MUR Funding for Young Researchers - 2024 Call

The Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), within the scope of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan NRRP - Mission 4 “Education and Research” - Component 2 “From Research to Business” - Investment 1.2 “Funding projects presented by young researchers”, allocates in a new 2024 call at least 250 research grants for young researchers choosing Italian Host Institutions for their research.

The new NRRP MUR 201/2024 - Young Researchers notice was approved on 3 July 2024, defining the eligibility criteria, the application procedure and the deadlines for the online submission of applications via the Ministry’s GEA platform .

"Young Researchers" are therein referred to as researchers of any nationality, aged under 40* (or under 45*, provided they obtained their PhD no later than 7 years from the call’s publication), benefiting from either:

A Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships or Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships, as part of the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Framework Programs, whose MSCA project has concluded no later than 60 months prior to the call’s publication and up to the deadline for submission of applications specified in the call (October 1st, 2024), or
a “Seal of Excellence” following the participation in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships, awarded in the 24 months before the call’s publication.

* Respectively, by the completion of the 41st and 46th year of age as of the date of publication of the Notice (July 3rd, 2024).

The financial allocation for the Young Researchers Programme is currently established in 210 million euro overall. At least 40% of the budget is reserved for projects to be hosted in the Southern Regions of Italy.

The Programme covers the two funding schemes, MSCA and Seal of Excellence described below.

IMPORTANT – please read carefully
The information in this page is indicative and non-exhaustive. It is provided as an illustrative reference for applicants considering the University of Padua as their Host Institution within the scope of the Young Researchers’ call. Please visit the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) dedicated webpage and the relevant FAQ section for more detailed information about the application procedure and about the call’s official documents and forms.

Notice Update D.D. 292 of 29.09.2024

With the integration of D.D. 292/2024 of 27 September 2024, to Public Notice 201/2024, the MUR specifies that the calculation of the years since the completion of the PhD shall exclude the following periods:

Maternity leave (up to 18 months per child born after the PhD completion);
Parental/paternity leave (for the actual leave period);
Illness lasting more than 30 days;
Research activities conducted in a non-associated third country (only for MSCA Individual Fellowship grantees funded under the Horizon 2020 programme, or MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowship grantees or Seal of Excellence awardees under the Horizon Europe programme)
Mandatory national service (military or civil);
Employment outside of research (any other work activity/position held outside of the research field that can be verified);
Career interruptions (such as unemployment or family care).

Researchers who have already turned 46 at the time of the Notice (3 July 2024) are not eligible for these exemptions.

The integration also indicates an extension of the deadline for applications for the MSCA funding scheme, postponed to 15 October 2024 at 12:00 p.m..

Young Researchers 2024 - MSCA Funding Scheme

Funding Amount: Up to €300,000 for applicants under the MSCA line. The grant can cover up to 100% of eligible expenses.
Project Duration: The maximum duration is 36 months.
Submission of Proposals: Proposals must be submitted in English via the MUR GEA platform https://www.gea.mur.gov.it. The project proposal should be complementary or consequential to the original MSCA fellowship-winning project. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the Preliminary Agreement signed with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.
Timeline for Submission: Proposals must be submitted starting from 12:00 PM on July 15, 2024, and no later than 12:00 PM on October 15, 2024.
Proposal Evaluation: The Ministry will appoint a Technical Scientific Evaluation Committee to assess proposals based on criteria of scientific excellence, impact, and quality of implementation. The Ministry will publish the ranking of eligible proposals for funding on the GEA platform at https://www.gea.mur.gov.it.
Type of Contract: In accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 637 of April 30, 2024, the call requires the Implementing Entity to commit to hire the applicants by means of a "fixed-term researcher contract under Article 24, Paragraph 3, Letter a) of Law No. 240 of December 30, 2010." The contract must be signed within 60 days from the signing of the "Atto d'obbligo" and in any case no later than March 31, 2025.

Guidelines and Annexes: https://www.gea.mur.gov.it/Bandi/YoungResearchersMSCA2024

Funding Amount: Up to €300,000 for applicants under the MSCA line. The grant can cover up to 100% of eligible expenses.

Project Duration: The maximum duration is 36 months.

Submission of Proposals: Proposals must be submitted in English via the MUR GEA platform https://www.gea.mur.gov.it. The project proposal should be complementary or consequential to the original MSCA fellowship-winning project. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the Preliminary Agreement signed with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.

