals or small teams making exceptional contributions to improving the ways in which knowledge is produced and shared. Their work should enhance the transparency, trustworthiness, and broader relevance of research practices across any field of scholarship. Find out what we honor here. See previous winners here.
How much: 
The jury can award a prize of €150,000 in this category. 
Who can nominate:     
Nominations are open to both individuals and institutions. You may nominate a peer, colleague, or institution, and self-nominations are also welcome. We encourage nominators to consider a broad and diverse range of candidates, taking into account factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, geography, and career stage. We welcome nominations from across the full disciplinary spectrum, including the humanities, as well as interdisciplinary and collaborative initiatives. All nominations, including self-nominations, will be given equal consideration based on the merit and impact of the nominee's work. 
What is required:

Both self-nominators and peer nominators are required to complete the official nomination form. In addition, peer nominators must submit a brief CV of their own. The nomination form should include the following information and supporting materials:  

  1. Letter of nomination describing the candidate's/team’s work and why they should be selected for the award (no more than two (2) sides of A4). In the case of self-nominations, this letter should be written by the nominee themselves.
  2. Suggested citation: a 50-word summary stating why the nominee/team should be considered for this award.
  3. CV of the nominee or CVs of the team members; each may be no more than two (2) sides of A4.
  4. Short CVof the nominator (peer nominations only): no more than one (1) side of A4. Not required for self-nominations.
  5. Bibliography: a list of no more than twelve (12) of the nominee's most important outputs (e.g. publications, open-source tools, teaching materials, policy contributions, curated data sets) and/or other achievements relevant to this award. In the case of a team of nominees, please submit lists for each individual.
  6. Email contacts of up to three (3) eminent experts from institutions external to both the nominator's and the nominee’s institution who could be contacted for a letter of support, may be provided. In addition, email contacts of up to two (2) former trainees of the nominee may be submitted. Letters of support from trainees should illustrate the nominee’s mentorship and how the nominee impacted the trainee's careers. We generally consider trainees to be all individuals who have been supported by the nominee in the course of their career. 
    Please note: Letters of support will only be requested for nominations that progress to the final stage of the selection process. If selected, we intend to contact referees in August or September, allowing a minimum of four weeks for letters to be prepared and submitted. Each letter should be no longer than one [1] side of A4. Further information on letters of support can be found here. 
Important to know:                  
  1. The emphasis should be on the nominee’s/ team’s recent work.
  2. Deceased persons cannot be nominated.
  3. Compliance with research ethics guidelines is expected.
  4. By making a nomination, the nominator confirms that they have informed the nominee about this nomination and have obtained their consent.
  5. Award funds must be used solely for research-related purposes. 

The call for entries for 2025 is closed. The next call will open in spring 2026.

Institutional Award

Who can win: 
Governmental and non-governmental organizations, institutions, or other entities that demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing the rigor, reliability, robustness, and transparency of research. Find out what we honour here. See the previous winners here.
How much: 
The jury can award a prize of €100,000 in this category. 
Who can nominate: 
Anyone who becomes aware of such outstanding achievements can make a nomination. 
Who can apply: 
A representative of the institution or organization, such as the Chief Academic Officer, Provost, President or Chancellor. 
What is required: 
To apply
  1. Letter of application: a brief description of the institution's or organization's collective efforts to promote quality in research (no more than two (2) sides of A4). If available, please include outcomes, statistics, testimonials, and other data that exemplify how your efforts have promoted quality in research.
  2. Suggested citation: a 50-word summary stating why the institution or organization should be considered for this award.
  3. Email contacts of up to three (3) eminent experts from institutions external to the applying institution or organization itself, who could be contacted for a letter of support, may be provided. If requested, letters should be no longer than one (1) side of A4. Further information on the letters of support can be found here. 
To nominate 
  1. Letter of nomination: a brief description of the institution’s or organization's collective efforts to promote quality in research (no more than two (2) sides of A4), stating why it should be selected for the award. If available, please include outcomes, statistics, testimonials, and other data that exemplify how their efforts have promoted quality in research.
  2. Suggested citation: a 50-word summary stating why the institution or organization should be considered for this award.
  3. Short CV of the nominator: no more than one (1) side of A4.
  4. Email contacts of up to three (3) eminent experts from institutions external to the nominated institution or organization itself can be provided, who could be contacted for a letter of support. If requested, letters should be no longer than one (1) A4 page. Further information on the letters of support can be found here. 
Important to know: 
  1. If governmental organizations or institutions are the recipients of the award, they will not receive any funds in addition to the award itself.
  2. By making a nomination, the nominator confirms that they have informed the nominated organization or institution about the nomination and obtained their consent.
  3. Compliance with research ethics guidelines is expected.
  4. Award funds must be used solely for scientific purposes.

