Funding Resources for São Paulo Researchers
This page is designed as a resource for researchers from São Paulo. Here you can find the different funding agencies pages where calls will be published. Also on this page are opportunities for mobility funding, both incoming and outgoing, funding for training young researchers, and fellowship and scholarship opportunities for PhD students from São Paulo who want to study in the other RLS regions.
Multilateral Funding for International Projects
Horizon 2020 | European Union
According to the European Commission, Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. EU member states are automatically eligible to compete for funding. Non-EU RLS partners can participate in Horizon 2020 either by providing a unique competence that cannot be found in the EU, or through bilateral agreements between their home countries and the European Union. Brazilian researchers can participate in collaborative research and innovation projects in Horizon 2020, and are sometimes eligible for funding. Funding can be granted when one of the following conditions are met:
Visit the Horizon 2020 energy website here. |
Long Term EU-Africa Partnership for Research and Innovation actions in the area of renewable energy | Horizon 2020 European Union
Deadline: March 26, 2020 Suggested Budget: 15 million EUR The challenge is to establish and jointly implement activities that contribute to a mutual beneficial Research and Innovation agenda and its related Research Capacity Building agenda. Through this action EU member states/ Associated Countries and African states interested parties (public and private) will carry out joint research activities between the two continents, will develop synergies and will push forward research capacity building activities in the field of renewable energy production and use, to promote mutual empowerment and to enhance co-designed innovation. The scope of the research activities supported under the long term partnership would include adaptation of renewable energy technologies to the African environmental, social and economic conditions through joint research efforts on renewable energy technologies. Estimated project duration is 5 years. Call Link |
International cooperation with Canada on advanced biofuels and bioenergy | European Union Horizon 2020
Deadline: September 1, 2020 Suggested Budget: 3 to 5 million EUR Proposals will aim at international cooperation with Canada for fostering the deployment of advanced biofuels and bioenergy while substantially decreasing the costs of the feedstock supply or the conversion process. Proposals should address at least one of the following issues:
Call Link |
International cooperation with USA and/or China on alternative fuels from sunlight for energy, transport and chemical storage | European Union Horizon 2020
Deadline: September 1, 2020 Suggested Budget: 2 to 4 million EUR Proposals will develop breakthrough artificial photosynthesis technologies in terms of sunlight conversion efficiency for the production of energy carriers (other than electricity) with either de-novo synthetic biological and artificial/biochemical hybrid systems or novel photo-catalysis or photo-electro catalysis coupled with CO2 reduction. At least one of the following technology-specific challenges has to be addressed:
Call Link |
Bilateral Funding for International Projects
FAPESP and BayLAT workshops for early-stage researchers | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and the Bavarian Academic Center for Latin America (BAYLAT)
(Please note this call is now closed) Value: Please refer to section 8 of the call FAPESP has announced the fourth call for proposals for workshops in partnership with the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts of the Free State of Bavaria (StMWK), represented by the Bavarian Academic Center for Latin America (BAYLAT). The agencies will jointly fund workshops that will bring together early-stage researchers and PhD students who are about to defend their thesis from Bavaria and São Paulo. The call is open to all fields of knowledge. Each proposal must present the design of two workshops, one in the Free State of Bavaria and the other in the State of São Paulo. Similarly, each proposal must be jointly developed by a researcher from each state, who will act as workshop coordinators. These coordinators are expected to be senior researchers in their fields of knowledge. Up to 40 researchers can take part in each workshop. The FAPESP-BAYLAT partnership, which began with an agreement signed in 2012, has already resulted in the launch of six calls for proposals. The deadline for applications is 10 October, 2019. Review the call here. |
Joint DFG/FAPESP Research Grant Proposals | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and German Research Foundation (DFG)
Ongoing Call Value: Dependent on research proposal The joint DFG/FAPESP research funding programme encompasses researchers from universities and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, and the Federal Republic of Germany. The programme aims to develop collaborative research proposals. The proposals may be sent at any time without submission deadlines and may be up to three years in duration. The joint proposal must have two Principal Investigators, one in São Pualo and one in Germany. The proposal must be submitted to both funding agencies, and must have the same scientific emphasis and the same duration. Furthermore, the proposal must clearly specify the activities and scientific contribution to be developed by the researchers in each partner's institution. The proposal will be evaluated independently by FAPESP and DFG according to each's regular procedures. Only proposals which are approved on both sides will receive funding. The results will be announced jointly. Funding is dependent on the scale and scope of the project. Read the DFG Guidelines here. Read the FAPESP Guidelines here. |
Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) | National Science Foundation and FAPESP
(Please note this call is now closed, but will reopen in 2020) Value: FAPESP funding dependant on proposal, for Georgia researchers average value has been $4 million USD, over five years Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) is an NSF-wide program that supports international activities across all NSF supported disciplines. The primary goal of PIRE is to support high quality projects in which advances in research and education could not occur without international collaboration. PIRE seeks to catalyze a higher level of international engagement in the U.S. science and engineering community. Open to all areas of science and engineering research which are supported by the NSF, including engineering and physical sciences. PIRE projects may vary in size and exhibit diverse forms of organization, collaboration, and operation suited to their individual needs. PIRE projects must include collaboration with foreign research partners and international research experiences for students to promote a diverse internationally competitive science and engineering workforce. There is a partnership agreement with each of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) of Germany, with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China, and with São Paulo's FAPESP. Programme Website. |
Unilateral Funding for International Projects
Thematic Projects | FAPESP
Ongoing call: submissions preferred 12 months in advance with 120 days as the minimum Value: Dependent upon the needs of the project This program aims to support proposals with themes at the frontier of S&T that justify the need for the duration of the project, of up to five years. In a Thematic Project there are usually many researchers involved, in order to obtain scientific or technological results of high impact. It is expected that the project demonstrates: 1) intention to achieve a large set of results about a research theme or other subjects of affinity; 2) definition and relevance of the objectives; 3) comprehensiveness and boldness of goals; 4) in case the project is organized in subprojects, the synergy between them; 5) originality and importance of the intended contribution to the field of knowledge in which the proposed project falls; 6) scientific reasoning and methods used; 7) adequation of the requested budget; 8) potential for attracting postdoctors, visiting researchers, students of scientific initiation and of postgraduation courses. There is no restriction on the participation of foreign researchers or institutions from Europe, as partner of the project, if the applicant and executing institution fills the necessary requirements. The applicant must be resident in Brazil, have a PhD or equivalent qualification, have formal bond with a reaserch institution of the Sao Paulo state (Brazil), have expressive scientific or technologic production and proved experience in the chosen subject of the project. The candidate may enroll as: responsable researcher, main researcher and associate researcher. Also, the home institution participant must be headquartered in Brazil, and be the institution in which the responsable researcher works or is related to in other ways. There is no restriction on the participation of foreign researchers or institutions from Europe, as partner of the project, if the applicant and executing institution fills the above mentioned requirements. Program Website. (Português) |
Regular Research Support | FAPESP
Call ongoing: Applications should be received 75 or more days in advance of the proposed start date Value: up to 200 000 R, funding duration is two years The Research Support - Regular program provides funding for individual research projects to be developed under the responsibility of a Principal Investigator with equivalent doctoral degree or qualification evaluated by its curriculum scoresheet linked to higher education and research entities, public or private, in State of São Paulo. Program website. (Português) |
Partnerships for Technological Innovation (PITE) | FAPESP
Call ongoing: Applications should be received 120 or more in advance of the proposed start date Value: funding project dependent and available for no longer than five years, please see information below PITE is intended to finance Technological Innovation projects in the productive sector, developed in partnership with research and development institutions in the State of São Paulo and businesses located in Brazil and abroad. Technological Innovation projects are those which are considered to involve scientific and technical knowledge with the objective of developing a product, process, system or service in which there is entrepreneurial or social interest. The part of the project under the responsibility of the research institution will be financed with no expectation of any return. It will be up to partnering businesses to match-fund either from their own or third-party resources. There is no restriction on the participation of foreign researchers or institutions from Europe, as partners of the project, insofar as the applicant and executing institution fulfill the above necessary requirements. However, European researchers cannot receive funds from FAPESP, and so must contribute their own. The expenses depend on the type of project, in PITE 1 FAPESP may finance until 20% of the project. In PITE 2 FAPESP may finance up to 50% of the project and in PITE 3 FAPESP may pay up to 70% of the project; the remaining fund must be paid by the partner company of the proposal. Program website. (Português) |
