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Junior and Senior Research Projects – FWO

Description

The Junior and Senior Research Projects programme of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) supports fundamental research projects initiated by researchers in all scientific disciplines. The programme aims to advance curiosity-driven research focused on generating new knowledge, without requiring direct practical or commercial applications.

Projects are bottom-up, meaning applicants propose their own research topics. The programme encourages innovative, interdisciplinary, and high-risk research ideas that contribute to expanding scientific knowledge and may potentially lead to major scientific breakthroughs or paradigm shifts.

Two funding tracks exist:

  • Junior research projects: for applicants with up to 12 years postdoctoral experience.
  • Senior research projects: for applicants with more than 12 years postdoctoral experience.

Funding Amount

Funding supports staff, consumables, and equipment necessary for the project.

Key funding parameters include:

  • Minimum funding: €50,000 per year for the entire project.
  • Maximum funding: €145,000 per year per participating institution.
  • Equipment funding: up to €150,000 per project.

Project duration:

  • Minimum: 2 years
  • Maximum: 4 years (no extension possible).

Non-Flemish research partners may receive up to 10% of the total project budget.

Submission Deadlines

  • Call opening: 15 January 2026
  • Internal host institution deadlines: March 2026
  • Submission deadline: 1 April 2026 (17:00 CET)
  • Rebuttal phase: 10–21 September 2026
  • Panel meetings: 19–30 October 2026
  • Announcement of results: 11 December 2026
  • Project start date: 1 January 2027.

Eligible Types of Applicants

Applicants must be independent researchers affiliated with eligible Flemish research institutions, including:

  • Universities in Flanders
  • Flemish research institutions recognised by FWO regulations

Key applicant conditions include:

  • Projects must be supervised by a supervisor-spokesperson affiliated with the host institution.
  • A researcher may act as (co-)supervisor for only one project per application round.
  • Applicants may be involved in a maximum of two ongoing or submitted projects simultaneously.

Eligibility for project category:

  • Junior projects: PhD obtained ≤12 years before the deadline.
  • Senior projects: PhD obtained >12 years before the deadline.

Eligible Countries

  • Belgium (Flanders) must host the main research institution.
  • Collaboration with other Flemish, federal, and international research institutions is possible.

Submission Conditions

  • Proposals must be submitted via the FWO e-portal by the host institution.
  • The application must include the complete project proposal and required supporting documents.
  • Proposals undergo international peer review and evaluation by discipline-specific expert panels.
  • Applicants can respond to reviewer comments during a rebuttal phase before final evaluation.
  • Final funding decisions are made following the panel evaluations.

Expected Outcome

The programme aims to:

  • Advance high-quality fundamental scientific research.
  • Generate new knowledge and scientific insights across disciplines.
  • Encourage innovative and potentially transformative research ideas.
  • Strengthen the international competitiveness of Flemish research institutions.

Scope

The programme funds fundamental research projects addressing basic scientific questions across all disciplines.

Key features include:

  • Research is curiosity-driven and knowledge-generating.
  • Projects may be individual or collaborative and may involve multiple research institutions.
  • Collaboration with international partners is possible, including through the WEAVE initiative.

Projects may include:

  • Research personnel
  • Operational and consumable costs
  • Equipment necessary for the research project.

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