Are you a talented early-career researcher at Amsterdam UMC in possession of your PhD degree, in need of a financial boost for your innovative research? Are you a teacher or educational expert at the UvA Faculty of Medicine in possession of a BKO, with an exciting idea for innovative education that connects?The Startstipendium will support up to 10 talented scientists of Amsterdam UMC in 2026 with €25.000 each to pursue their innovative projects. This grant is coordinated by the Research Policy Office in collaboration with the UvA FdG Teaching and Learning Center. The Startstipendium is funded by the Spinoza fund, which is accommodated and managed by the UvA Fund.

Find out more about the 2023 Startstipendium laureates.
Find out more about the 2023 Startstipendium Education laureate: Elza van Deel.
Find out more about the 2024 Startstipendium laureates.
Find out more about the 2025 Startstipendium laureates.

Which grants are available?

For the fourth year, grants of max. €25.000 will be available for the Startstipendium:

Startstipendium Research 8 research grants will be awarded to a talented early-career researcher of each of the eight research institutes
Startstipendium Impact 1 research grant will be awarded as the UvA Faculty of Medicine nomination for the UvA Fund Impact Call. The grant available within the Startstipendium Impact will have a stronger focus on translating knowledge to societal impact through one or more of the following themes: Strong society, Green futures and Healthy generations. It uses the same application form, with a few extra sections to be filled in if you also want to be eligible for the Startstipendium Impact.
Startstipendium Onderwijs (education) 1 grant will be awarded to an educational project on the theme “Education is connection”.

The CALL opens around the 14th of April 2026 and the deadline for applying is the 12th of June 2026 at 23:59h.

Research and education proposals are both accepted for the Startstipendium, but please carefully read the differences in eligibility criteria in the Call Texts below. The Call Texts contain all detailed information on the eligibility criteria, expectations for the applications, and timeline. The files are separate for Research and Education. A copy of the respective application forms is attached at the end.

Please note that the grants can be used for hiring of personnel or buying of equipment for the project, but cannot be used for your own salary or appointment, and that regular overhead costs will be charged for costs budgeted to hire personnel.

The UvA Fund and Amsterdam UMC take the perspectives of their respective Gender Equality Plans and Diversity & Inclusion policies into consideration during the selection procedure (GEP/D&I Amsterdam UMC – GEP/D&I University of Amsterdam).

Research grants

All research grants (Startstipendium Research and Startstipendium
Impact) within the Startstipendium are intended as a stepping stone towards a successful research career for researchers who have received their PhD less than 3 years ago (extension possible). The awarded grants will be administered by the Amsterdam Research BV.

To find all information, including a detailed description of the application criteria, conditions and timeline, please read the call text. This file also includes a copy of the online application form for the grants. If you want to apply for the grant and you are eligible for extension, please use the form below and upload this during the application process.


Apply for Startstipendium - Research

In case of questions, please contact the Research Policy Office via rs-startstipendiumAUF@amsterdamumc.nl

Education grant

Within this grant round, there is also a €25.000 grant available for educational innovation at the UvA Faculty of Medicine. This grant is available to all staff working at Amsterdam UMC, but the project should primarily apply to the UvA Faculty of Medicine curricula. Projects should fit with the theme “Onderwijs als verbinder”/“Education is connection”:

‘Projects that strengthen connections between students, students and teachers, or education and wider society are all eligible. Educational projects focusing on the inclusion of vulnerable patient groups or connection to other disciplines or science/research also fit with the theme.’

Educational projects can focus on improving existing courses or developing something new. Since we intend for the innovation to be applied to the curriculum, applicants are requested to inquire with the appropriate people in charge of the educational programs they wish to innovate.

To find all information, including a detailed description of the application criteria, conditions and timeline, please read the call text. This file also includes a copy of the online application form for the grant. Please note that this information is provided in Dutch, as the education is provided in Dutch and knowledge of the language is required to be eligible for the grant.

Startstipendium Onderwijs – Call Text
Startstipendium Onderwijs aanvragen

In case of questions, please contact the TLC FdG UvA via tlc@amsterdamumc.nl.

Timeline (summary)

Your application should be sent in via this website.

  • Mid-April: Call opens
  • 23:59 on June 13th: Call closes
  • July to mid-August: Review by Startstipendium Review Committee
  • Mid-August to mid-September: Selection of one nominee per grant category (research institute, Impact, or Education)
  • Mid-October: Decision on the laureates by the board of the UvA Fund, followed by communication of the results to the applicants
  • November: Communication of Startstipendium laureates to the broader public

    FAQ

    Can the funding be used to cover my own salary?
    Both material as well as personnel expenses of third parties are eligible for funding. For example, proposals to spend the budget on the use of facilities, buying of equipment, buying or development of software, or hiring of other people who will perform part of the tasks of the applicant (lab technicians, student assistants, teaching assistants, etc.) are eligible. However, it is not allowed to finance one’s own salary; proposed budgets that contain costs for the salary or contract extension of the applicant will be rejected before assessment.
    I am employed by the Research BV on a permanent contract but with an expiry date, am I eligible?
    Employees of the Research BV who have a permanent contract on temporary (project) moneywhose contract terminates when the funding ends, will be considered eligible.This will be checked by HR after their application.
    I have obtained my PhD degree more than three years ago, but have had parental leave, long term sick leave, training for clinical specialization, reduced researchtime or a significant change in research subject. Can I still apply for the Startstipendium research grants?

    We adhere to the NWO Extension clause (Extensieregeling) that gives applicants for personal grants additional time on grounds of care responsibilities, medical training, or sick leave. The total extension obtained cannot exceed 5 years, so you are ineligible for this grant in all cases if you received your PhD before 12th of June 2018. The valid reasons for extension follow the NWO Extension Clause and do require uploading a completed Extension Form in the application (find this form in the section ‘Research grants’. Summary of reasons:

    • Caring responsibilities as a parent: Extension of 18 months per child for biological mothers, 6 months for other parents
    • Care leave: extension for reduced working hours
    • Prolonged illness: extension for reduced working hours
    • Training for clinical specialisation: extension for training time

    If you are unsure about your eligibility, you are invited to check whether the extension applies to your specific case by sending an email explaining your situation to
    rs-startstipendiumAUF@amsterdamumc.nl

    I have finished my PhD project, but not defended my thesis yet.
    Similar to the NWO guidelines for a VENI application, the candidate for a Startstipendium must have defended their thesis already at the moment of application.
    I have a very innovative project idea for research or education, but it is difficult to get support from my department head or a course/program coordinator (or someone else). How do I continue with writing my application?
    In some cases, your project might seem disruptive to the status quo and the application process might require you to get approval from some people who are not too fond of that. If you run into problems regarding this, for example when an educational program coordinator does not want to provide a letter supporting your project and allowing
    embedding in the curriculum, or a PI does not think the project fits within their research line, please reach out. For Education, reach out to tlc@amsterdamumc.nl. For Research, reach out to rs-startstipendiumAUF@amsterdamumc.nl. We will try to provide support and ensure you can still complete your application.