NWO Talent Programme Vici 2026

NWO Talent Programme Vici 2026 is sponsored by Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The Vici grant is for senior researchers who have already demonstrated the ability to develop their line of research and have academic qualities that clearly exceed the norm. It enables them to expand their research group and further develop their chosen line of research.

NWO Talent Programme | NWO There is a separate application round once a year for each type of funding under the NWO Talent Programme.

All three forms of funding involve a two-stage assessment procedure: a pre-application stage in which the quality of the researcher is assessed on the basis of a narrative CV with key output, followed by an application stage in which the quality of the research proposal and its scientific and/or societal impact are assessed. The forms of funding within the Talent Programme are aimed at different target groups.

For these target groups, a Veni, Vidi or Vici project can provide a meaningful stimulus for the development of their own line of research and the development of the researcher's talents. The funding is intended to create space for talented researchers to conduct scientific research with impact. For Veni and Vidi funding, NWO requires candidates to provide an “embedding guarantee”.

This means that researchers can only submit applications for these funding rounds with the support of their intended research institution. Prior to submission, researchers can assess which form of funding best suits their career stage. In addition, each programme has an upper limit on the submission deadline in years after PhD, in order to target the funding as effectively as possible at the target group.

NWO has an extension scheme that allows for postponement of the submission deadline under strict conditions. There is a separate application round once a year for each type of funding under the NWO Talent Programme. The deadline for preliminary applications for the Veni grant is in September, for the Vidi grant in November and for the Vici grant in March.

The maximum funding for a Veni grant is €320,000. The maximum funding for a Vidi grant is €850,000. The maximum funding for a Vici is €1.

5 million. The Talent Scheme is set up by NWO together with the KNAW and the universities and the Department of Education, Culture and Science. The Veni target group consists of researchers in the transition phase to independence, for whom the Veni grant can contribute to the researcher's development in this area.

Researchers who are eligible for a Veni grant have academic qualities that clearly exceed what is usual within their peer group. The Veni grant is intended to fund scientifically innovative research and thereby give these researchers the opportunity to develop as independent researchers. The maximum funding amount is €320,000.

The Veni round is open to researchers who obtained their PhD no more than three years ago. The Vidi target group consists of researchers who are in the process of transitioning to leadership positions, for which the Vidi grant can contribute to the researcher's further development in this area.

Researchers who are eligible for a Vidi grant have academic qualities that clearly exceed the norm and demonstrate the development of leadership and mentoring skills. The maximum funding amount is 850,000 euros. The Vidi round is open to researchers who obtained their PhD no more than eight years ago.

The Vici target group consists of researchers who are in the process of consolidating and further developing their leadership/research group, for whom the Vici grant can contribute to the researcher's development in this area. Researchers who are eligible for a Vici grant have academic qualities that clearly exceed the norm and have established leadership and mentoring qualities.

The Vici grant is intended to fund scientifically innovative research, thereby enabling these researchers to expand their research group and further develop their chosen line of research. The maximum funding amount is €1. 5 million.

The Vici round is open to researchers who obtained their PhD no more than fifteen years ago. Veni, Vidi, Vici per domain For the NWO Talent Programme, you must choose which domain panel to submit your application to. Within some domains, the assessment procedure is carried out by disciplinary panels.

This means that there are different assessment committees within those domains. You can choose from: Please note: for the Veni and Vidi grants, ENW works with different panels, but there is a single submission desk. You must indicate your choice of panel on the pre-application form.

Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Please note: within the SGW domain, the assessment takes place in six panels for the Veni and Vidi grants. You must submit your pre-application to the correct submission desk. For Vici grants, SGW works with different panels, but there is a single submission desk.

Applied and Engineerng Sciences (AES) Health Research and Development (ZonMw) Consider in good time which domain (and which panel) is most suitable as the submission point for your application. Once submitted, your choice is final and it is no longer possible to have the application assessed within another domain.

If you are unsure which domain to choose, for example because your application is (partly) cross-domain in nature, please contact one of the programme's contact persons well in advance of the deadline. This person can advise you on the domain in which your application can best be processed. However, the final choice is yours.

Embedding guarantee for Veni and Vidi funding NWO asks candidates for an 'embedding guarantee' in the application rounds for NWO Talent Programme Veni and Vidi funding. Researchers can only submit applications for Veni and Vidi funding with the support of the Dutch institution where they intend to conduct their research. The embedding guarantee format can be downloaded from the financing webpage of the four domains.

In an application for Veni funding, a candidate indicates at which institution she or he wants to do research. With an embedding guarantee for a Veni, universities express their confidence in a candidate and his or her research proposal.

In the embedding guarantee, the intended institution declares that the researcher will have the opportunity to conduct the research within the institution, using all the facilities necessary for this purpose. In a Vidi application, a candidate names her or his intended research institution.

In the embedding guarantee for the Vidi, the intended institution will certify to NWO that if funded, the candidate will receive a tenure track appointment or permanent position.

39 researchers receive Vici grant Vici round 2026 now open for pre-proposals Starting new evaluation NWO’s Talent Programme NWO Talent programme Vici ZonMw 2026 NWO Talent Programme Vici Science 2026 NWO-Talentprogramma Vici AES 2026 NWO Talent Programme Vidi - Health Research and Development (ZonMw) 2025 NWO Talent Programme | Vidi - Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) 2025 NWO Talent Programme Vidi Science 2025 What happens after NWO has awarded your research proposal?

We will take you through the various steps of the project phases: from the start of the project, through its duration and completion.