International Research Funding Circular – 28 March 2025

Please see the latest European and International research funding information, event and opportunity updates.

News

  1. NEW: ERC to double allowance for researchers moving to EU: https://sciencebusiness.net/r-d-funding/european-research-council/erc-double-allowance-researchers-moving-eu

The European Research Council (ERC) is doubling the relocation allowance it makes to researchers coming to the EU (including the UK as an Associated Country) to take up one of its grants. At present it offers third-country researchers up to €1 million to cover eligible start-up costs in their new European host institution; this will now rise to €2 million.

 

  1. NEW: Chancellor Delivers Spring Statement 2025 – Research Summary: https://funding.myresearchconnect.com/News/View/GRUKRES!N26712

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the Spring Statement 2025, revising down growth forecasts for 2025 from 2% to 1% while upgrading forecasts for subsequent years. Key announcements include additional funding for defense R&D, creation of UK Defence Innovation, and significant investments in AI and digital technology to reform public services.

 

  1. NEW: Joint statement by the European Research Council and the European Innovation Council: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/circabc-ewpp/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/559a446c-690c-47e3-abaf-ddd09b1201ad/file.bin

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Research Council (ERC) issued a joint statement on March 26, 2025, emphasizing the need for increased budgets, clear mandates, and agile governance to support Europe’s deep-tech start-ups and excellent researchers. They highlighted their complementary roles and the importance of ringfencing budgets in the future EU R&I Framework Programme (FP10).

 

Events

 

  1. Overview of Horizon Europe Information Session, Tuesday 8th April, 12:00-13:15, Clement Stephenson Lecture Theatre, Agriculture Building

Horizon Europe is the ambitious EU research & innovation framework programme for 2021-2027 with a budget of €95.5 billion. There are many opportunities within it, both at individual level and to develop consortia, from frontier research to challenge-driven research to innovation. Join us for this session by the Research Funding Development team that presents an overview of the existing framework programme, timescale for upcoming calls and how to engage with them, and the latest on the future framework programme. Please register your attendance.

 

  1. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 Information Session, Wednesday 2nd April, 13:00-14:00, Stephenson Building 2.024 https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

The objective of the MSCA PFs is to support research careers and foster excellence in research. Postdoctoral Fellowships offer funding for living allowance, research, training, and networking costs as well as management and indirect costs. The information session is aimed at prospective supervisors and current MSCA supervisors at the university will share their experiences. Attendees can register here.

 

  1. Horizon Europe info days by European Commission (mostly online)

 

 

European related funding

 

  1. NEW: MSCA Staff Exchanges 2025: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/staff-exchanges

The Staff Exchanges action funds short-term international and inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in research and innovation activities of participating organisations. The aim is to develop sustainable collaborative projects between different organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors (in particular SMEs), based in Europe and beyond. Exchanged staff benefit from new knowledge, skills and career development perspectives, while participating organisations increase their research and innovation capacities. Staff Exchanges are open to international consortia of universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs and other non-academic organisations. Deadline 8 October 2025.

 

8: REMINDER: Horizon Europe Draft Work Programmes

Leaks to Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programmes (and early 2026-2027 notes) as published by Science Business news are pasted below. Please note the drafts are subject to redrafting and change, but may help indicate potential call topics to start to find partners and build European country consortia. Formal 2025 Work Programmes are expected to be finalised and published in April 2025, with many expected around 7-10 April:

 

2026-27 Work Programmes

 

2025 Work Programmes

 

In addition (confidentially) please see:

 

Note, one may request funds from the NU Horizon Europe Travel Fund (see below) to support development of partnerships towards any of these calls.

 

  1. OSCARS Call for Open Science Projects: https://oscars-project.eu/

Open Science Clusters’ Action for Research and Society (OSCARS) is a four-year Horizon Europe project funded by the European Union, which aims to foster the uptake of open science in Europe. The project works to strengthen the role of the Science Clusters across research in Europe, which form the foundations of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). OSCARS has launched its second and final call for projects to select third-parties for the development of new, innovative open science projects or services, which will promote the use of open science in the European Research Area (ERA). Proposed projects should fit within the Science Clusters: •Astronomy and particle physics. • Environmental science. • Life science. • Photon and neutron science. • Social sciences and humanities. Applicants may apply for between €100,000 and €250,000 per project. Projects are expected to last between 12 and 24 months. Deadline 14 May 2025.

