DFF-Research Project1

  • All councils and the cross-council committee

The instrument is characterised by having a clear and well-defined research question, where the research activities are expected to be of a high, international level of quality.

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Please note

This page presents the overall framework for the instrument. The full Call for Proposals for Independent Research in Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025 can be accessed here or under "Documents” in the right column. Please read this carefully before applying to DFF for funding. In case of discrepancies between the website and the Call for Proposals, the Call for Proposals applies.

Objective

To advance the quality of Danish research, DFF offers funding for research projects within a budgetary framework of up to DKK 2,200,000, excluding overhead/administration expenses. A DFF-Research Project1 is characterised by having a clear and well-defined research question, where the research activities are expected to be of a high, international level of quality. The duration of a DFF-Research Project1 is typically 3 years, but it is possible to apply for a project of up to 4 years’ duration if the project includes one or more PhD student(s).

Framework

PhD age requirements

You must possess independent research experience typically corresponding to 3 years or more after having obtained a PhD degree (or similar qualifications).

Budget

Up to DKK 2,200,000 excluding overhead /administration expenses

Duration

Typically 3 years, but it is possible to apply for a project of up to 4 years’ duration if the project includes one or more PhD student(s).

Starting date

Earliest 1 December 2025
Latest: 1 December 2026

Assessed by

All councils and cross-council committee

Applicant requirements

You must possess independent research experience typically corresponding to 3 years or more after having obtained a PhD degree (or similar qualifications). Your previous results will be assessed in relation to your career path (see section 4.3.5 and section 4.3.7 in the Call for Proposals), and in relation to the scientific challenges of the applied-for project. If you, as the applicant, are not an associate professor and have not been awarded a positive associate professor assessment (“lektorbedømmelse”) and the project involves the education of researchers, you must account for how the relevant supervision will be provided, and how the research student’s scientific association to the project will be ensured.

Application requirements

DFF attaches importance to the requirement that the project description containing a description of any sub-projects, including PhD and postdoctoral projects.

You can apply for funding for embedded PhD and postdoctoral scholarships, if these are well integrated into the project and fulfil a clear, independent function within the research project. Embedded postdoctoral candidates must have obtained their PhD within the last 4 years at the time of the DFF application deadline. If an embedded postdoctoral candidate does not have a PhD degree, they must have achieved equivalent qualifications, e.g., a positive assistant professorship evaluation (”adjunktbedømmelse”), within the last 4 years at the time of the DFF application deadline. Periods of leave must be deducted from the PhD age (see section 4.3.6 concerning calculation of the PhD age in the Call for Proposals). If a named postdoctoral candidate is a PhD student at the time of application, the application must include a declaration from the student’s supervisor, stating that the student is expected to submit the PhD thesis within 6 months after the application deadline.

Council-specific conditions

If you apply for DFF | Medical Sciences it is not a requirement that postdoctoral candidates have obtained their PhD within the last 4 years at the time of the application deadline.

There must be a sufficiently balanced relationship between the roles of all listed project participants (scientific/academic staff, technical/administrative staff, and whether funded or not), and the concrete role of the participants must be accounted for and justified. 

If the application includes requests for funding for unnamed PhD students and/or unnamed postdoctoral participants, the application must include an account of the proposed recruitment process.

Supplementary information

Timeline

Deadline 29 April 2025 at 12:00 PM
Decision September 2025
Expected reply October 2025

Documents

Templates

The budget template must be downloaded in e-grant.

Questions about your application?

Contact the secretariat
Weekdays from 9 am - 12 pm
Tel.: +45 72 31 82 00
Email: dff-opslag@ufm.dk