NRF Centers of Research Excellence (선도연구센터)

NRF Centers of Research Excellence is the large center-grant track in the National Research Foundation of Korea's Basic Research in Science and Engineering directorate. It sits above the small-lab routes and supports multi-PI university centers across SRC, ERC, MRC, CRC, RLRC, IRC, and NRL2.0. The FY2026 first tranche was posted under MSIT Notice No. 2025-1005, which places the program in NRF's recurring annual call structure rather than in a one-off special round. Award size scales with the center type. SRC, MRC, and RLRC are funded at about 1.5 billion to 1.65 billion KRW a year for 7 years; ERC is about 2 billion KRW a year for 7 years; IRC is 5 billion KRW a year for 10 years; and NRL2.0 reaches 10 billion KRW a year for 10 years. Universities are required, individual applications are not accepted, and the structure expects a consortium-like center with Korean-language documentation and institutional backing. This is the right route for mature research groups that can justify center-scale coordination, not just a collection of adjacent projects. The strongest proposals will have a clear scientific theme, multiple senior investigators with real ownership, and a university that can support the operating burden over many years. Applicants that can show leadership depth, continuity, and a reason for center funding rather than lab funding will be better placed here.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.