Innovative Research in Small Business (PIPE) | FAPESP
Deadline: 27 April, 2020 (please note calls are released every three months) Value: project dependent, please see information below This program finances research projects inside the Innovative Research Program in Small Business (PIPE) which aim to improve the development of research inside small companies. The goals of the project are: 1) support scientific and technological research as a tool to promote technological innovation, promote enterprise development and enhance competitiveness of micro and small enterprises; 2) create conditions to increase the contribution of research to the economic and social development; 3) induce the increase of private investment in technological research; 4) enable small businesses to join researchers from the academic environment in research projects aimed at technological innovation; 5) contribute to the formation and development of technology development nucleus in small firms and for placement of researchers in the labor market. There is no restriction on the participation of foreign researchers or institutions from Europe, as partners of the project, if the applicant and executing institution fulfils the necessary requirements. However, they must provide their own funding. The financial amount depends on the project. Program website. (Português) |
Incoming Mobility Funding
Bringing RLS-Sciences colleagues to São Paulo
São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Deadline: 27 April, 2020 Value: dependant on proposal, please see below The objective of the SPRINT programme is to promote the engagement of researchers affiliated to institutions of higher education and research in the State of São Paulo in partnership with researchers abroad in order to: 1) further develop qualitatively the ongoing research projects; and 2) work cooperatively aiming at the elaboration of joint research projects of medium and long term, for submission to FAPESP, by researchers from the State of São Paulo, and to the research funding agencies in the countries of corresponding partners, by their colleagues. SPRINT provides funding for the initial phase of international research collaborations with clear expectations that the next phase will be a presentation, by the researchers from the State of São Paulo, of research proposals in the regular funding lines of FAPESP aiming to continue the research started under SPRINT and the consequently consolidation of the partnership. Foreign partners must provide their own funding through the appropriate partner agencies. Selected projects must last between 12 and 24 months. Joint petitioners should submit their proposals in both countries, using the appropriate forms supplied by the respective agencies. Each proposal will initially be analyzed by the agency in the country of its origin. Selected proposals will then be evaluated by a panel of FAPESP and representatives of the other partner institution. There are four calls each year. The deadlines for the submission of proposals in each round will be determined annually and will always be on the last Monday of each following month: January, April, July, and October. Regularly, proposals may only be submitted for mobility of researchers from the State of São Paulo and from institutions abroad that hold cooperation agreements with FAPESP. However, in this call FAPESP will also accept proposals from researchers whose partners are from institutions with which FAPESP does not have a current agreement or with which FAPESP has current agreements but whose institutions are not joining the current SPRINT edition. Review the call here. Review the SPRINT Guidelines here (please note you will need to scroll down past the lists of partner institutions). |
Visiting Researcher Program | FAPESP
Ongoing Call Value: for visits less than 30 days, please see this table; for visits longer than 30 days, please see this table The Visiting Researcher Program offers full or partial support for the hosting of experienced investigators, associated with foreign research institutions, who will work in a research institution in the State of São Paulo for a period from 2 weeks to a maximum (non-extendable) period of 12 months. The visiting researcher must hold PhD degree and have an outstanding record of scientific accomplishments. This Program aims to promote collaboration between investigators in the State of São Paulo and their colleagues abroad for the development of ongoing research projects or for assisting the launching of new collaborations. Funds cannot be used for the development of a research project, but joint research efforts conducted by the Visiting Researcher and their host may enhance a proposal. When the duration of the visit is less than 1 month, the maintenance will be supported in the form of per diem payments for the visitor to the threshold value of the monthly maintenance defined by FAPESP based on the visitor's curriculum. The aid does not include the payment of management fees. When the duration of the visit is more than 30 days, the monthly maintenance for the visitor will be supported in the form of aid Visiting Researcher with value defined by FAPESP based on the visitor's curriculum and other characteristics of the submitted proposal. Visit the webpage here. (Português) |
