Mobility Support

What is the purpose of the grant?
Who can apply for the grant?
How does the application process work?
The amount of the grant
How are applications evaluated?
Frequently asked questions

Conditions and Procedure for Adaptation Support
Guidelines for evaluating adaptation support applications

The application deadlines in 2025 are:

  • 31.03.2025
  • 31.05.2025
  • 30.09.2025
  • 31.12.2025

Purpose of the grant

The purpose of the grant is to recruit researchers from abroad to Estonian research and development institutions. This aims to bring new knowledge to Estonian research, thereby enhancing the R&D activities carried out in Estonia and improving their quality. The Mobility Support allows both foreign researchers and Estonian researchers who have worked abroad (including postdoctoral researchers) to continue their scientific careers in Estonia, facilitating the integration of Estonia’s R&D system.

To who is the grant aimed at?

The support is intended for Estonian R&D institutions that have received positive evaluation (host institution) to employ a researcher arriving in Estonia. The support can be applied for a researcher who:

  • Has not permanently resided or worked in Estonia during the last 12 months. This condition does not apply to recipients of postdoctoral grants (PUTJD) issued by the Estonian Research Council (ETAG);
  • Has gained additional research experience after receiving a doctorate (e.g., as a postdoc, in an R&D institution, or in a research-intensive company).

Upon receiving the grant, the host institution is obligated to enter into an employment contract with the researcher for a minimum period of 24 months.

How does the application process work?

Applications are submitted according to the specified deadlines. The host institution must first send an expression of interest to ETAG by email at etag@etag.ee to apply for the support. Subsequently, a personalized application form will be created for the researcher in the Estonian Research Information System (ETIS).

The application must include:

  • The researcher’s name
  • Host institution
  • Field of research and development
  • Researcher’s CV with explanations indicating their research and development activities over the past five years, including their work and place of residence in the preceding 12 months
  • Project description with activities and timetable to be carried out during the grant period at the host institution, indicating research and development activities planned in Estonia
  • Description from the host institution of collaboration with the recruited researcher, how the researcher will be integrated into the institution, how the researcher’s work relates to the strategic objectives of the host institution, etc.
  • Confirmation from the host institution that an employment contract will be signed with the researcher for an indefinite term or for a minimum period of 24 months, clearly specifying the position the researcher will hold.

How much funding is available?

The Mobility Support amount is €76,000 per year, of which ETAG covers 50%, and the host institution contributes 50%. The support period is 24 months. The funding includes the researcher’s salary fund, research costs, and general costs for the host institution.

How are applications evaluated?

ETAG organizes the evaluation of applications. Applications are accepted year-round and processed in four rounds (see application deadlines above). Applications received by the deadline are reviewed immediately after, with an expected evaluation and processing within estimated of 1-2 months. Independent experts in the field evaluate the applications. Each application is reviewed by at least two independent experts based on the following criteria:

  1. Description of the project to be implemented, its thoroughness, ambition, and added value to the field.
  2. Researcher’s competence and potential, including their activities over the past five years.
  3. Host institution’s idea of integrating the researcher into the institution.

Each criterion is scored on a scale of 1-5. Funding decisions are made based on rankings until the allocated funds are exhausted. Applications scoring at least 80% of the maximum score (i.e., 12 points) qualify for funding, ranked until funds run out. If funds are depleted mid-year, subsequent application rounds will not be announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What’s new?
    • The project size and support amount have been increased to €76,000 per year.
    • The requirement for research experience after earning a doctoral degree has been modified. It is no longer necessary to have completed a postdoctoral fellowship or conducted research at a comparable level by the time of application. However, having research experience after obtaining a doctoral degree remains important.
    • The restriction on applying for Mobility Suppert for researchers also applying for other ETAG research grants (PSG, PRG, PUTJD) in the same year has been removed.
  2. What does permanent residence in Estonia mean?
    • Permanent residence in Estonia is defined as staying in the country for at least 183 days in the last 12 months. If a person has stayed in Estonia for less than 183 days in the past 12 months and has not held an employment relationship with any Estonian institution, the host institution may apply for adaptation support for the researcher.
  3. How is the 12-month employment criterion assessed?
    • The researcher must not have held any employment contract with an employer registered in Estonia in the last 12 months, regardless of the actual location of work. For example, a researcher working for an Estonian institution but based abroad would still not qualify for the support. However, working under a service agreement does not disqualify the application.
  4. Do the residency and employment conditions apply to recipients of ETAG postdoctoral grants (PUTJD)?
    • No, these conditions do not apply to PUTJD recipients. However, this exemption only applies during the grant period. If a researcher has permanently resided or worked in Estonia after the end of their postdoctoral grant, they no longer qualify for the support.
  5. How is additional research experience after earning a doctorate evaluated?
    • The Mobility Support is primarily intended for researchers who have gained additional research experience after completing their doctorate. This can include a postdoctoral period, working as a researcher in an R&D institution, or a research-intensive company, etc. The duration of this experience is not defined, but it is crucial that the researcher has gained additional research experience post-doctorate. This experience is also an evaluative aspect (see the evaluation guide for details).
  6. What must the host institution provide during the application process?
    • The host institution must include in the ETIS application a well-thought-out rationale for why they want to recruit the researcher, the added value he/she brings, and how the researcher aligns with the institution’s strategic goals. This rationale is a separate evaluative aspect and must be clearly presented and well-justified (see the evaluation guide for more details).
  7. How should the project be referenced in publications?
    • When publishing project results, the funding source must be mentioned (suggested wording: “This work was supported by the Estonian Research Council grant (KOHTO number)”). Publications lacking a reference to the allocated grant cannot be included in the final report. References should also be included in presentation slides, for example.

 

Contact: 

Allan Padar
Head of Research Mobility
+372 5686 6722
allan.padar@etag.ee