Researcher-initiated research projects are not bound by any thematic priority and are not restricted to any area of science; they can relate to any type of discovery research, if otherwise the project idea meets the conditions laid down in the call for proposals. The call is financed from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.

In addition to the present call, there are further funding schemes dedicated to the promotion of discovery science: for young researchers (FK_17), for research projects based on international cooperation (NN_17, ANN_17, SNN_17), and for covering the wage-like costs of postdoctors (PD_17).

Submission of project proposals

Applications can be submitted electronically through the Online Application Portal of the NRDI Office by 2 March 2017. The submission is successful if the application was finalised electronically by the researcher and approved by the host institution, and if the hard copies of all required documents were received by the customer service of the NRDI Office via regular mail, postmarked no later than 9 March 2017. Applications may not be submitted in person.

All applications must be submitted in English irrespective of the field of science. In certain cases applicants may be exempted from the requirement of submission in English if the NRDI Office has given its prior consent — upon a request to this effect submitted by 13 February 2017 — to the submission of the application in Hungarian with reference to the fact that, according to the reasons provided by the applicant, the research project can only be properly assessed by Hungarian experts.

Who can apply

• Researchers (principal investigators) with Hungarian or foreign nationality have to apply jointly with the host institution which has to be
  
• a higher education institution, research centre, research institution, budgetary organ or an institution thereof having legal personality if it qualifies as a research organisation;
  
• a business company having at least one full financial year closed, applying double-entry bookkeeping, not belonging to the scope of simplified entrepreneurial tax (EVA);
  
• a non-profit organisation pursuing research and development as core activity.
  

Throughout the entire project implementation period, the principal investigator shall be employed full-time by the host institution under an employment contract, civil service contract or other work-related legal relationship.

Projects can also be implemented by consortia.

Eligible objectives and activities

The discovery research activities indicated in the research and work plan, and the actions required to implement the project plan submitted to the NRDI Office are eligible and not bound by any thematic priority or restricted to any field of science.

Available budget

In order to achieve the objectives of the call the NRDI Office has earmarked a total budget of HUF 8 billion from the NRDI Fund for the 2017-2020 period in line with the Act on the Central Budget and with regard to the programme strategy of the NRDI Fund. From this amount HUF 2.29 billion can be disbursed in 2017 depending on the programme strategy for 2017. (Due to the characteristics of submitted project proposals, the total budget was eventually reduced to HUF 6.5 billion, and the difference was made available for young researchers under the FK_17 scheme). 

Available funds

Up to HUF 48 million in non-refundable funding per project. Maximum funding intensity is 100%. 

Duration of the project

Funded projects shall be implemented within 48 months from project launch. Projects shall commence between 1 September 2017 and 1 December 2017.

Key features of calls promoting discovery research

* Due to the characteristics of submitted project proposals, the original budget was modified and rearranged between the calls.