 

  1. Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking: https://www.cbe.europa.eu/open-calls-proposals

The mission of CBE JU is to advance a competitive bioeconomy for a sustainable Europe. To achieve this goal, the public-private partnership is funding projects developing innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions, with a focus on these strategic priorities: feedstock, processing, products, as well as cross-cutting aspects of communication and environmental sustainability. The CBE JU 2025 call for project proposals will open for submission on 4 April 2025 with foreseen deadline of 17 September 2025. Meanwhile, you can already prepare your proposal based on the call topic text published in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025.

 

  1. European Innovation Council Pathfinder Open 2025 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2025-pathfinderopen

The EIC Pathfinder enables multidisciplinary research teams to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies. This route supports early stage development of future technologies up to proof of concept. A total of €142 million is available to enable applicants to realise an ambitious vision for radically new technology, with potential to create new markets and/or to provide solutions for global challenges. Submissions may be made by consortia of at least three different independent legal entities (such as research organisations, universities, SMEs, start-ups, industry, natural persons) established in at least three different eligible countries (EU Member States and Associate Countries including the U.K), of which at least one must be an EU Member State. Deadline 21 May 2025

 

Meanwhile, EIC Pathfinder Challenges topics for 2025 (deadline 29 October 2025) are:

  • Biotech for Climate Resilient Crops and Plant-Based Biomanufacturing
  • Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
  • Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments
  • Waste-to-value devices: Circular production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials

 

  1. Project Grants for Clinical and Basic Studies of Autoimmunity in Type-1 Diabetes https://www.europeandiabetesfoundation.org/workshops/132-efsd-and-sanofi-european-diabetes-research-programme-autoimmunity-type-1-diabetes.html

The European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) is inviting proposals for the 2025 round of the European Diabetes Research Programme on Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes, which offers support for basic and clinical research aimed at improving current knowledge of any aspect of autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes, including pathogenesis, screening and monitoring, clinical course and interventions. Grants of up to €100,000 are available for projects hosted by single non-profit institutions, or groups of institutions, based in Europe or associated countries. Deadline 15 May 2025

 

  1. Fondation Maladies Rares and CMT-France Launch Joint Call on Charcot-Marie-Tooth Diseases https://fondation-maladiesrares.org/le-financement-des-projets-scientifiques/

Fondation Maladies Rares and CMT-France have launched a joint call for proposals to support innovative basic, translational or clinical research programmes on CMT diseases. All disciplines in the biomedical sciences or the humanities and social sciences are eligible. The programme seeks to support at least one project for the development of therapeutic strategies and at least one project focused on improving CMT patients’ quality of life.The call will provide up to €25,000 for a project with a maximum duration of 24 months. Deadline 22 May 2025

 

  1.  MSCA COFUND Doctoral/Postdoctoral Fellowships: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/news/msca-opens-eu1018m-call-to-co-fund-doctoral-and-postdoctoral-programmes

Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) applications are now being accepted under the co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND) scheme, which provides funding for regional, national and international programmes for training and career development through co-funding mechanisms. The programme supports new or existing doctoral programmes and postdoctoral fellowship schemes managed by entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries with the aim of spreading the best practices of the MSCA. This includes international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research training, as well as international and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers at all stages of their career. COFUND projects should last for up to five years and should recruit at least three researchers. MSCA are open to all domains of research and innovation. Any type of organisation can apply as long as they have the operational and financial capacity to carry out the tasks they propose. The budget for the 2025 call is €101.82 million. A beneficiary can receive a maximum of €10 million per call. COFUND funding helps host organisations cover for each supported researcher with a fixed amount (COFUND allowance) equivalent to the minimum salary that researchers should receive. This allowance can be used to support any cost items of the programme. Deadline 24 June 2025.

 

  1.  Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking 2025 calls

Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking has published its 2025/26 Biannual Work Programme and this includes the 2025 Calls for Proposals (Annex VI, page 141 onward). There is €138.7m available across 10 Topics, nine of which have a planned opening date of October this year with a proposal submission deadline of February 2026.

 

  1.  Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) calls 9 and 10 launched: https://www.ihi.europa.eu/apply-funding/future-opportunities

IHI call 9 – a single-stage, applicant driven call:

The following topics were launched under IHI call 9 on 16 January 2025. The final versions of the call texts are available on the IHI call 9 page – applicants should read them carefully.

