GAČR Restart Grants

GAČR Restart Grants

Funds research reintegration support for Czech scientists returning from major life breaks.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

GAČR Restart Grants are re-entry research grants administered by the Czech Science Foundation, specifically designed for researchers who have taken a career break of at least one year for parental or dependent-care reasons and are now resuming active research. The programme is one of the more targeted equity measures in Czech public research funding, aimed at removing barriers for researchers — predominantly early-career women — who have interrupted their scientific careers for family responsibilities. The 2027-cycle tender was announced on 9 February 2026, with a submission deadline of 31 March 2026 via the GRITA system, results expected on 26 November 2026, and funded projects starting January 2027.

Eligibility requires that the applicant completed their PhD within the last 10 years and applies within 2 years of ending a qualifying career break of at least one year duration taken for parental or dependent-care reasons. Projects run for 2 to 4 years, with the duration flexible to suit the individual's re-entry circumstances. Individual award amounts are not published in the public announcement and must be obtained from the tender PDF. In the comparable 2026-start cohort, GAČR funded 19 Restart projects from a total pool of approximately CZK 70 million (roughly €2.9 million). Research must be basic research hosted at a Czech university, eligible non-profit research organisation, or public research institution; for-profit entities are excluded.

Restart Grants support research across all scientific disciplines with no thematic restrictions, consistent with GAČR's exclusive mandate for basic research. Proposals undergo standard GAČR review by discipline committees, expert panels, and external reviewers. The programme complements GAČR's broader early-career portfolio, including JUNIOR STAR and PIF fellowships, by specifically addressing the career continuity gap created by family caregiving responsibilities. Detailed scoring criteria, budget caps, and page limits are contained in the tender PDF on the GAČR website.