The call for entries for 2025 is closed. The next call will open in spring 2026.

Early Career Award

Who can win: 
Early career researchers (ECRs) or small ECR teamsaiming to advance the way research is conducted, evaluated, or shared—through innovations that foster transparency, responsibility, and trust across scholarly practice. Please note: This award is not intended for conventional research projects that merely include open data or rigorous standards as end components. We seek proposals that directly advance research quality itself. Find out what we honor here. See previous winners and finalists here. 
How much: 
The jury can award a prize of €100,000 in this category. 
Who is eligible: 
To qualify as an ECR, candidates must hold a doctorate or have equivalent research experience and should not have been working as an independent researcher for more than five years. Teams may also include senior researchers, students and non-scientists. Further information can be found here. 
Exception: In regions or institutions where Doctorate programs are not the standard requirement for high-level research, applicants with exceptional scholarly contributions through alternative means may still be considered. Eligibility will be assessed based on research experience, scientific contributions, and qualifications deemed equivalent to a Doctorate. Applicants must provide evidence of Doctorate-equivalent qualifications. To demonstrate doctorate-equivalent qualifications, provide concise evidence (max. 300 words per point) on the following: academic degrees and training, relevant work experience, key research projects and outcomes, collaborations, independent research, and any recognition through editorial/reviewer roles or significant conference roles (e.g., speaker invitations). Focus on roles, contributions, and tangible results. 
What is required: 
  1. Project proposal: a description of the planned project and its anticipated outcome (no more than two (2) sides of A4). Please outline your project’s overarching aims and how it will strengthen the processes, environments, or structures that enable meaningful and trustworthy knowledge creation – within your field or across disciplines. Your proposal should include a brief introduction, the project's relevance, and the specific roles of each team member. Clearly describe the project’s feasibility, with defined milestones and outcomes achievable within the award’s scope. You may also address the urgency of the initiative, and explain why it is particularly timely and well-suited to this award. Please keep in mind that your proposal will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary jury.
  2. Suggested citation: a 50-word summary stating why the proposal should be considered for this award.
  3. CV or CVs of the applicant or team of applicants, each no more than two (2) sides of A4.
  4. Bibliography: A list of up to five key outputs or achievements (e.g. publications, digital platforms, open-source tools, policy contributions, teaching innovations, or other field-shaping initiatives).
  5. Letter of motivation: a brief statement (no longer than one (1) side of A4) on the motivation for this project. 
Important to know: 
  1. Up to six finalists will be invited to present their project virtually to the jury and a wider audience, tentatively scheduled for early November. Please note that this date may vary depending on the progress of the selection process.
  2. Recipients are required to provide a progress report after two years.
  3. Compliance with research ethics guidelines is expected.
  4. The award funds must be used to support the implementation of the proposed project. They may be applied flexibly toward personnel, materials, or other project-related costs, as needed. 

The call for entries for 2025 is closed. The next call will open in spring 2026.

Need help?

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Ulrike Pannasch, Coordinator of the Einstein Foundation Award at up(at)einsteinfoundation.de.

Or visit our FAQs for more information on the award categories.

General information

To make a nomination or apply for this award, nominators and applicants may access the nomination/application platform where they can provide all the necessary information. If you are unable to submit an online application, please contact Ulrike Pannasch for further instructions. 

Only correctly completed and submitted nominations and applications received by the relevant deadline will be reviewed and eligible for the award. 

The award recipient and team members must not be employees of Einstein Foundation or the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), nor members of the selection panel for the award in question. Additionally, immediate family members of those involved are not eligible.

The Einstein Foundation reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to (a) cancel, suspend, or modify the award process, and/or (b) not award prizes if no entries are deemed worthy. 

→ Information on the selection process

Ethical Guidelines

The Einstein Foundation and the BIH aim to foster good research practices where the scientific endeavor is characterized by civil rights, respect and non-discrimination, and adherence to the general guidelines for research ethics. The Einstein Foundation and the BIH have adopted these guidelines with kind permission from the Kavli Prize. The award process and positions of trust must be performed in a way that fosters the reputation of both, the Einstein Foundation and the BIH and their abilities to credibly promote and represent the scientific community. All those in positions of trust involved in the award are expected to ensure they are fully aware of and comply with the general guidelines for research ethics.