The study ‘Research Funding and Career Paths – Comparative Study on DFG Programmes for Research Career Support’ compares the career paths of 1,133 applicants in funding programmes relevant to early career researchers (the Emmy Noether Programme, Heisenberg fellowships, Heisenberg professorships, research fellowships and temporary positions for principal investigators) in 2007 and 2008. The study addresses the following questions: How do the subject and demographic profiles of applicants vary across the five funding instruments? To what extent do applicants submit other proposals before and after a period of funding and to what extent do cross-relationships exist between programmes? What academic or non-academic career paths are pursued by funding recipients (and non-recipients) following the funding decision? From what types of institutions do applicants apply, where do they carry out their projects and to what extent there is mobility between different types of institutions? What steps are involved in gaining a professorship or comparable position? The study has created an empirical basis on which to examine the question of whether the programmes achieve their important intended Goals.