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Funding Opportunities

The NCN Council has adopted changes to the rules for participation in grant competitions, aimed at curbing the rising number of submitted proposals, safeguarding the quality of the evaluation process, and encouraging experienced researchers to apply for European funding.

Starting in 2027, the same person may serve as principal investigator on only one proposal submitted to the NCN in a given calendar year, with exceptions for selected international calls.

Objective: call for proposals for joint Polish-Spanish basic research projects , funding may be requested to cover salaries for members of the research team, scholarships for students and PhD students, the purchase or manufacture of research equipment, and other costs essential to the research project

For whom: researchers at any stage of their research career.

Duration: projects lasting 24, 36 or 48 months.

Call timeline: Submission of the joint proposals by the Polish and Spanish research teams in the AEI (Agencia Estatal de Investigación – State Research Agency) electronic submission system: 24 November 2026;

Submission of the NCN proposals by the Polish research teams in the OSF submission system: as soon as possible following submission of the joint proposal to AEI, within 7 calendar days,

Announcement of the call results: November 2027,

Project start date: January 2028.

 

Call for research projects addressed to researchers at any stage of their research career. Projects may be carried out over a period of 12, 24, 36 or 48 months (note: different terms for different international partners and proposals).

Objective: funding for research projects conducted through bilateral or trilateral international cooperation under the Weave programme and within the framework of bilateral Polish-Spanish cooperation, as well as for projects involving the use of large-scale international research facilities by Polish research teams.

Projects can be carried out:

– in collaboration with partners from foreign research institutions (OPUS proposals, OPUS LAP (Lead Agency Procedure) proposals);
– without foreign participation (proposals OPUS proposals);
– with the use of large-scale international research infrastructure by the Polish research teams (OPUS proposals, OPUS LAP (Lead Agency Procedure) proposals).

The cooperating research teams can be from: Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium (Flanders), Spain.

Scope: basic research proposals may be submitted to the call in any of 26 NCN panels.

PI: may be a person whose scientific achievements include at least one published or accepted work (he does not have to hold a doctoral degree).

Additional restriction: in this edition of NCN calls, a researcher can be designated as the principal investigator only once, in either an OPUS proposal or OPUS LAP or SONATA proposal.

Deadline: 14:00 on 15.12.2026 (IOC PAS deadline: 1.12.2026)

Objective: for researchers with a PhD conferred within 5 to 12 years before the proposal submission year who intend to create a new research team to conduct basic research projects.

Duration: 36, 48 or 60 months.

Scope: basic research proposals may be submitted to the call in any of 26 NCN panels.

PI: must be a person who obtained their doctoral degree between 2 and 7 years prior to the year of proposal submission (i.e., between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2024).

DEADLINE: 15.12.2026, 14:00 CEST (IOC PAS DEADLINE: 1.12.2026)

Currently, there are no suitable funding opportunities available.

Objective: to support international mobility of PhD students by enabling the fellowships in European and non-European academic centres, Internships: 3 to 6 months;

For whom:  PhD students

Submission of applications: depending on edition, on a continuous basis until December of the coming years up to 2028, but not later than 3 months before the planned visit.

Objective: Support for researchers – Bekker NAWA fellows – returning to Poland after a minimum 18-month research stay abroad, with the aim of establishing a new, independent research team. The funding covers the researcher’s salary only; research costs are not eligible.

Eligible applicants: Polish research institutions employing researchers returning from abroad. The institution must employ the researcher full-time for at least 12 months; Project duration: 12 months; Funding: 102,000 PLN (gross-gross) for the researcher’s salary

Continuous call: 02.06.2025 – 03.11.2026, 15:00

Target audience: scientists holding Polish citizenship who have conducted research abroad in recent years:

• Junior Fellow – for scientists up to 7 years post-PhD,

• Senior Fellow – for more experienced researchers who already lead teams or research projects.

Application: to be completed by the institution planning to employ the Project Manager.

Scope: NAWA funding covers the remuneration of the Project Manager, Project Group members, and the Inviting Person for a period of 3 or 4 years.

Deadline: 22.12.2026, 3:00 PM (Polish time).

Objective: to foster new collaborations between researchers and clinicians and to support original, high-quality projects with strong translational potential. Funded projects are expected to significantly advance the understanding and exploitation of cancer metabolism in clinically relevant settings.

Submission deadlines: Pre-proposals: 21.07.2026 at 12:00 CEST

Full proposals: 13.01.2027 at 12:00 CET

call for bilateral projects under the Programme “Applied research and innovation”

Objective: to improve the quality of scientific research in Poland and to strengthen international cooperation in the field of research and innovation.

The call is not thematically restricted – it is not limited to any specific field.

Projects must address at least one of the EEA Grants priorities (European green transition; democracy, rule of law and human rights; social inclusion and resilience).

Funding per project ranges from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 1,750,000. The duration of projects is 36 months.

For whom: Applications can be submitted by Project Consortia. The Project Consortium shall consist of:
•    at least one entity from Poland – the Project Promoter and
•    at least one research organisation from the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway).

