Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL1. In what language should I fill out my application?
The application form should be filled out in English, while the required attachments should be in the language specified in the documentation of competition (some in English, others in Polish, e.g. the statement of VAT qualification).
2. Once I submit my application, when can I expect a reply accepting or rejecting my project?
We plan to announce the list of beneficiaries within approx. 3 months of the application deadline. Stage two of the merit evaluation, i.e. the interview, should take place in the third month of the evaluation process.
3. May I submit an application in several programmes at once?
There are no formal barriers to submitting applications in several programmes at the same time. If you obtain funding from different sources, you must remember about the "no double financing" rule set down in the documentation of competition and other documents.
4. May I submit the same application more than once?
An application which was not awarded may be submitted in subsequent editions of a programme, as long as it meets the formal requirements.
5. What constitutes the formal closing of a project?
Among other things, the formal closing of a project requires the Foundation's approval of the final report from the project's implementation. The rules for closing a project are set down in the agreement signed with the beneficiary. A sample agreement is provided with the documentation of competition .
6. What are the general costs and management costs?
General costs which cannot be directly linked to a specific product or service. General costs include but are not limited to documented rent payments, administration costs, project management costs, and maintenance costs of the premises where the project is carried out. Management costs include the costs of remuneration of the person at the unit who is responsible for the project's financial accounts (according to the working time involved). General costs may not be counted as the project's indirect costs. They must be documented as costs essential for the proper completion of the project.
7. General costs (including administration costs) may not exceed 10% of a project's total eligible costs. May some of this amount be paid as remuneration to the person who is the project secretary responsible for reporting and settling accounts for the project?
General costs may not exceed 10% of a project's total eligible costs. Within this category, it is possible, for example, to refund the remuneration of the person responsible for settling accounts for the project.
8. A "statement of VAT qualification" is required. Can this be a document signed by the unit's financial director? What exactly should it contain - are there any formal requirements?
One of the attachments required with an application is a st`atement of the unit’s VAT qualification. The statement may be signed by a person assigned to represent the unit in its registration document or an authorized proxy (in accordance with the power of attorney attached to the application, or its copy certified as conforming to the original). Moreover, attachments related to finance and accounting must be counter-signed by the chief accountant.
A sample statement of VAT qualification is provided with the documentation of competition . It is also available on the Foundation's website in the "documents for download" section.
The statement is necessary for the Foundation to be able to recognize VAT incurred during project implementation as an eligible cost.
If project results are commercialised, e.g. through the sale of a licence, the unit should apply to the relevant tax office for an interpretation regarding the possibility of recovering the calculated VAT. If such a possibility exists, the unit is obligated to return the refunded part of VAT which may be subject to recovery.
9. Projects from the bio, info, and techno subject areas have to be compatible with the objectives of the Innovative Economy Operational Programme and the detailed description of priorities. I am unable to find these documents. Could you please send them to me, or provide a link to them?
The Operational Programme and the detailed description of priorities are available from the website of the Ministry of Regional Development, which is responsible for preparing them. Links:
IE OP
Detailed description of priorities
10. The applicant should guarantee lasting results of the project, spanning at least 5 years. Could you please clarify the exact implications of this requirement?
In accordance with Article 57 of Council Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006, the lasting nature of a project (durability of operations) is maintained if within five years from project completion, the project does not undergo a substantial modification:
a) affecting its nature or its implementation conditions or giving the beneficiary an undue advantage; and
(b) resulting either from a change in the nature of ownership of an item of infrastructure or the cessation of a productive activity.
Thus, the notion of a project's lasting results is understood to mean not subjecting the project to any substantial modification. A substantial modification means simultaneously fulfilling at least one of the conditions listed in (a) and at least one of the conditions listed in (b). The criterion of durability should be considered in terms of both "institutional durability" and "financial durability".
Applicants may not reserve the results obtained in the course of their research projects exclusively for themselves or third parties, neither may they perform any act of administration resulting from an agreement, for the benefit of a third party, which causes or could cause the effect of dissemination to be restricted or destroyed.
