Back to overview
Grant

ESF Plus RL 2021–2027 Higher Education and Research – B – Early Career Research Groups

The Free State of Saxony supports early-career research groups at Saxon universities with ESF Plus funds, particularly to strengthen the role of women in science. Submission of project proposals is possible on specified deadlines via the SAB funding portal.

Discover your potential with AI support

  • Find out if this grant matches your project
  • Develop your application together with AI
  • Get matched with many more suitable grants
Register now Already registered? Sign in

Grant criteria

Application level: Advanced
Region: Saxony
Funding amount: up to 90% of eligible expenses
Funding rate: up to 90%
Project duration: 36 months

Funding objective

Funding of measures to fully develop the individual educational potential of academic early-career research groups, with a focus on promoting women, to strengthen knowledge and technology transfer between Saxon universities and industry, as well as to support networking and teaching.

Eligible expenses

  • Personnel expenses for early-career researchers (gross salary and ancillary costs)
  • Personnel expenses for student assistants (flat rate)
  • Travel expenses
  • Instruments and equipment
  • Consumables and work materials
  • Show more

Eligible to apply

  • Educational Institutions

Funding requirements

  • Funding recipients must be universities according to § 1 para. 1 SächsHFG in Saxony
  • Junior research groups must consist of at least three early-career researchers
  • Completion of studies or doctorate no more than 6 years ago or application for doctoral procedure submitted or master student status
  • Maximum of two persons over 54 years old for groups with more than five early-career researchers
  • Targeted addressing and gender-balanced composition of female doctoral candidates

Documents required for application

  1. Project idea via SAB funding portal
  2. Application via SAB funding portal upon request
  3. Funding module (General and Special Conditions)
  4. Data protection information (Form 64006/64005)

Description

With funds from the European Social Fund Plus, the Free State of Saxony supports the establishment and strengthening of interdisciplinary junior research groups at Saxon universities. The goal is to fully exploit the individual educational potential of doctoral candidates and early-stage researchers – with a particular focus on promoting women in science. The funding measure simultaneously promotes knowledge transfer between universities and industry, networking, and teaching. Eligible to apply are public universities according to § 1 para. 1 SächsHFG, which staff research groups with at least three junior researchers in a gender-balanced manner and specifically target female doctoral candidates. Affiliation must be no longer than six years after completion of studies or doctorate; exceptions apply for group offers with more than five junior researchers.

The funding is provided as a grant covering up to 90% of eligible expenses for a project duration of up to 36 months. Eligible costs include personnel expenses for junior researchers and student assistants, travel expenses, instruments, consumables and work materials, publications, administrative costs, as well as a residual cost flat rate of 16%. The two-stage application process begins with the submission of a project idea by specified deadlines via the SAB funding portal. After positive pre-selection, applicants are invited to submit a full application. For the application submission, in addition to the project outline, the funding module document with the General and Special Conditions as well as data protection notices (forms 64006/64005) must be submitted. This measure makes an important contribution to equality, innovation promotion, and the qualification of the next generation of researchers in Saxony.

Start application →