Bringing RLS-Sciences students to São Paulo
International Internships Programme| Fonds de recherche du Québec- Nature et technologies
Deadline: application from the Strategic Cluster must be submitted by 1 March, 2020. Students must apply to the Strategic Clusters beforehand. Value: The scholarship is an allowance of $ 2,500 CAD per month. The maximum value of a scholarship or both of the scholarships is $ 15,000 CAD. Duration: 2 to 6 months *Please note, that only Québec students may apply to do an internship in São Paulo The FRQNT's (Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies) international internship aims to foster international mobility of students whose research activities are part of the scientific program of a strategic cluster funded by the FRQNT. The internship is a supplementary tool available to a strategic cluster to strengthen its position at the international level through research projects and partnerships that have already been established or which are under development. Applicants The international internship is intended for Master's or doctoral students enrolled full-time in a Quebec university or in an university outside Québec who meets the requirements of their program. The proposed research outlined in the application as part of the internship must be part of the scientific program of the strategic cluster. In a first step, the strategic cluster recommends a candidate and then the candidate can apply for the scholarship. Find the list of Strategic Clusters here. Eligibility conditions All of the strategic clusters supported by the FRQNT may submit an application to this program. The applicant proposed by the strategic cluster must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed here after. For full-time students enrolled in a Québec university: The applicant must have Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status in Canada, or foreign student status with a valid study permit to study in Quebec. For foreign students enrolled in an university outside Québec: The applicant must have valid study permits or visas for the entire duration of the internship. The applicant can't be enrolled in a co-degree from more than one institution including a Québec university. For the students enrolled in a co-degree see the rules of the Frontenac program. Location of the internship: The internship must take place outside Quebec for students enrolled in a Quebec university. The internship must occur in Quebec for students from abroad. Start date of the internship: The internship must start no later than September 30th, 2020. Restrictions: Students who are jointly supervised by a researcher in a foreign university (co-degree) are not eligible to apply for an international internship scholarship to visit one of their home universities Application process Candidates interested within this program must file their application within their strategic cluster (see list on FRQNT's Web Site) Validate the list of documents required for this application with the specific strategic cluster. The strategic clusters which recommend a candidate must fill the specific form available on FRQNT's Web site as well as transmit it electronically. The form includes the complete addresses of the student, the academic supervisor, and the internship supervisor. A brief description of the nature of the internship is also required. The strategic clusters must also submit the selection committee report that states the results for each of the three criteria in effect, the assessment process and the names of the committee members. This report should briefly explain the efforts taken to ensure a fair and inclusive selection process, thus fostering the support of diversified interns.The strategic clusters must also send in the electronic form, a letter signed by the supervisor of the student specifying the start and end dates of the internship. Any internship application must be filed by the strategic cluster and approved by the FRQNT before the leaving of the trainee. Limited number of applications Each strategic cluster may generally submit up to two applications until the contest deadline. In no case should the total financial assistance of the two candidates exceed the total amount of $ 15,000. This limit can be re-examined and increased at all time until the contest deadline. Each strategic cluster can propose the application one foreign students enrolled outside Québec maximum, so they can pursue their internship within the strategic cluster in Québec The rules are the same for evaluating the candidate, the duration of his or hers internships and the value of the scholarship apply. The application of a foreign student enrolled outside Québec doesn't modify the total limit of two candidates and the total amount of 15 000$ per cluster. Learn more here. |
Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) | National Research Foundation (USA) and FWF (Austria) and CAPES (Brazil)
