Internal funding opportunities
PMU Research & Innovation Fund (PMU-RIF)

The Grant for Research & Opportunity Window (GROW) supports larger, strategically relevant research projects at PMU. Its aim is to advance promising research approaches, strengthen international competitiveness, and prepare researchers for successful acquisition of external third-party funding. Furthermore, new research ideas that emerge at short notice can also be funded. 

Eligibility
All individuals at PMU who are generally eligible for funding may apply. Projects may be conducted individually or in collaboration with other researchers. Collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects will be viewed positively during the review process.

Funding Details

• Maximum funding amount: EUR 105.000 per project
• Duration: up to 24 months
• Number of funded projects: up to two projects per calendar year

Requirements
Funding is available for projects that build on scientific preliminary work or pilot data, demonstrate a clear work plan, and show clear potential for securing additional external funding.

Application Process

• Submission via the online application form (see “Application”)
• Application deadline: 15 November 2026; from 2027 onwards annually by 15 October
• Processing time: up to five months

Review Process
Applications will be evaluated based on internal and external peer reviews according to the following criteria: Scientific excellence, Degree of innovation, Strategic relevance for the PMU, Quality of the work plan and Potential for acquiring external third-party funding

The LAUNCH funding scheme supports innovative, exploratory, and small-scale research projects at PMU. It enables both early-career researchers and established researchers to rapidly develop new ideas, methods, and concepts, generate initial data, and establish the foundation for follow-up projects and the acquisition of external third-party funding.

Eligibility
All individuals at PMU who are generally eligible for funding may apply. Applications must be submitted by an individual applicant; project team members may be involved, but co-applicants are not permitted. The scheme includes two funding categories:

• Junior Researcher: Researchers at Master's level and PhD students
• Senior Researcher: All other eligible researchers

Clinicians and resident physicians at the University Hospital are welcome to apply with clinical and translational projects!

Funding Details

• Maximum funding amount: EUR 20.000 per project
• Duration: up to 12 months
• Number of funded projects: up to 12 projects per calendar year (including at least six Junior Researcher projects)

Requirements
Funding is available for clearly defined research projects with an innovative and exploratory character, including pilot studies, feasibility analyses, and proof-of-concept projects with the potential to enable further research.

Application Process

• Submission: via the online application form
• Application deadlines: 15 November 2026; from 2027 onwards, 15 April and 15 October
• Processing time: up to 12 weeks

Review Process
Applications will be evaluated by three independent reviewers from the PMU-RIF reviewer pool. The assessment criteria include: Degree of innovation, Scientific quality, Feasibility and Potential for further research development.

The FIZ Talent Pool supports early-career researchers and established researchers within PMU’s Research and Innovation Centers (FIZ). Its aim is to promote scientific career development, strengthen integration into existing research structures, and support the development of competitive research projects.

Eligibility
All individuals at PMU who are generally eligible for funding may apply. The funding scheme is intended for:

• Junior Researcher: PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who are involved in an FIZ project or are preparing such a project.
• Senior Researcher: Habilitated academic staff members up to and including associate professors (außerplanmäßige Professor*innen) who are involved in or preparing a collaborative FIZ project.

Funding Details

• Junior Researcher: up to EUR 12.500 per project
• Senior Researcher: up to EUR 20.000 per project
• Duration: up to 12 months

Per calendar year, each FIZ (Public Health & Health Services Research (PH&VF) and Regenerative Medicine & Novel Therapies (RM&NT)) may receive funding for up to two Junior Researcher projects and one Senior Researcher project.

Requirements

Funding is available for projects related to ongoing or planned FIZ projects in the areas of Public Health & Health Services Research (PH&VF) and Regenerative Medicine & Novel Therapies (RM&NT). Therefore, an active and approved FIZ project is required to apply for a Talent Pool project. If your project has not yet been registered, please register it using this form.

Projects must include a clear work plan and a defined scientific outcome (e.g., a project proposal or publication). 

Application Process

• Submission: via the online application form
• Application deadline: 15 November 2026; from 2027 onwards annually by 15 April
• Processing time: up to 12 weeks

Review Process
Applications will be evaluated by three independent reviewers from the PMU-RIF reviewer pool. The assessment criteria include: Scientific quality, Degree of innovation, Likelihood of success, Contribution to the strategic development of the respective FIZ

The Bridge Funding scheme supports the implementation of scientific collaborations between PMU locations and partner institutions in Salzburg and Nuremberg. Its aim is to initiate joint research projects and sustainably strengthen institutional cooperation.

The program is funded with EUR 100.000 per year, comprising EUR 50.000 from the Nuremberg site and EUR 50.000 annually from the PMU-RIF 2026–2028. All details are provided in the specific funding guidelines: R-42-Brueckenschlag.

