Each personal grant is fitted to a certain stage in your research career. They enable researchers to strengthen their scientific careers and conduct projects truly in line with their research interests.
Personal grants are not only prestigious seals to the researcher’s career, but also guarantee resources to conduct ambitious research projects. Below you will find a short overview of personal grants aimed at different stages of your career. Please note that extentions may apply and consult the respective funding information below or on the funding agency's website for more details on rules and eligibility.
Young researchers (0-3 years after PhD)
Funding opportunities for early stage researchers with focus on the development of research, expertise and skills. The researcher’s mobility to a different research host institution is fostered.
- Funder: NWO (NL)
- Aim: This mobility grant aims to encourage talented researchers at Dutch universities to dedicate themselves to a career in postdoctoral research in a prestigious foreign research institution.
- General eligibility criteria: Researchers can apply up to 12 months after obtaining their PhD. Rubicon is open for all scientific disciplines and each candidate may only submit an application for a Rubicon grant once. There are 3 submission rounds per year.
- Resources: Postdoc funding for 12 to 24 months. The eligible costs are your salary, including fringe benefits, travel costs and a limited amount for research costs.
- Website Rubicon
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postoctoral Fellowships - Funder: European Commission - Horizon 2020 (EU)
- Aim: This individual postdoctoral fellowship is primarily aimed at promising early-stage researchers or can be used to restart a career. It is for all research areas, to strengthen the researchers profile through a tailor-made training program at a foreign institute or university.
- General eligibility criteria: A maximum of 8 years of research experience from you PhD defense date. You have to comply with the mobility rule.
- Mobility: The European fellowship supports mobility to the Netherlands from any other country, or from the Netherlands to a European country. The Global fellowship supports mobility to a non-EU country with a mandatory return phase.
- Resources: Funding for allowance, training and research costs. European fellowship: duration of 12 to 24 months. Global fellowship: duration of 12 to 24 months abroad, followed by 12 months return to an organization in the EU.
- The UT SBD Grants Office has and extensive masterclass programme for MSCA PF candidates.
- Website MSCA-PF
- Funder: NWO Talent Programme (NL)
- Aim: This personal grant allows young researchers in all research areas to conduct independent research and develop their ideas.
- General eligibility criteria: Applicants must have obtained their PhD within the last three years before the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. Researchers can only submit applications with the support of the Dutch institution where they intend to conduct their research via an embedding guarantee. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may apply. Candidates can apply for a Veni on two occasions.
- Resources: The maximum grant is €320.000,- for a maximum period of three years.
- The UT SBD Grants Office provides an extensive masterclass in which you can participate.
- Website Talent Programme
Independent researchers (3-7 years after PhD)
Funding opportunities for early stage investigators starting an independent research line, based on promising scientific performance indicators.
- Funder: European Research Council (EU).
- Aim: This personal grant aims at excellent researchers at start of their career who have a groundbreaking fundamental research idea.
- General eligibility criteria: Candidates can apply between 2-7 years after obtaining their PhD, measured to the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. At least 50% time involvement of principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply which are based on the evaluation result.
- Resources: €1.500.000,- for a five-year project.
- Website ERC-Starting Grant
- Funder: NWO, Talent Programme (NL)
- Aim: This personal grant allows experienced researchers to develop their innovative line of research. In this previous research period, you have come up with innovative ideas that you have been able to independently and successfully develop further.
- General eligibility criteria: Researchers can submit up to 7 years after obtaining their PhD before the benchmark date (October 1). Extensions may apply. Researchers can only submit applications for Vidi funding with the support of the Dutch institution where they intend to conduct their research. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may apply. Candidates can apply for a Vidi on two occasions.
- Resources: The maximum grant is €850.000,- for a maximum period of five years, which can also be used to appoint researchers.
- Website Talent Programme
Consolidating researchers (8-15 years after PhD)
Funding opportunities for consolidating a research line through an individual research project.
- Funder: European Research Council (EU).
- Aim: This personal grant aims at excellent researchers who wish to consolidate their career with a groundbreaking fundamental research idea.
- General eligibility criteria: Candidates can apply 8-12 years after obtaining their PhD, measured to the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. At least 40% time involvement of the principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply, which are based on the evaluation result.
- Resources: €2.000.000,- for a five year project.
- Website ERC-Consolidator Grant
- Funder: NWO, Talent Programme (NL)
- Aim: This personal grant gives senior researchers the opportunity to build up their own research group, often in anticipation of a tenured professorship. This research group must become structurally embedded in the research institution. Vici is targeted at outstanding senior researchers who have successfully demonstrated the ability to develop their own innovative lines of research, proved their abilities in their field of research and act as coaches for young researchers.
- General eligibility criteria: Researchers who have obtained their PhD within the last 15 years can apply for a Vici grant. Extensions may apply. A researcher can submit a maximum of three Vici pre-proposals.
- Resources: The maximum grant is €1.500.000,- for a maximum period of five years, which can be used to appoint researchers as well.
- Website Talent Programme
Established researchers (>15 years after PhD)
Funding opportunities for senior researchers.
- Funder: European Research Council (EU).
- Aim: This personal grant is for established excellent researchers, with a fundamental ground-breaking, high-risk research idea that represents a next-level step in the field and their own career.
- General eligibility criteria: Candidates are active researchers who have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. At least 30% time involvement of the principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply, which are based on the evaluation result.
- Resources: €2.500.000,- for a five year project.
- Website ERC-Advanced Grant
Last edit: 17 January 2024