Deadline: 17-Sep-2025
The Independent Research Fund Denmark has launched its Non-University Research Education (PhD) Grant Programme to strengthen the education of researchers at public, Danish, non-university research institutions.
The funding instrument covers national non-university research institutions, sector research institutions, university colleges, business academies as well as state archives, libraries, museums, etc. However, the funding instrument does not cover state approved museums, Advanced Technology Group (GTS) institutes, hospitals, and others.
Funding Information
- You may apply for up to DKK 2,100,000 excl. overhead.
- Project duration: 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- You can apply for a PhD grant if you have a Master’s degree or equivalent qualifications as well as confirmation from an institution covered by this funding instrument, stating that it is willing to host your project if you are awarded a grant.
- Each institution may issue a maximum of three letters of confirmation to applicants applying for this funding instrument. The institution’s acceptance to host a project is provided by signing the budget confirmation. It is up to the individual institution to decide which three candidates it consents to hosting.
- If the hosting institution does not award PhD degrees independently, you must be enrolled at a Danish institution with an accredited PhD programme and be affiliated to such a PhD programme at the institution in question.
- Grants are awarded on the condition that you become enrolled in a PhD programme, and that a collaboration agreement is drawn up between you as applicant, the hosting institution and the degree-awarding institution. The application must include a signed letter of intent for collaboration between the three parties in the case of a grant.
- Your main PhD supervisor must be a recognised researcher employed at the degree-awarding institution at which you will be enrolled.
Application Requirements
- Appendices that must always be attached:
- B10: Project description
- The project description must not exceed 5 A4 pages (incl. figures, tables, etc.). The 5 A4 pages must not exceed 15,000 characters incl. spaces, figure captions, formulas, etc. It is recommended to use the “DFF-Project description” template.
- B11: List of references/bibliography
- List of references/bibliography for the project description.
- Budget
- Must be completed in the mandatory DFF budget template downloaded from and uploaded to e-grant.
- B20: Applicant’s CV
- As the applicant, your CV must not exceed 2 A4 pages (incl. figures, tables, etc.). The 2 A4 pages must not exceed 6,000 characters incl. spaces, figure captions, formulas, etc.
- B24: Applicant’s exam results and complete grade transcripts
- Must be attached, both from the Bachelor’s (undergraduate) and Master’s (postgraduate) education programmes, or equivalent documentation from Master’s programme (adult/continuing higher education).
- B30: Main supervisor’s confirmation
- Confirmation of supervision from the main supervisor.
- B40: Participant’s CV and list of publications
- CV and list of publications (max 2 pages in total per person) for all named participants. Note that it must be included from the main supervisor.
- B59: Letter of intent for collaboration
- Letter of intent signed by you as the applicant, the host institution, and the PhD degree-awarding institution.
- B90: Budget confirmation
- Administrator’s confirmation of the budget, etc., in the template “DFF-Budget Confirmation”.
- B10: Project description
- Appendices that must be attached if they are relevant:
- Please note that it is expected that the project will involve other participants in addition to you, as the applicant.
- B21: Applicant’s list of publications
- Must be attached in case you, as the applicant, have already published scientific work.
For more information, visit Independent Research Fund Denmark.
