Nikon Fotobus Grant 2026

The Nikon Fotobus Grant supports young and student photographers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with three awards of €5,000, €3,000, and €2,000, plus Nikon cameras.

Overview

The Nikon Fotobus Grant supports photographers who are either enrolled in a full-time university program in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland or are not older than 30 years and reside in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Funding is provided for the continuation of a photographic project that has already been started. All genres of photography are welcome.

A total of three project grants will be awarded in the amounts of €5,000, €3,000, and €2,000. Each of the three supported projects will receive a Nikon camera. The total amount of the grant will be paid out immediately after the announcement of the winners. There are no requirements for the use of the grant, though prize recipients must submit a final report at the end of the one-year funding period describing how the funding was used.

A shortlist of 20 projects will be announced on 1 December 2026, with the three funded projects announced on 15 December 2026. The funding period runs from 15 December 2026 to 15 December 2027.

Practical Info

All photographers who, at the time of submission, are either enrolled in a full-time university program in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland or are not older than 30 years and reside in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland are eligible to participate. The nationalities of the applicants are not relevant. Group projects of two or more photographers are permitted, but all members of the group must meet the eligibility requirements.

Submissions must consist of a project description (maximum 3,000 characters in German or English), a maximum of 30 images in total from the unfinished project, and a biography (maximum 1,500 characters in German or English). Individuals may submit only one application, but may additionally participate in a group application. The same project may be submitted the following year again if it has not yet received funding from the Nikon Fotobus Grant.

AI-generated images are not permitted. Image manipulation and staging are permitted but must be made transparent in the captions. Applicants must accept the Code of Ethics of World Press Photo.

About Fotobus

The Fotobus is a cultural, social, and academic project serving all students of photography, design, film, art, or media. Excursions and research trips to regional, national, and international destinations are offered using the Fotobus—a 32-seat historic coach. The Fotobus Society was founded in 2018 and is now the largest student photography network in the world, with over 1,200 members studying at more than 30 different universities worldwide. The Fotobus Society is supported by Nikon.