Veni is part of the NWO Talent Programme. It allows researchers who have recently obtained their PhD to conduct independent research and develop their ideas for a period of three years
Who can apply
The Veni target group consists of researchers at the stage of transitioning towards independence. The Veni grant can contribute to the researcher’s development in this area. The Veni grant is aimed at researchers with academic qualities that clearly exceed what is customary. The project to be funded should be carried out at an NWO-recognised institution in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Applications can be submitted by candidates who have obtained their PhD, irrespective of whether they hold tenured positions and of whether they come from the Netherlands or abroad. Candidates may only submit an application if they have obtained their PhD in the three years preceding the reference date of this round, 1 January 2026, or between 1 January 2026 and 1 September 2026. An extension to the above career-dependent submission period may be possible under specific circumstances (see Section 3.2.1 of the Call for proposals).
What for
The aim of the NWO Talent Programme is to provide creative space for adventurous, talented, pioneering researchers to do research of their choice, develop their own line of research and further develop their talent.
The Veni grant is intended to fund scientifically innovative research and to enable promising researchers to establish themselves as independent researchers. Researchers who are significantly further along in their careers—for example, those in the process of establishing their own research group—are no longer considered part of the Veni target group. This is part of the assessment of the quality of the researcher. One of the aspects evaluated under this criterion is the applicant's alignment with the target group (see Section 4.1 in the Call for Proposals).
What to request
For an application in this Call for proposals, a maximum of € 320,000 can be applied for. The maximum duration of the proposed project is three years. The duration of the project can be lengthened proportionally in case of part-time research by a maximum of one year (from three to four years). If the proposed research is of shorter duration, the maximum amount will be reduced accordingly. It is also possible to carry out the research part-time without extending the duration of the project. Part-time appointments of less than 0.4 FTE are not permitted.
When
You can submit your pre-proposal via Mijn ZonMw portal until 1 September 2025, 14:00:00 PM CEST
Timeline:
| Deadline pre-proposals | 1 September 2026, 14:00:00 CEST |
| The assessment committee reviews pre-proposals | October/November 2026 |
| Applicants receive the committee’s provisional recommendation on whether or not to write a full proposal based on the submitted pre-proposal | Mid-November 2026 |
| Opportunity to request correction of a factual inaccuracy in a negative provisional recommendation | Mid-November 2026 |
| Decision by the Board pre-proposals | December 2026 |
| Deadline full proposals | 26 January 2027, 14:00:00 CET |
| Pre-assessment by the assessment committee | February 2027 |
| Opportunity for applicants to submit a rebuttal | March 2027 |
| Interview selection meeting | April 2027 |
| Interviews | May 2027 |
| Assessment committee meeting | May 2027 |
| Decision by the Board full proposals | July 2027 |
| Latest start date | Within 6 months of the grant being awarded |
All the documents needed for your application can be found below. You can submit your pre-proposal application until Tuesday 1 September 2026, 14:00h via the digital counter Mijn ZonMw.
General background information:
Downloads for your application
Checklist for submitting your pre-proposal application:
- Create an account in Mijn ZonMw
- Write the application in English.
- The pre-proposal application contains a:
- Evidence Based CV of the applicant, consisting of:
- A description of the applicant’s academic profile;
- A description of up to 10 key output items, each accompanied by a brief explanation;
- A concise research idea
- Evidence Based CV of the applicant, consisting of:
- Mandatory attachment: signed embedding guarantee
The closing date for submission of the pre-proposal is 1 September 2026, 14:00 (CEST).
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Features
- Opening date: 1 July 2026
-
Budget subsidy round:
- 8 million euro
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Maximum budget per application:
- € 320,000
- Part of programme: