SSH Open Competition L 2025

Funded projects are expected to: advance fundamental and frontier knowledge in the social sciences and humanities; produce high-quality research outputs (publications, datasets, methods); demonstrate clear impact—academic, societal or policy-related; foster interdisciplinary and international collaboration; utilize generated knowledge effectively beyond academia; adhere to open science and best practices in data management; and strengthen the capacity of senior researchers to lead innovative, curiosity-driven research programmes.

– Applicant profile: experienced researchers who obtained their doctorate at least 15 years ago and can independently formulate and supervise research projects.
– Research content: must address a clear social sciences and/or humanities research question; interdisciplinary or cross-domain proposals are eligible if they retain a substantive SSH component.
– Panels: proposals must be submitted to one of six SSH panels (Cultural Sciences & Linguistics; Philosophy, Religious & Historical Studies; Economics & Business Administration; Behaviour & Education; Law & Public Administration; Social Sciences).
– Project duration: minimum 1 year, maximum 6 years.
– Budget: up to €800,000; request only essential costs; budget modules per Call for proposals.
– Language and format: applications in English; forms and annexes as specified; budget Excel in full proposal phase; other annexes PDF.
– Submission system: all applications via the ISAAC system, with online information entered at least one day before deadlines.
– Deadlines: pre-proposals by 9 September 2025 (14:00 CEST); requests for review of foreign organisations by 26 August 2025 (14:00 CEST); full proposals by 3 February 2026 (14:00 CET).
– Eligibility checks: main and co-applicant conditions (Section 3.1), DORA compliance (Section 4.1), complete and correctly filled forms and annexes, project duration within limits.