(Please note this call is now closed) Value: $5000 USD, for four to twelve months Note: this opportunity is for students from Georgia to go to either Upper Austria or São Paulo GROW provides NSF Graduate Research Fellows (referred to as "Fellows") with opportunities to engage in international collaborations with investigators in partner countries around the world. Through GROW, Fellows benefit from partnerships developed by NSF with counterpart funding organizations in other countries, including FWF in Austria and CAPES in Brazil. Eligibility: GROW is open to active Fellows (both "on tenure" and "on reserve") who have completed at least one year of their graduate program at the time of application and will retain their active status for at least 12 months following the application submission deadline. They must be certified by the GRFP Institution to be making satisfactory progress towards their degrees and have fulfilled all GRFP reporting requirements. General Program website. Program website (Austria specific) Program website (Brazil specific) |
Outgoing Mobility Funding
Visiting RLS-Sciences colleagues outside of São Paulo
São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Deadline: 27 April, 2020 Value: dependant on proposal, please see below The objective of the SPRINT programme is to promote the engagement of researchers affiliated to institutions of higher education and research in the State of São Paulo in partnership with researchers abroad in order to: 1) further develop qualitatively the ongoing research projects; and 2) work cooperatively aiming at the elaboration of joint research projects of medium and long term, for submission to FAPESP, by researchers from the State of São Paulo, and to the research funding agencies in the countries of corresponding partners, by their colleagues. SPRINT provides funding for the initial phase of international research collaborations with clear expectations that the next phase will be a presentation, by the researchers from the State of São Paulo, of research proposals in the regular funding lines of FAPESP aiming to continue the research started under SPRINT and the consequently consolidation of the partnership. Foreign partners must provide their own funding through the appropriate partner agencies. Selected projects must last between 12 and 24 months. Joint petitioners should submit their proposals in both countries, using the appropriate forms supplied by the respective agencies. Each proposal will initially be analyzed by the agency in the country of its origin. Selected proposals will then be evaluated by a panel of FAPESP and representatives of the other partner institution. There are four calls each year. The deadlines for the submission of proposals in each round will be determined annually and will always be on the last Monday of each following month: January, April, July, and October. Regularly, proposals may only be submitted for mobility of researchers from the State of São Paulo and from institutions abroad that hold cooperation agreements with FAPESP. However, in this call FAPESP will also accept proposals from researchers whose partners are from institutions with which FAPESP does not have a current agreement or with which FAPESP has current agreements but whose institutions are not joining the current SPRINT edition. Review the call here. Review the SPRINT Guidelines here (please note you will need to scroll down past the lists of partner institutions). |
Sending RLS-Sciences students to colleagues outside of São Paulo
International Internships Programme| Fonds de recherche du Québec- Nature et technologies
Deadline: application from the Strategic Cluster must be submitted by 1 March, 2020. Students must apply to the Strategic Clusters beforehand. Value: The scholarship is an allowance of $ 2,500 CAD per month. The maximum value of a scholarship or both of the scholarships is $ 15,000 CAD. Duration: 2 to 6 months *Please note, that São Paulo students must complete their internships in Québec The FRQNT's (Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies) international internship aims to foster international mobility of students whose research activities are part of the scientific program of a strategic cluster funded by the FRQNT. The internship is a supplementary tool available to a strategic cluster to strengthen its position at the international level through research projects and partnerships that have already been established or which are under development. Applicants The international internship is intended for Master's or doctoral students enrolled full-time in a Quebec university or in an university outside Québec who meets the requirements of their program. The proposed research outlined in the application as part of the internship must be part of the scientific program of the strategic cluster. In a first step, the strategic cluster recommends a candidate and then the candidate can apply for the scholarship. Find the list of Strategic Clusters here. Eligibility conditions All of the strategic clusters supported by the FRQNT may submit an application to this program. The applicant proposed by the strategic cluster must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed here after. For full-time students enrolled in a Québec university: The applicant must have Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status in Canada, or foreign student status with a valid study permit to study in Quebec. For foreign students enrolled in an university outside Québec: The applicant must have valid study permits or visas for the entire duration of the internship. The