NRPs - proposing a project

How can I submit an application within the scope of an NRP? What documents must I prepare? What guidelines do I need to follow? The following document answers these and other relevant questions to assist applicants in writing and submitting their applications on time.

​The information on the submission of applications within the scope of NRPs is based on the NRP-specific call documents and on the following regulations and guidelines:

The following information is not legally binding and does not in any circumstances substitute the mentioned call documents, regulations and guidelines.

  • Setting up a mySNF user account

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    ​All applications (pre-proposals and full proposals) must be submitted via the mySNF platform. If the applicants do not have a user account, they can ask for one on the same site; the login information will subsequently be sent to them by post. To guarantee access in good time, new user accounts must be requested no later than five working days before the relevant submission deadline. Your mySNF access will remain in place for future submissions or for the lifetime management of approved projects.

    On mySNF, help texts offer basic advice on entering data online and on completing individual data containers.

  • Two-stage evaluation procedure

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    ​The calls for specific NRPs can be found on the SNSF website. The forms needed for the submission of project applications are available on mySNF.

    In order to better coordinate the research projects and set the relevant research priorities, a two-stage submission procedure is generally implemented: pre-proposals are submitted first, then full proposals. Pre-proposals and full proposals must be submitted in English as they will be evaluated by international experts. They must be submitted online via mySNF.

    The project proposals and the subsequent full proposals must be submitted in accordance with the above-mentioned regulations and guidelines of the SNSF as well as the NRP-specific information contained in the call document. The duration of projects is generally limited to 36 months; exceptions are mentioned in the call.

    The evaluation criteria for pre-proposals and full proposals are specifically mentioned in the calls for NRPs. If a proposal involving the same research project is or was simultaneously submitted to another research initiative, this must be declared by the applicants.

  • 1st stage: submission of pre-proposals

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    ​The pre-proposal should provide an overview of the planned research project.

    To be entered directly on the mySNF platform:

    • Basic data and summary
    • National and international cooperation
    • Estimation of financial support required for salaries and equipment (budget).

    To be submitted as documents in PDF format via mySNF:

    Project description, including:

    • Research topic and objective of the project
    • State of research
    • Methods
    • Schedule and milestones
    • Expected benefit and possible application of results
    • List of the five most important publications in the field of the pre-proposal
    • List of the five most important publications and/or patents of the applicants

    This list may contain further items depending on the NRP. Specific information can be found in the relevant call document or in the pre-proposal form.

    The project description must be submitted using the Word template (pre-proposal form) provided in mySNF.

    -Short CVs of the responsible applicants of a maximum of two A4 pages each.

  • 2nd stage: submission of proposals

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    ​The Steering Committee invites the applicants whose pre-proposals were selected to elaborate and submit a full proposal. The latter must be submitted using the Word template for the research plan, which is available on mySNF.

    The full proposals are reviewed by international experts. In addition, the Steering Committee may invite the applicants to present their project to the Steering Committee at a meeting where details of the proposals can be discussed in depth and problems resolved. This procedure allows the Steering Committee to query specific points and ask detailed questions. Subsequently, the Steering Committee will decide which research proposals are to be recommended to the National Research Council for approval or rejection.