Applications for funding may be submitted from 17.09.2026 (10:00:00 CEST) until 17.12.2026 (15:00:00 CET)

Currently, there are no suitable funding opportunities available.

Objective: to implement doctoral programmes by partnerships of organisations from different sectors across Europe and beyond to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term.

For whom: organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors

DEADLINE: 24.11.2026

Objective: support excellent Principal Investigators starting or having recently started their own independent research team or programme.

For whom: A Starting Grant Principal Investigator should have already shown evidence of the potential for research independence, for example, by having produced at least one important publication as its main author or a publication without the participation of their PhD supervisor.

Deadline: 14.10.2026

 

Objective: support excellent Principal Investigators who are consolidating their own independent research team or programme.

For whom: For excellent researchers with 5 to 15 years experience after PhD.

Deadline: 12.01.2027 17:00 CET (IOC PAS deadline 21.12.2026)

Objective:  support coherent portfolios of projects within predefined thematic areas with the aim to achieve specific objectives for each Challenge. Challenges: Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting System

For whom: Consortia of at least 3 different independent legal entities established in different countries or single applicants

Deadline: 28.10.2026

Objective: Proposals under this topic are expected to specifically address innovation actions that enhance the adaptability, flexibility, and operational efficiency of existing battery recycling processes.; Type of action: Innovation Actions (IA) — projects must include R&D activities with strong industrial relevance and innovation potential.

Who can apply: Consortia of eligible research organisations, universities, industry partners (including SMEs) from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Project focus: Projects are expected to explicitly target improvements for processing mixed input streams, particularly production scrap and various lithium-ion battery chemistries. Proposals are expected to clearly demonstrate technical innovations in black mass processing, resulting in the efficient recovery of high-purity battery-grade materials suitable for reintroduction into the European battery manufacturing value chain.

Planned opening date: 03.12.2026

DEADLINE: 31.03.2027

Objective: 6-24-month research stay in Germany

For whom: postdocs or experienced researchers of any nationality excluding Germany

Submission of applications: on a continuous basis, the commission meets three times a year – in March, July, and November

Objective: a trip to the USA lasting between 2 and 6 weeks, for carrying out a research project, deliver teaching sessions as well as gain an understanding of how American academic institutions operate and learn about the principles of commercialising research.

For whom: postdoctoral researchers in STEM fields,

DEADLINE: 30.10.2026

Objective: European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Scientific Exchange Grants fund research visits of one week (seven days) up to three months (90 days) between laboratories in EMBC Member States and EMBC/EMBO Global Partners

For whom: active researchers at any career stage, with at least one year of graduate-level research experience or its equivalent at the time of submission.
EMBO subject areas: Cell Cycle, Cell & Tissue Architecture, Cellular Metabolism, Chromatin & Transcription, Development, Differentiation & Death, Evolution & Ecology, Genome Stability & Dynamics, Genomic & Computational Biology, Immunology, Membranes & Transport, Microbiology, Virology & Pathogens,
Molecular Medicine, Neuroscience, Plant Biology, Proteins & Biochemistry, RNA, Signal Transduction, Structural Biology & Biophysics, Systems Biology

DEADLINE: on continuous basis, at least 3 months before planned visit

Objective: The Award is intended to cover the costs associated with a visit of a duration up to 12 months by an experienced researcher to a research institution in the state of São Paulo. Note: no funding is granted for the research itself.

For whom: PhD or equivalent title holders with an outstanding research record

DEADLINE: on continuous basis, standard evaluation procedure takes 75 days

The KF Exchange Program to the US is designed for Polish scholars who want to conduct field or archival research, visit a lab, complete an artist residency or artistic project, or teach in US institutions.

Who can apply: Polish citizens who are PhD students, academic scholars, advanced post-doctoral fellows, instructors, assistant professors, researchers, and artists.

The Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowships for:

  • postdoctoral research in the U.S. for 3 – 6 months
  • advanced post-doctoral fellows, instructors and assistant professors (or equivalent)
  • must hold a doctorate degree at the time of application

The Kosciuszko Foundation Grants for:

  • graduate research in the U.S. for 3 – 6 months
  • graduate students and research staff
  • must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent at the time of application

Deadline: November 30, 2026 at 23:59 PM (EST)

Objective: joint mobility research projects to be carried out in the years 2027-2029 within the framework of the Agreement on scientific cooperation between PAS (Polish Academy of Sciences) and RA (Romanian Academy)

For whom: on the Polish side: only researchers employed by research units of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS). The project may also include researchers affiliated with the PAS and researchers from other scientific institutions in Poland, as designated by the project Polish coordinator.

On the Romanian side: researchers from the Romanian Academy’s network of research institutes and from scientific institutions in Romania (including researchers affiliated with the Romanian Academy.

Deadline: 15.10.2026

 

Objective: long-term research fellowships in Japan, lasting between 12 and 24 months, under the Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers 2027 programme, funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

For whom: researchers who obtained their PhD no earlier than 2 April 2021, or who will obtain it before the start of the fellowship. Those who have previously benefited from a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan are not eligible to apply

Deadline: 31.10.2026