News Item
Significant adjustments in the new ordinary call for proposals from Independent Research Fund Denmark
The call for proposals for independent research for autumn 2023 and spring 2024 contains a number of adjustments which are significant for potential applicants. These are, amongst others, changes in deadlines and changes in requirements for applicant's PhD age for two of the funding instruments.
Researchers planning to apply for funding from Independent Research Fund Denmark should be aware that the call for proposals for independent research for autumn 2023 and spring 2024 will contain a number of changes. Find an overview of the most important ones below.
The deadlines have been revised because the fund wants to reduce processing time for individual applications and thus response time for individual applicants. This will also give applicants more time to get a response to their application before other application deadlines, and thereby avoiding overlap.
Click here to see the call for proposals Autumn 2023 & Spring 2024
Revision in PhD age requirements
Independent Research Fund Denmark wishes to support all career layers within the field of research by ensuring that there are calls available for researchers at all levels of experience. The change in PhD age profiles for several of the fund's instruments, explicates the career target group of the instruments.
For the instrument DFF-International Postdoc, it is sustained that the PhD age must not exceed 3 years.
For the instrument Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant, a maximum PhD age of 8 years is sustained, while a minimum PhD age of 3 years is introduced as a new requirement.
For the instrument DFF-Research Project2, a minimum PhD age of 8 years is introduced.
For the fund's most requested funding instrument DFF-Research Project1, there will be no changes.
PhD age for funding instruments at Independent Reearch Fund Denmark:
Changed application deadlines
One of the changes in the new call is the application deadlines, as already announced on Independent Research Fund Denmark’s website.
New application deadlines autumn 2023 and spring 2024 — Independent Research Fund
For the funding instrument Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant, the application deadline is changed from the spring deadline to the autumn deadline. This means that the next application deadline for the instrument is October 10, 2023.
For the funding instrument DFF-Research Project1, the application deadline is changed from the autumn deadline to the spring deadline. Therefore, the next application deadline is 16 or 17 April 2024; see exact deadlines for individual councils below.
For the funding instrument Non-university Research Education (PhD), the next application deadline is expected to be in September 2024. The funding instrument Non-university Research Education (PhD) last application deadline was in spring 2023, with implementation in June. Since the application deadline will be moved to an autumn deadline, and the program has already been implemented for 2023, the next application deadline will be in autumn 2024. This is subject to approval of the Danish national budget 2024 and consequently the funding instrument does not appear in the fund's calls for Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024.
The new application deadlines are as follows
Funding instruments with a deadline in autumn 2023:
- Research Networks | Humanities: September 5, 2023
- Journals | Humanities: September 5, 2023
- International research stay | Social Sciences: September 5, 2023
- Pre-graduate scholarship | Medical Sciences: September 5, 2023
- Clinician Scientist Positions | Medical Sciences: September 5, 2023
- Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant: October 10, 2023
- DFF-Research Project2: October 11, 2023
- DFF-International Postdoctoral Grant: October 31, 2023
Funding instruments with a deadline in spring 2024:
- DFF-Research Project1:
- Applications for DFF | Humanities and DFF | Social Sciences: April 16, 2024
- Applications for DFF | Natural Sciences, DFF | Medical Sciences and DFF | Technology and Production: April 17, 2024
- International research stay | Social Sciences: March 20, 2024
- Pre-graduate scholarship | Medical Sciences: March 20, 2024
Upwards adjustments in the budget framework
Independent Research Fund Denmark has decided to raise the amount limits for a number of funding instruments. You can see the adjusted limits for the individual funding instruments in the call for proposals.
To see all changes and to find the exact requirements for the individual instruments, we recommend reading the entire call for proposals. The most significant changes are described in section 1.7.
Learn more and ask questions
Independent Research Fund Denmark will host two information meetings on the adjusted call for proposals.
At the end of august, there will be two identical webinars for researchers, research support units and everyone else seeking more information on the call for proposals. Keep an eye on dff.dk where dates and links for the webinars will be published.
In mid-to-late August, Independent Research Fund Denmark will host information meetings at our offices in Odense for research administration personnel, research support units etc. These meetings will focus on the formal requirements in the updated call for proposals. Keep an eye on our website dff.dk for more information and dates.
Calculation of PhD age
The PhD age is calculated as the period of time between acquiring the PhD (the date as it appears on the PhD diploma) and the date for the application deadline.
When calculating the PhD age, it is possible to deduct specific types of verifiable leave, that has been taken after acquiring the PhD and in concordance with relevant legislation. The types of leave are maternity/paternity/parental leave, illness, bereavement, family care leave and military service.
Moreover, consideration will be given in cases of significant career-relevant circumstances – such as clinical stays or similar – that can be considered a necessary step in a career path, but during which the time for research has been very limited, as well as humanitarian aid work abroad on full time.
For applicants who have been on maternity/paternity leave after obtaining their PhD, the actual number of weeks of leave, multiplied by 2, will be deducted from the applicant’s PhD age. However, there is a maximum of 52 weeks times two per leave connected to a birth/adoption.
Contact
You may direct any questions regarding Independent Research Fund Denmark’s call for proposals and applications at the Fund’s secretariat via e-mail at dff-opslag@ufm.dk or by phone at +45 72 31 82 00 between 9-12 A.M.
For press-related questions, please contact Berit Bader Lemming, Communication and Press Officer at +45 72 31 95 08 or by e-mail at bbl@ufm.dk
June 06, 2023