Available budget

In the period 2021-2025, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology allocates a combined budget of HUF12.9 billion from the NRDI Fund for the programme of the thematic research projects (K_21), the young researchers’ and postdoctoral excellence programmes (FK_21, PD_21) and the programmes of thematic research projects based on Hungarian–Austrian or Hungarian–Slovenian bilateral cooperation (ANN_21 and SNN_21).

Amount of funding

According to the call, no more than HUF 48 million for maximum 48 months can be requested in the case of Hungarian–Austrian projects (ANN_21) and HUF 36 million maximum 36 months in the case of Hungarian–Slovenian projects (SNN_21). If the duration of the project is shorter, requested funding should be decreased on a pro rata temporis basis.

Duration of the project

The maximum project duration is 36 or 48 months respectively, depending on the concerned relation. Projects shall commence between 1 September and 1 December 2021. The earliest date for reporting costs is the project start date specified in the funding agreement.

Submission of applications

Complying with its legal obligation, the NRDI Office enables applicants to submit their applications exclusively electronically. In this case, the documents required in Point “J” of the call to be submitted by regular mail / with electronic signature must be signed electronically as specified in Point “J” of the call and attached to the application on the Online Application Portal by the deadline for electronic submission, that is, by 18 March 2021 at 16:00 (CET).

Please note that all documents required to be submitted by regular mail/with electronic signature must be submitted in the same way, that is, all documents must be submitted to the NRDI Office either by regular mail or electronically provided with electronic signature.

In the case of regular mail, the submission is successful if the proposal was finalised electronically by the applicant and approved by the head of the host institution by the deadline for E-submission, and the documents required in Point “J” of the call were submitted by regular mail to the Customer Service of the NRDI Office by the deadline. In the case of electronic submission, the submission is successful if the proposal was finalised electronically by the applicant and approved by the head of the host institution by the deadline for E-submission, and the electronically signed versions of the documents required in Point “J” of the call to be submitted by regular mail / with electronic signature have been submitted through the Online Application Portal.
All applications must be submitted in English irrespective of the field of science.

For the program ANN_21, the applications must be submitted by the Hungarian party to the NRDI Office, and by the Austrian collaborative partner to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). The project will be supported only in the case when both applications are supported by the respective agencies.

For SNN_21 applications, submission and evaluation of the project proposals are governed by the Lead Agency system: if the funding requested by the Hungarian party exceeds the funding requested by the Slovenian collaborative partner, evaluation is performed by the NRDI Office. If the Slovenian partner requests higher amount of funding, the proposal is to be submitted and evaluated by the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS).

The applications submitted to the NRDI Office must describe in the work plan how the proposed research work is distributed between the Hungarian and the foreign parties. The research plan must explain the added value of the international collaboration, and the budget proposal of the foreign party must be attached as well.

Eligible applicants

Principal investigators can apply jointly with the host institution which has to be a Hungarian based

• higher education institution, research centre, research institution, budgetary institution or an institution thereof having legal personality that qualifies as a research and knowledge-dissemination organisation under Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014;
• business company which has at least two completed business years, maintains double-entry accounting and is not subject to small taxpayers’ itemized lump sum tax (KATA) that qualifies as a research and knowledge-dissemination organisation under Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014;
• non-profit organisation that qualifies as a research and knowledge-dissemination organisation under Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014.

Throughout the entire implementation period the principal investigator shall be employed by the host institution under an employment contract, civil service contract, works contract or other contract aimed at performing work.

No more than one proposal may be submitted to this call, and K_21, FK_21 or PD_21 proposals are not allowed in parallel. Current KKP grantees are not eligible either.

ANN and SNN grants may be awarded at multiple occasions; however, it is not allowed to have any overlap between the implementation period of such projects.

Eligible objectives and actions

Project proposals can cover discovery research in any fields of science, regardless of thematic priority, if otherwise the application meets the conditions laid down in the call. All activities are eligible that are performed by the participating domestic researcher(s) or research group(s) in order to attain the primary goals set out in the discovery research plan submitted to the NRDI Office and elaborated on the basis of the research and work plan outlined in the call for thematic research projects based on international cooperation.