  • Topic 1 (SO1): Boosting innovation for a better understanding of the determinants of health
  • Topic 2 (SO2): Boosting innovation through better integration of fragmented health R&I efforts
  • Topic 3 (SO3): Boosting innovation for peopled centred integrated healthcare solutions
  • Topic 4 (SO4):Boosting innovation through exploitation of digitalisation and data exchange in healthcare
  • Topic 5 (SO5):Boosting innovation for better assessment of the added value of innovative integrated healthcare solutions

IHI call 10 – a standard, two-stage call:

The following topics were launched under IHI call 10 on 16 January 2025. The final versions of the texts are available on the IHI call 10 page – applicants should read them carefully.

  • Digital label: one source of comprehensive information for medical technology products
  • Enabling and safeguarding innovation in secondary use of health data in the European Health Data Space (EHDS)
  • Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure, emissions, and end of life management in the healthcare sector

 

  1.  COST Actions Networking Grants 2025: https://www.cost.eu/funding/open-call-a-simple-one-step-application-process/

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research, including social science and humanities. COST does not fund research itself, but funds the expenses of interdisciplinary research networks called COST Actions (networks that engage a team of proposers from at least 7 COST member countries with at least half from inclusiveness target countries). These support a range of networking tools, such as workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions (STSMs), communication activities, and virtual networking tools. COST Actions enable researchers from academia, SMEs, public institutions and other relevant organisations to investigate a topic of their choice for four years. No budget forecast is requested when submitting a proposal. An estimated €125,000 is made available for a COST Action in its first year and an average of €150,000 per year for the other three years. Deadline is 21 October 2025.

 

  1. REMINDER: NU Horizon Europe Travel Fund:

The purpose of the Horizon Europe travel fund is to support the development of proposals to Horizon Europe funding opportunities. Awards will be made to cover the basic costs of travel and subsistence (typically ~£500-2000) of Newcastle University staff members to meet with EU partners—we request that funds are spent within 3 months of a request being approved. It is the applicant’s responsibility to arrange travel bookings. Please complete the travel request form: https://forms.office.com/e/xu0FZ65dif . We will return a decision to you asap, typically within five working days. Should you have any queries, please email sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk

 

 

Official development assistance (ODA) related funding

 

  1. NEW: NIHR Global Health Research March update:

NIHR is pausing the Global Health Research calls while they understand the impact to the Global Health Research Programme’s funding from the Prime Minister’s announcement to temporarily reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3% of GNI by 2027.  Further information will be supplied as soon as it is available.

 

  1. NEW: Wellcome Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental health: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/mental-health-award-leveraging-longitudinal-data-transform-early-intervention

We are funding experts to unlock the potential of longitudinal datasets and develop innovative ways of identifying anxiety, depression and/or psychosis early. Successful teams will integrate cutting-edge analytics of longitudinal data with experimental research so that, in time, people may benefit from better targeted early interventions. Funding of £1-5 million per project is available over 3-5 years. Research with LMICs is encouraged. Information webinar on 7 May, with scope check deadline of 8 July and application deadline of 22 July 2025.

 

  1. NEW: PTES Grants Open for Endangered Species Research in the UK, UK Overseas Territories and LMICs: https://ptes.org/grants/apply-grant/

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is a UK registered charity founded on the objective of ensuring a future for many endangered wildlife species throughout the world. PTES Worldwide Conservation Insight Grants offer funding for research or conservation projects focusing on endangered species around the world. Funds are awarded for work that aims to generate the scientific evidence that will facilitate the conservation of a species. The evidence may include testing a conservation intervention to address a particular threat or answering a key conservation question that will enable conservationists to undertake critical conservation action. Priority is given to native project leaders working in their own country, rather than UK or other nationals working abroad. Preference will be given to applicants who have a proven, successful history working on the species and/or in that region. Grants are between £3,000 and £10,000 per annum up to a maximum total of £20,000 over two years. Pre-applications deadline of 29 May 2025.