Applicants are also recommended to prepare proper means of disseminating the results of the project's implementation and transferring them to the economy, together with the rules of access, and in particular to provide for the possibility of signing leasing or licence contracts or know-how agreements.
Guaranteeing the lasting nature of project results consists in, among other things, making sure that the results obtained in the course of research projects are made available to any interested entities along market principles.
Any assets financed from the provided funding may be used exclusively in accordance with the project's goals, and any acquired intangible assets may not be sold before the "durability" period is up.
Beneficiaries are also obligated to inform the Foundation immediately of their intention to make legal and/or organizational changes to their status which could have a direct impact on carrying out the project and reaching its goals. This requirement remains in force for the duration of the project. The status of the prospective beneficiary should be regulated before the application for funding is submitted, or else the beneficiary should inform the Foundation of a measurable change to their status as a result of project implementation. Once the project ends, if its management is transferred to an institution other than the beneficiary, justification for this needs to be given, and proof should be provided that this entity is capable of maintaining and managing the project's products.
11. Are the costs of taking part in conferences reimbursed in the programmes?
Costs related to taking part in conferences are subject to reimbursement on condition that the person attending a conference makes an oral or poster presentation at that conference.
12. Are the Foundation's programmes available to scientists, graduate and PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows from outside the European Union?
Yes. A call for research team members has to be published nation-wide and internationally. There is no restriction on the nationality of programme participants.
13. Does a PhD student from outside the European Union have to apply for a Polish visa or a visa to the country where the fellowship during the PhD studies will take place?
Yes. The young scientist has to have a visa allowing them to enter Poland.
Upon arrival in Poland, the young scientist may apply for a temporary residence permit, issued by the province office (Urząd Wojewódzki). The permit is issued for a period of up to 2 years and may be extended for another two years. By law, formalities take up to 45 working days.
A temporary residence permit allows the holder to stay for brief periods in other countries of the Schengen area, up to a total of 90 days over a 6-month period. This enables the scientists to travel in connection with promoting the project or establishing scientific co-operation.
In the case of longer stays in another country of the Schengen area, the scientist needs to arrange the visa or residence permit required by that country. Information should be sought from the relevant bodies of the country in question.
For more details, please visit the website of the Office for Repatriation and Foreigners: www.udsc.gov.pl/Zezwolenie,na,zamieszkanie,na,czas,oznaczony,498.html
(A young scientist may also apply for a visa called "wiza krajowa pobytowa" issued by consulates for a period of up to 5 years. Please remember that this period applies to persons coming here for a university course, for example, since the standard period for such a visa is only up to 1 year. This visa entitles the holder only to transit (up to 5 days) through other countries of the Schengen area.)
HOMING PLUS
1. Submitting an application for the Homing Plus Programme, do I need to have a statement from the prospective Polish employer, i.e. do they have to give their consent?
Applications for the Homing Plus Programme must be signed by the scientist (who will carry out the project) and a person authorized to take responsibility for financial obligations on behalf of the unit where the project will be carried out.
Moreover, one of the required attachments is a promise of employment issued by a person authorized by the unit, or a certificate of employment. The promise may be conditional (i.e. if Mr/Ms X becomes a beneficiary of the Homing Plus Programme, the unit agrees to employ Mr/Ms X).
2. May I list more than one prospective institute? Do I need a promise of potential employment from all of them?
One of the criteria in the merit evaluation of applications submitted in the Homing Plus Programme is the research or implementation achievements of the host unit. Thus, it is not possible to list more than one institute.
3. Is it possible to change the institute in Poland after receiving the grant, i.e. to transfer to another institution with the grant?
The unit and the project manager (foreign researcher) submit an application together, and one of the merit evaluation criteria is the research or implementation achievements of the host unit. The subsequent agreement is signed between the Foundation, the researcher, and the unit. This rules out any change of institution during the project.
4. Are there any formal requirements for the recruitment of students in the programme: announcements, recruitment board, etc.?
The general rules for selecting students for projects are specified in the documentation of competition . The following principles should be followed during recruitment:
• Information about the competition must be announced at least at the project leader’s research unit, with information about how to submit applications and the requirements for candidates.