Timeline for Submission: Proposals must be submitted starting from 12:00 PM on July 15, 2024, and no later than 12:00 PM on October 15, 2024.

Proposal Evaluation: The Ministry will appoint a Technical Scientific Evaluation Committee to assess proposals based on criteria of scientific excellence, impact, and quality of implementation. The Ministry will publish the ranking of eligible proposals for funding on the GEA platform at https://www.gea.mur.gov.it.

Type of Contract: In accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 637 of April 30, 2024, the call requires the Implementing Entity to commit to hire the applicants by means of a "fixed-term researcher contract under Article 24, Paragraph 3, Letter a) of Law No. 240 of December 30, 2010." The contract must be signed within 60 days from the signing of the "Atto d'obbligo" and in any case no later than March 31, 2025.

Guidelines and Annexes: https://www.gea.mur.gov.it/Bandi/YoungResearchersMSCA2024

Young Researchers 2024 Seal of Excellence (SoE) Funding Scheme

Funding Amount: Up to €250,000 for applicants under the Seal of Excellence (SoE) line. The grant can cover up to 100% of eligible expenses.
Project Duration: The maximum duration is 36 months.
Submission of Proposals: Proposals must be preliminarily validated by the Host Institution. The project proposal must be based on the original MSCA project awarded with the Seal of Excellence, and rearranged for the economic-financial plan and timeline-activity schedule. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the proposal's Validation Report and the Preliminary Agreement with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.
Once validated by the Host Institution, proposals must be submitted in English via the MUR GEA platform https://www.gea.mur.gov.it. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the proposal's Validation Report and the Preliminary Agreement with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.
Timeline for Submission: Proposals must be submitted to the MUR via GEA starting from 12:00 PM on July 15, 2024, until the funding budget limit is reached and, in any case, no later than 12:00 PM on December 19, 2024
Proposal Evaluation: Applications, preliminarily approved by the Host Institution through a "Validation Report," will be reviewed by the MUR based on the chronological order of receipt within a timeframe of sixty days from submission. The Ministry will publish the list of proposals admitted for funding on the GEA platform at https://www.gea.mur.gov.it.
Type of Contract: In accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 637 of April 30, 2024, the call requires the Implementing Entity to commit to hire the applicants by means of a "fixed-term researcher contract under Article 24, Paragraph 3, Letter a) of Law No. 240 of December 30, 2010." The contract must be signed within 60 days from the signing of the "Atto d'Obbligo" and in any case no later than March 31, 2025.

Guidelines and Annexes: https://www.gea.mur.gov.it/Bandi/YoungResearchersSOE2024

Funding Amount: Up to €250,000 for applicants under the Seal of Excellence (SoE) line. The grant can cover up to 100% of eligible expenses.

Project Duration: The maximum duration is 36 months.

Submission of Proposals: Proposals must be preliminarily validated by the Host Institution. The project proposal must be based on the original MSCA project awarded with the Seal of Excellence, and rearranged for the economic-financial plan and timeline-activity schedule. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the proposal's Validation Report and the Preliminary Agreement with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.
Once validated by the Host Institution, proposals must be submitted in English via the MUR GEA platform https://www.gea.mur.gov.it. Proposals must include all required documentation, including the proposal's Validation Report and the Preliminary Agreement with the Italian Host Institution that will host the project.

Timeline for Submission: Proposals must be submitted to the MUR via GEA starting from 12:00 PM on July 15, 2024, until the funding budget limit is reached and, in any case, no later than 12:00 PM on December 19, 2024

Proposal Evaluation: Applications, preliminarily approved by the Host Institution through a "Validation Report," will be reviewed by the MUR based on the chronological order of receipt within a timeframe of sixty days from submission. The Ministry will publish the list of proposals admitted for funding on the GEA platform at https://www.gea.mur.gov.it.

Type of Contract: In accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 637 of April 30, 2024, the call requires the Implementing Entity to commit to hire the applicants by means of a "fixed-term researcher contract under Article 24, Paragraph 3, Letter a) of Law No. 240 of December 30, 2010." The contract must be signed within 60 days from the signing of the "Atto d'Obbligo" and in any case no later than March 31, 2025.