The Open Access funding scheme supports PMU researchers in publishing scientific work in high-quality open-access journals. Its aim is to increase the visibility and accessibility of research findings while promoting high-quality scientific publications.

An annual budget of EUR 20,000 is available through the PMU-RIF 2026–2028 for this purpose. Further details are specified in the Reglement R-05-Open Access.

The Research Funding for Appointed Professors (RFA) funding scheme is aimed at newly appointed professors at the University Hospital Salzburg (Head of Department or Head of Institute) and supports the establishment and further development of their research activities. Its aim is to facilitate a rapid transition into independent research and promote the establishment of sustainable research structures.

Detailed information on eligibility requirements, application procedures, deadlines, and funding scope is provided in the specific R-41 RFA funding guidelines.

General Information on the Application Process

• Applications must be submitted via the Online Portal Jotform

• The online application forms for research funding applications will be made available under the respective tabs below prior to each call.

• Access to the forms is possible without prior registration and without restrictions from any digital device.

• Submission via the online application forms is mandatory. Applications submitted outside the online portal cannot be accepted and will be considered a formal deficiency in accordance with the PMU-RIF Guidelines.

• Once you click “Submit” in the online form, the application is considered submitted. Further processing and review will always take place in the next possible call.

• All online application forms have been created in English. Depending on the funding scheme, the content you provide may need to be submitted only in English, in German, or in English and German. Please refer to the respective guidelines for further information. 

   

Guidance on Using Our Online Application Forms

• Navigation: At the beginning of each form, a navigation bar is available, allowing you to easily move from one page to another.
• Saving Your Application:To save an application temporarily, click “Save” at the bottom of a page and then select “Skip account creation”. You will receive a link to the form via email. If you would like to share the form with your project team or other trusted colleagues, you may forward this link. Please note: Do not work on the form simultaneously, as this may result in loss of information.
• Mandatory Fields are marked with an asterisk (*). If mandatory fields have not been completed, you will receive an error message and the respective field will be highlighted with a red border. By clicking “See Errors”, you will be automatically directed to the relevant fields.
• Font sizes and styles are automatically adjusted to Arial, font size 10.
• Preview: Unfortunately, it is not possible to download the completed application form as a PDF preview before submission. However, before forwarding applications to reviewers, the Research Management team ensures that each application is formally complete and compliant with the requirements. If you notice anything after submitting your application, please feel free to contact us at any time. We will be happy to assist you with your request.

Applications must be submitted via the online application form.

Before completing the online application form, please prepare the following documents as PDF files:

• Scientific CVs of all applicants
• Project description (Arial font size 11, maximum of 3 outline levels, maximum 4 pages including figures and tables), Template: Template Project description GROW
• Work plan and Gantt chart structure (Arial font size 11, maximum of 3 outline levels, maximum 7 pages including figures and tables), Template:  Template Organization of the project
• Letter of confirmation from all involved heads of departments/institutes, Template: Template Letter of confirmation (Exception: if the application is submitted by the respective heads of departments/institutes themselves)
• Ethics committee approval, if applicable
• Animal experimentation approval, if applicable

Please prepare the budget and upload it as an Excel file in the online application form, Template: Template Budget Table GROW

You can find a checklist for your GROW application here: Checkliste GROW

Applications must be submitted via the online application form.

Before completing the online application form, please prepare the following documents as PDF files:

• Scientific CV
• Project description (Arial font size 11, maximum of 3 outline levels, maximum 4 pages including figures and tables), Template: Template project description
• Letter of confirmation from all involved heads of departments/institutes, Template: Template Letter of confirmation (Exception: if the application is submitted by the respective heads of departments/institutes themselves)
• Ethics committee approval, if applicable
• Animal experimentation approval, if applicable

Please prepare the budget and upload it as an Excel file in the online application form, Template Budget Table

You can find a checklist for your LAUNCH application here: Checkliste LAUNCH

Applications must be submitted via the following online application forms:

• Application form FIZ Public Health & Healthcare Research
• Application form FIZ Regenerative Medicine & Novel Therapies

Before completing the online application form, please prepare the following documents:

• Scientific CVs of all applicants
• Project description (Arial font size 11, maximum of 3 outline levels, maximum 4 pages including figures and tables), Template: Template project description
• Completed budget spreadsheet: Template Budget Junior Researcher, Template Budget Senior Researcher
• Letter of confirmation from all involved heads of departments/institutes, Template: Template Letter of confirmation (Exception: if the application is submitted by the respective heads of departments/institutes themselves)
• Ethics committee approval, if applicable
• Animal experimentation approval, if applicable

You can find a checklist for your FIZ Talent Pool application here: Checkliste FIZ Talent Pool

You can find further information on this on the website “Salzburg Bridge Research Initiative (Brückenschlag)”.

You can find further information on this in the regulations “Open Access”.

Click here to access the RFA application form: Template RFA Antrag