• The project leader is required to appoint a committee of at least two members, in the manner set forth in the application, responsible for conducting the recruitment.
• The committee is required to prepare and conduct the recruitment according to the procedures set forth in the application; selection criteria should include, among other things, the candidate’s scientific achievements to date.
• The committee is required to document the recruitment procedure in the form of a report.
• The recruitment report must be submitted by the project leader in the relevant periodic report.
• The unit shall assure a representative of the Foundation an opportunity to take part in the committee as an observer.
• The recruitment must involve at least two candidates (meeting the competition terms) for each position (stipend).
Please remember that one of the required attachments to your application is a description of the planned student recruitment procedure. This is not evaluated in the process of choosing the project manager, but it is binding for the project leader and is checked during audits.
5. What are the criteria for awarding funding in the programme?
In the Homing Plus Programme, the project selection criteria include:
• originality of the scientific achievements of the project manager on the basis of 3 publications submitted from the past 4 years ,
• scientific and innovative value of the proposed project,
• assessment of the feasibility of implementing the project in the indicated research team,
• the quality of the planned co-operation on the project with a foreign or Polish research unit other than the unit where the project is to be carried out, based on the letter of intent,
• justification and efficiency of the project budget,
• project indicators and result (whether they suit the given type of project and reflect the project objectives),
• whether the applicant can assure that the project provides lasting results, for at least 5 years following project completion.
6. What is meant by a project's personnel costs?
Personnel costs include remuneration and stipends for the people hired to work on the project.
The stipend part of the budget may be used to pay stipends to the project leader and to the students taking part in the project and selected in an open recruitment procedure. The condition on which a stipend may be paid to the project manager is his or her full-time employment at the unit.
The project part of the budget may be used to refund the remuneration of persons directly involved in project implementation. Please remember that the project leader receives a stipend from the grant part, so his or her remuneration may not be refunded from the project part. Remuneration for people involved directly in the merit part of the project, hired to work on the project, may be financed from category 2.1 of the budget - remuneration for persons involved in the project, plus non-remuneration costs of labour, including mandatory social and health insurance (excluding persons receiving a stipend financed from the project funds).
The remuneration of persons hired to handle project administration, accounting, etc. is an eligible cost in category 2.13 of the project budget - general costs/overheads not exceeding 10% of the project's total eligible costs (i.e. 10% of the sum of funds from the grant and project parts of the budget).
7. May the funds for carrying out the project be used to refund the project leader's remuneration?
The project manager's remuneration may not be refunded from the funds for carrying out the project. The project manager receives a personal research grant from the project funds, whereas his or her remuneration is the cost of the unit where the project is carried out.
The remuneration of the other scientific workers involved directly in project implementation may be refunded from the funds for carrying out the project according to the working time involved.
8. As part of the student recruitment procedure, we would like to reimburse the candidates for the costs of travelling to their interviews. May we count these costs as eligible costs and if so, in which category?
It is possible to reimburse candidates for their travel costs. These expenses should be listed in the category "spending on recruitment" - 2.11.
9. According to the documentation of competition , at the time the financing begins, a young PhD may not have obtained their doctoral degree more than 4 years earlier. How is the time counted?
The time is the year counted from the date of the degree. This means that in 2011, applications may be submitted by young PhDs who obtained their doctoral degree in the years 2007-2011.
10. What is the maximum allowed period from obtaining a doctoral degree for candidates with children who took maternity/paternity leave or extended post-maternity leave?
The Foundation for Polish Science follows European Union standards in working to eliminate gender discrimination and ensure equal opportunities for men and women. Therefore, the principle has been adopted that the maximum allowed period after obtaining a doctoral degree is extended for an extra two years in the following cases: for men who took paternal or extended post-maternity leave lasting at least three months (based on documented leave); for women who gave birth to a child (based on the child's birth certificate).
11. When should I come to Poland?
You should arrive in Poland no more than 12 months before and 6 months after the final deadline for submitting applications in the given edition of the Homing Plus Programme.
12. When should the project begin?
Projects submitted in the 3/2011 call for applications should start between 1 September 2011 and 1 January 2012.