The deadline for applications in the 2026-1 round is 7 May 2026

What can be applied for?

The Fund is used to temporarily increase the research time for employees to enable them to:
a. prepare applications for personal grants;
b. strengthen their publication list, to have a better chance of receiving funding when applying for personal grants in the near future.

For this round, the increase of research time (and hence decrease in teaching duties) is 0.2 FTE for 6 months, which can take effect in the second semester of the 2026/2027 academic year (February 2027-June 2027). Applicants need to obtain the written consent of the department chair, ensuring release from teaching duties should the grant be awarded. Please contact your department chair as soon as possible if you want to apply.

Applications can be prepared for following grants, followed by the tentative application deadlines:
• ERC Starting Grant: October 2027/2028
• ERC Consolidator Grant: January 2028
• ERC Advanced: August 2027
• NWO Vidi: November 2027/2028 (pre-proposal)
• NWO Vici: March 2028 (pre-proposal)
• NWO Open Competition M: October 2028
• NWO Open Competition L: September 2027 (pre-proposal)
Please see the factsheet NWO and ERC Grants for information of eligibility and criteria. For advice about strategic planning, candidates are recommended to contact the Grant Team (subsidie-fgw@uva.nl).

Who can apply?

Applicants are researchers employed by the Faculty of Humanities of the UvA as UD, UHD or full professor, with a permanent position. UD’s (assistant professors) who received a ‘Startersbeurs’ cannot apply. Applicants need to obtain the written consent of the department chair and the director of the research school before the Talent grant can come into effect (see parts 3 and 4 of the application form).

It is possible to apply for an Individual Talent Fund grant more than once, but not until two years after receiving the previous grant. It is not possible to use an Individual Talent Fund grant twice for the same proposal, i.e. to first strengthen the publication list and then write the actual application.

Application requirements

a. For the preparation of a grant application:

• Applicants should conduct the research project at the FGw of the UvA upon being awarded the NWO/ERC grant.
• Applicants should meet the eligibility criteria of the grant they intend to apply for.
• Applications are drawn up in accordance with the application form provided below and contain a description of the research, the type of grant being applied for, an academic CV, and a work plan.
• The intended research project fits the profile of the research school and/or a research priority area.
• Applications are accompanied by a statement of consent from the Department Chair, ensuring release from teaching duties should the Talent grant be awarded.
• Applications are accompanied by a statement of consent from the director of the Research School, stating that the intended proposal fits within the school’s research profile.
• Applicants commit to writing the intended grant application.
• Applicants commit to following the step-by-step instructions for individual grants provided by the Grant Team Humanities.

b. To strengthen the list of publications:

• Applications are drawn up in accordance with the application form provided below and contain a description of the publication(s), the intended publisher of journal/book, an academic CV, and a work plan.
• The publication(s) fit within the profile of the research school and/or research priority area.
• The publication(s) should be submitted (to the publisher/journal) by the end of the fellowship period.
• Applications are accompanied by a statement of consent from the Department Chair, ensuring release from teaching duties should the Talent grant be awarded.
• Applications are accompanied by a statement of consent from the director of the Research School, stating that the intended proposal fits within the school’s research profile.
• A clear indication is given of the ERC/NWO grant that the applicant intends to apply for when the publication list has been strengthened.
• Applicants commit to following the step-by-step instructions for individual grants provided by the Grant Team Humanities.

Applications assessment

A selection committee composed of members of the Research School will assess the applications on the basis of grant-specific criteria (see the factsheet NWO and ERC Grants), namely the quality of the applicant’s CV/ profile and the research idea. The committee is advised by the Grant Team Humanities.

• CV/profile: track record, key output and other academic achievements; independence and leadership; (inter)national network, collaborative abilities and visibility.
• Research idea: quality and innovative character of the proposal; positioning with respect to scientific and societal themes or questions; feasibility of workplan.

Submitting an application

Applications are submitted by e-mail to Sarah Randeraad via aihr-fgw@uva.nl as one file in PDF format.