International Reintegration Grants (IRG)

As Europe’s knowledge-based economy develops and grows, toplevel European researchers who have been working in other parts of the world now see bright new career prospects back home.

Their return is a good move for them and good news for Europe. But they sometimes require a little help to get back on the European career ladder. Marie Curie’s International Reintegration Grants (IRGs) meet that need.

Who can apply?

IRG applicants must be researchers from EU Member States or Associated Countries with at least 4 years’ full-time research experience or a doctoral degree. You must have been actively engaged in research in a Third Country for at least 3 years – in other words, a country that is neither an EU Member State nor an Associated Country.

Which topics can be funded?

All fields of research are eligible for an IRG. But there is one exception: research areas covered by the EURATOM Treaty cannot be funded.

What does the funding cover?

The reintegration grant is a flat-rate payment, which is a contribution towards your project costs. The grant will be paid for 2-4 years. If your grant application is successful, the European Commission will establish a grant agreement with your host organisation in Europe. The host will then reach an employment agreement with you and is expected to pay your salary (although the grant may help paying part of your salary). Your host organisation must be a university, a research centre or an enterprise in an EU Member State or Associated Country.

The grant must be used within 2-4 years for a research project. Your host institution must give a contractual undertaking to ensure your reintegration for at least the duration of the grant.

Who decides?

IRG proposals are selected in an open competition. Selection is through transparent, independent peer review, based on excellence using a series of predetermined criteria.

How do we apply?

Your application for an IRG should be made in liaison with your reintegration host organisation.

Calls for IRG proposals are announced on the CORDIS website: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm

Proposals can be submitted online at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite. FP7SubmitProposalPage

For more information about Marie Curie Actions see: http://ec.europa.eu/mariecurieactions