 

 

 

General international

 

  1. NEW: Wellcome Climate Impacts Awards: Unlocking urgent climate action by making the health effects of climate change visible: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/climate-impacts

The aim of this scheme is to make the impacts of climate change on physical and mental health visible to drive urgent climate policy action at scale. We will fund transdisciplinary teams to deliver short-term, high-impact projects that maximise policy outcomes by combining evidence generation with influencing and engagement strategies. Applicants and team members can be based anywhere in the world (except mainland China). Up to £2.5 million available over 3 years. Webinar recording available with deadline of 30 April 2025.

 

  1. NEW: Huo Family Foundation grants

The Huo Family Foundation is expanding its scientific research grant-giving in the UK and US, establishing a research portfolio on the impact of digital technology on brain development, social behaviours and mental health in young people. It is offering up to £10M/$13M in funding for multi-year research grants on the impact of digital technology on children, adolescents and young adults. They are inviting applications from UK- and US-based researchers for:

  1. Huo early-career fellowships – up to three years, up to £130k/$169k pa. Find out more about applying for this grant.
  2. Junior faculty research grants – up to three years, up to £200k/$260k pa. Find out more about applying for this grant.
  3. Special projects – up to four years, up to £300k/$390k pa. Find out more about applying for this grant.

Application Deadline is 23 May 2025.

 

  1. NEW: Amazon Research Awards Spring 2025: https://www.amazon.science/research-awards/call-for-proposals

The Amazon Research Awards (ARA) offers unrestricted funds and AWS Promotional Credits to support research in areas relevant to Amazon. Relevant fields include but are not limited to: Machine learning; automated reasoning; computer vision; fairness in AI; algorithms and theory relating to machine learning; natural language processing; robotics; security; and sustainability. Funding is provided on the basis of Calls for Proposals (CFPs). The following CFPs are open for the spring 2025 call: • AI for Information Security • Amazon Ads • Build on Trainium • Think Big. Typically, each CFP provides both unrestricted funds (reaching a maximum of $80,000-$100,000, depending on the call) alongside AWS promotional credits. Spring deadline is 30 April 2025.

 

  1. NEW: OIV 2025 Vine and Wine Research Grants: https://www.oiv.int/what-we-offer/research-grants

The OIV Research Grants are offered are either three years for researchers wishing to explore or improve an area of scientific competence compatible with the priority themes of the OIV, or short-term (6-15 months) for specific postgraduate training programmes. Projects must address one of the following priority themes and topics:

  • Addressing the climate change, water soil and biodiversity management challenges through solutions for sustainable vitiviniculture:
  • Deploying technological breakthroughs in grape and wine production materials in processing and packaging:
  • Management of the whole value chain to improve the systemic resilience of the global vine and wine sector:
  • Consumer safety, nutrition, health and information:

Grants for up to €50,000 (3 years) and up to €15,000 (6-15 months) are available. Application deadline is 31 May 2025.

 

  1. Sony Women in Technology Award 2026: https://womenintechnology.sony.com/

The Sony Women in Technology Award is a collaboration between Sony and Nature that aims to recognise and reward exceptional women who are making significant contributions to the technology field. The award highlights the achievements of women driving positive change through technology, with a focus on their impact on society and the planet. By showcasing these accomplishments, the award seeks to inspire and empower the next generation of women in technology. Women researchers in the early to mid stages of their careers, working in academia, at a research institution, or an affiliated university spinout in any country, are invited to apply. A PhD or equivalent is not required. Three winners will each receive $250,000 to further their research and innovation. Their work will also be showcased on Nature.com, amplifying its impact and fostering global collaborations. Deadline 30 May 2025.

 

  1. Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (GBSF) grant funding: http://www.gbsf.org.uk/grants/overview/

The Foundation’s aim is to develop good relations between the United Kingdom and Japan by advancing the education of the people of both nations in each other’s culture, society and achievements. It seeks to promote mutual understanding and cooperation through financial support for activities in the following fields: • Arts and Culture • Humanities and Social Issues • Japanese Language • Medicine and Health • Science, Technology and Environment • Sport • Youth and Education. The Foundation’s awards are intended to provide “pump-priming” and not core funding of projects. Standard travel grants between the UK and Japan are £2,000, and up to £2,500 for visits of more than two weeks. This also includes travel for PhD students from UK universities wishing to visit Japan for dissertation research or to complete fieldwork. Applications for longer-term fieldwork of six months or more in Japan can be considered, with grants of up to £5,000. The UK office holds three annual awards meetings, with application deadlines on 31st March, 15th September and 15th December.

