The Rector of Palacký University in Olomouc announces the 6th annual competition for the UP Junior Grant. The program is intended for young academics and researchers who wish to develop their own research group and strengthen their scientific independence. The grant is also open to candidates who wish to bring their excellent research from other research institutions to Palacký University.
The aim of the competition is to support talented researchers under the age of 37 with international experience in establishing new research teams and developing their own research programs. Emphasis is placed particularly on the preparation of high-quality international projects, especially within the framework of European framework programs.
Applicants do not need to be employees of Palacký University at the time of submission, but they must meet the conditions set forth in the internal regulations and, if successful, become the principal investigator of the project. Support is provided for projects led by Ph.D. holders who have obtained their degree no more than 8 years ago, demonstrate excellent results, are actively involved in international cooperation, and have completed an overseas internship lasting at least 3 months.
The project duration is 36 months. The grant recipient also commits to submitting an application for a project under European framework programs no later than in the third year of the project.
Financial Conditions
The total project costs range:
- from 1 million CZK to 4 million CZK
- up to 5 million CZK for applicants from the network of members and associated partners of the European university alliance AURORA
It is not possible to apply for investment funds within the competition. Each applicant may submit only one project.
The competition is governed by UP Internal Regulation No. R-B-26/06.
Competition Schedule
- Competition Announcement: April 30, 2026
- Contest period: April 30 – June 22, 2026 (until 12:00 PM)
- Evaluation: June 22 – October 31, 2026
- Announcement of results: November 1, 2026
- Start of project work: January 1, 2027
Interim reports will be submitted by January 15, 2028 and January 15, 2029, and the final report by January 31, 2030.
Submission of proposals
Project proposals must be submitted exclusively electronically via the application available at projekty.upol.cz, and must be in English. Login is performed using university credentials. If these are unavailable, please contact the call’s coordinators.
The deadline for submitting proposals is June 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
More information and all documents can be found in the section "JG" on the UP Project Service website.
In last year of the competition, a total of 39 project proposals were submitted. The UP Rector decided to award 12 grants.
Call contact persons:
Ing. Veronika Knichalová
veronika.knichalova@upol.cz
585 631 425
Mgr. Eva Novosádová
eva.novosadova@upol.cz
585 631 401