The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awards different research prizes for top-rank researcher.

With the Humboldt Research Award researchers are granted for their entire achievements whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline.

Excellent scientists of all nationalities who are expected to continue producing outstanding academic achievements in international collaboration are eligible to be nominated for the Max Planck Research Award.

The Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award is directed at internationally renowned scientists who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements which will have a seminal influence on their discipline in future beyond their immediate field of work.

The Sofja Kovalevskaja Award honours junior researchers from abroad.

The Anneliese Maier Research Award is granted to foreign scientist from the fields of the humanities and social sciences.

The Reimar Lüst Award stands for International Scholarly and Cultural Exchange.

Canadian scholars can receive the Konrad Adenauer Research Award.

The Philipp Franz von Siebold Award is appropriated for Japanese Researchers.