applicant can't be enrolled in a co-degree from more than one institution including a Québec university. For the students enrolled in a co-degree see the rules of the Frontenac program. Location of the internship: The internship must take place outside Quebec for students enrolled in a Quebec university. The internship must occur in Quebec for students from abroad. Start date of the internship: The internship must start no later than September 30th, 2020. Restrictions: Students who are jointly supervised by a researcher in a foreign university (co-degree) are not eligible to apply for an international internship scholarship to visit one of their home universities Application process Candidates interested within this program must file their application within their strategic cluster (see list on FRQNT's Web Site) Validate the list of documents required for this application with the specific strategic cluster. The strategic clusters which recommend a candidate must fill the specific form available on FRQNT's Web site as well as transmit it electronically. The form includes the complete addresses of the student, the academic supervisor, and the internship supervisor. A brief description of the nature of the internship is also required. The strategic clusters must also submit the selection committee report that states the results for each of the three criteria in effect, the assessment process and the names of the committee members. This report should briefly explain the efforts taken to ensure a fair and inclusive selection process, thus fostering the support of diversified interns.The strategic clusters must also send in the electronic form, a letter signed by the supervisor of the student specifying the start and end dates of the internship. Any internship application must be filed by the strategic cluster and approved by the FRQNT before the leaving of the trainee. Limited number of applications Each strategic cluster may generally submit up to two applications until the contest deadline. In no case should the total financial assistance of the two candidates exceed the total amount of $ 15,000. This limit can be re-examined and increased at all time until the contest deadline. Each strategic cluster can propose the application one foreign students enrolled outside Québec maximum, so they can pursue their internship within the strategic cluster in Québec The rules are the same for evaluating the candidate, the duration of his or hers internships and the value of the scholarship apply. The application of a foreign student enrolled outside Québec doesn't modify the total limit of two candidates and the total amount of 15 000$ per cluster. Learn more here. |
Québec-Brazil Merit scholarship program for foreign students (PBEEE) | Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT)
(Please note this call is now closed) Value: dependent on program stream- please see below The objective of the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students (PBEEE) is to support the internationalization of research activities in Québec's institutions of higher education, to attract the best foreign researchers and students, and to promote Québec universities and College Centers for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT), abroad. Candidates must be preselected by a university, the Réseau Trans-Tech (a CCTT), TERI University, the SER or CONACYT. There are three streams within the program: Doctoral research, post-doctoral research, or Short-term research or professional development. Universities can recommend four candidates per year for each of these three components. There are no quotas per country. The Réseau Trans-tech can recommend four candidates for Postdoctoral scholarships and Short-term research or professional development scholarships. Doctoral research component Candidates are eligible for doctoral merit program scholarships from MEESR in the first nine sessions of their doctoral studies. All doctoral sessions, funded or unfunded, completed before the scholarship takes effect, are used in calculating the eligibility period. The maximum duration of the scholarship is three years (nine sessions), with a possible extension of up to 12 months, for up to $25,000 (Canadian) per year Postdoctoral component Postdoctoral scholarships are intended for researchers who have obtained their degree no more than two years before the deadline of the competition or who submitted their dissertation by the deadline for the beginning of scholarship use. Postdoctoral research must be conducted in an institution other than the one that granted the Doctorate. The applicant's doctoral supervisors and co-supervisors may not act as his/her postdoctoral supervisor, even if they have changed institutions. The duration of this scholarship is for up to one year, for $35,000 (Canadian). This scholarship is not renewable. Short-term research or professional development component Short-term research or professional development scholarships are intended for technical and university students (option A) or researchers who have completed a doctorate no more than five years before the deadline for the competition (option B). The research or professional development must be conducted in an institution other than the one at which the student was enrolled when he or she applied. The duration of this scholarship is for up to four months, for $3,000 (Canadian) per month. The scholarship is not renewable. Visit the programme website here. |