FAQ about the Academy Project reform

How or why has it been decided that applying for RCF Academy Project Funding is only possible every two years?

As the funding available for Academy Projects has not grown at the same pace as the number of applications or the costs of research, the application success rate has decreased. At the same time, more and more applicants are devoting a lot of time into work that does not lead to the desired outcome.

Limiting the number of applications serves both the quality of the RCF’s review and decision-making process and the appropriate use of working hours among the predominantly publicly funded research community. Applying every two years gives researchers a better opportunity to modify an earlier application or even a new research idea than the current situation, where the decision on the previous application round arrives only a few months before the next round opens. Planning high-quality research is a long-term process, as is conducting research. Limiting the number of applications is a way to ensure that the RCF is able to allocate public funds in accordance with its mission: to promote the scientific research of the highest quality.

Academy Project Funding is the RCF’s largest funding opportunity in terms of both the number of applicants and the total funding granted. The number of Academy Project applications has increased in recent years, and currently around 1,500 applications are processed each year (1,900 when subprojects are counted as separate applications). Since 2023, the number of applications has increased by around 250 (400 counted by subproject) applications. Experience from international peer organisations also shows that, for example, as AI develops, it is justified to prepare for a continued substantial increase in the number of applications. Currently, the RCF can grant a total of approximately 120–150 million euros per year for Academy Projects. This has meant a success rate of approximately 12–15 per cent.

We want to ensure the accountability and quality of the application review process.

The reduction in the number of applications will allow measures to improve the quality of the review.

With the rapid growth in the number of scientific publications, the need for peer review and, at the same time, the difficulty of implementing peer review is a widely recognised phenomenon in the scientific community around the world. This is also reflected in research funding, and there is a risk that a sufficient number of qualified reviewers will not be available and that the reliability and quality of the review will be reduced. The increase in the number of applications also leads to a shortening of the time available to the panels for an individual application or a smaller number of applications being examined by the panel. However, it is essential to maintain the quality of the application-specific review, as the importance of scientific peer review in the RCF’s funding decisions is of primary importance. The review panels must have sufficient time to carefully assess the most competitive applications in line with the principles of responsible assessment. In addition, proper handling of the various aspects of responsible science (e.g. good scientific practice and research security) requires more time per application.

The RCF is committed to the principles of responsible evaluation, such as the national recommendation for responsible evaluation and the international CoARA and DORA agreements, which stipulate that research evaluation should be based primarily on qualitative evaluation and where peer review is central. Based on the answers to a survey conducted in connection with the Academy Project reform, the research community considers the current panel-based peer review to be the best method.

The aim is to increase funding for Academy Projects

The costs of conducting research have increased in recent years, and it is justified to increase the funding allocated to projects in order to support research in accordance with the objectives of the Academy Project call.

How will the resubmission restriction take effect? Who can apply for Academy Project Funding?

The so-called resubmission restriction means that the Academy Project call will be open to all applicants who meet the general eligibility criteria every two years. When applying for the funding for the first time, applicants may apply in any given year, but after that, they must wait one year before applying again. However, the restriction does not apply to applicants who received an overall panel rating of 5 (excellent) or 6 (outstanding) in the previous round yet did not receive funding.

The review results of the call to be opened in autumn 2026 will determine the eligibility to apply in the 2027 round (i.e. the 2028 winter call). This means that the results of the winter 2027 call, which will open in autumn 2026, will affect the eligibility in the 2028 winter call, which will open in autumn 2027. The call to be opened in autumn 2026 will not take into account the results of previous rounds.

The review procedures for the 2028 winter call will be further developed from the perspective of improving the quality of the review. For example, the panel structure will be updated, and it will be ensured that there will be more time in panel meetings to evaluate applications.

The resubmission restriction applies only to Academy Project applications; it will not affect other RCF funding opportunities.

Why is the Academy Project call being reformed?

The reform will involve reformulating the aim of the call so that it supports the objectives of the RCF’s strategy and so that its role in the RCF funding portfolio is clear also from the perspective of the review.

Revising the call objective, increasing the project size and improving the quality of the review are a central part of the reform and closely linked to the goal of limiting the number of applications.

The Academy Project call will be examined as part of the RCF's overall funding portfolio and especially in relation to other calls where long-term research, scientific renewal and excellence are at the core. Our longer-term goal is to eliminate unnecessary overlaps between the objectives of different calls and to clarify at which objectives, types of applicants or applicant groups they are targeted.

When will Academy Project Funding be available next?

The winter call, which includes the Academy Project and Academy Research Fellowship calls, will be implemented following last year’s schedule. More information: Advance information of RCF call schedules for autumn 2026

Have similar restrictions been introduced elsewhere?

The Research Council of Norway (RCN) implemented a similar reform in 2023 to limit the number of applications in the FRIPRO scheme. Learn more: Who can apply and when? (RCN website)

The European Research Council (ERC) has already applied an evaluation-based restriction period, but the 2027 work programme further tightened the restrictions on resubmission to reduce the pressure on the evaluation system. Learn more: Applying for an ERC grant in the 2027 competitions: what you need to know (ERC website)

In the UK, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) prohibits resubmitting the same application unless it has been specifically invited. This rule applies to all previously peer-reviewed and rejected applications. Furthermore, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) does not accept applications that have already been or are currently being peer-reviewed by another research council or funding organisation. Learn more: NERC policy on resubmissions (NERC website); Unsuccessful applicants and resubmissions (BBSRC website)

How has the RCF assessed the impact of the restriction on the number of applications?

The applicants’ application history from the last three rounds (autumn 2022, winter 2024 and 2025), shows that around 27 per cent of those who received a rating that now would lead to a lock-out period did not apply in the following call.

Secondly, more than half of applicants who received a panel rating of below 5 or who did not advance to the panel review had already received a similar review in the previous round. In future, when these applicants cannot apply, a smaller proportion of the remaining applications would be restricted from resubmission in the next round ‒ unless the review criteria are tightened due to an improvement in the average quality of applications. Based on the application histories, it can be estimated that the number of applications in the Academy Project call would eventually stabilise at a level of about 25 per cent lower than today.

Will the Academy Research Fellowship funding be reformed?

The Academy Research Fellowships will not change. The Academy Research Fellowship funding is applied for by an individual researcher who has completed their first doctoral degree within 2–7 years of the start of the calendar year closest to the application deadline. The maximum funding granted will remain at 700,000 euros.

When will more information be available on the detailed application conditions/reforms?

The RCF will announce the details concerning the next winter call in early autumn. The call texts for Academy Project and Academy Research Fellowship funding will be published on 24 September 2026. More information: Advance information of RCF call schedules for autumn 2026