 

  1. EPSRC Japan-UK joint call for collaborations in advancing human-centred AI: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/japan-uk-joint-call-for-collaborations-in-advancing-human-centred-ai/

Based on the implementation principles of the ASPIRE program in Japan, this partnership programme aims to support internationally competitive collaborative research projects between Japan and the UK focusing on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. This programme will create leading international research networks, and nurture early career researchers to invigorate the AI sector in each country. Up to £1.5M (for UK component) over 5 years available. Deadline 22 May 2025.

 

  1. Google PhD Fellowships in Computer Science: https://research.google/programs-and-events/phd-fellowship/

The Google PhD Fellowships support outstanding graduate students undertaking exceptional and innovative research as part of a PhD in computer science or related field. The awards range from $10,000 to $85,000 per year, depending on location, to fund stipend, tuition, fees and research costs over a maximum three year period. Fellows will also be allocated a Google Mentor to provide support for the duration of the fellowship. Fields of interest for the 2025 application round include: Computer architecture. Health research.             Human-computer interaction.        Machine learning and ML foundations.  Machine perception.        Natural language processing.     Privacy, safety and security.             Quantum computing.     Software engineering and programming languages.             Systems, networking and cloud computing. In Europe, institutions may nominate up to three eligible students so please let jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk know if you are interested in making a nomination by 28 April 2025 to coordinate demand. The Google deadline is 15 May 2025.

 

  1. Ivano Bertini Award for Achievement in Integrated Structural Biology 2026: https://instruct-eric.org/submit-call/bertini-award-2026

Instruct-ERIC offers a biennial award in memory of Ivano Bertini, who pioneered innovative methodologies in the field of NMR spectroscopy and championed technology integration as a foundation for correlative structural biology. The award recognises scientists who have undertaken frontier research utilising an integrative structural biology approach that aligns with the Instruct vision. Awardees receive an unrestricted grant of €15,000, a personalised certificate and will deliver a lecture at the Instruct Conference. Deadline 31 July 2025.

 

  1. Australia-UK platform studies in areas of unmet clinical need: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/australia-uk-platform-studies-areas-unmet-clinical-need/97018

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) UK are inviting applications for ambitious platform studies in areas of unmet medical need. The platform must be internationally collaborative, with joint leads based in Australia and the United Kingdom. The total funding is $30m AUD (equivalent to £15.5m GBP) up to 1 to 3 platforms over up to 7 years. The Australian components can each receive up to $5m AUD per platform, while the UK component can receive up to £7.8m GBP (around £2.6m per award). Stage one application deadline 23 July 2025.

 

  1. Bilateral Japan-UK Call to Develop Long-Term Collaborations in Quantum Technologies Research https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/japan-uk-joint-call-for-quantum-technologies-for-innovation/

Funding will support research related to quantum computers and quantum technology which contributes to the realisation of a productivity revolution, and research on quantum materials with innovative functions. Applications will have a project lead based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding and a project lead based at a Japanese research organisation eligible for Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) funding. The ambition is to fund approximately three collaborations for projects of five years’ duration. The total fund value on the UK side is £5.625 million at 100% full economic cost (FEC). Deadline 8 May 2025.

 

  1. 18th NRF Singapore Science and Technology Fellowships https://www.nrf.gov.sg/grants/nrff/

The NRF has launched the 18th edition of its fellowship programme, intended to support projects that exhibit high likelihood of a research breakthrough. The edition will fund fellowships starting in 2026.Eligible applicants are outstanding young scientists and researchers of all nationalities. The applicant must hold a PhD holders and have research experience in any discipline of science and technology . Each award provides a research grant of up to SGD 3.25 million (inclusive of 30% general overheads) over five years to enable the recipient to assemble and lead a small research team at a Singapore-based research organisation of choice. Deadline 7 May 2025

 Project Initiation Form (PIF): https://www.cognitoforms.com/NewcastleUniversity1/NewcastleUniversityNuTHProjectInitiationFormV2

If you’re in the process of developing a research proposal please ensure you submit a PIF as soon as possible. The PIF is not just a mechanism to initiate a costing, it enables the research support team to identify and engage on your behalf the varying types of research and business support beneficial to your bid. Please note you don’t need to define all resources required before engaging with the team. To maximise the support available to you, PIF submission is advised at your earliest convenience.

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