The SNG Scheme
The CTU Return Grants Scheme (SNG) is a newly implemented internal grant tool whose aim is to support researchers’ return to research careers after a career break. The scheme is part of the Back to CTU project , reg. no. CZ.02.01.01/00/24_037/0013814, implemented as part of the Jan Amos Komenský Programme – call Návraty (Returns).
Return grants enable beneficiaries to focus on their research, reconnect with the academic environment and systematically develop their research career in connection with a CTU department.
Who is the Scheme for?
The SNG Scheme is intended for CTU researchers who:
- are returning after a career break or
- less than 12 months have passed since their career break ended
Target group includes primarily:
- CTU staff with a PhD ČVUT (or equivalent)
- PhD students in CTU programmes
Who can submit an application
The applicant (principal investigator) must meet the following criteria:
- They must be a PhD student in a CTU study programme, or
- They must be a CTU employee with a PhD title (or equivalent)
- They must be a CTU researcher (with an employment contract – HPP or DPČ)
- They must be on a career break, or
- less than 12 months passed between the termination of the career break and the application submission date
A career break is here understood as a pause in one’s career as a result of:
- maternity or parental leave
- long-term childcare or dependant care
- long-term illness or other objective obstacles to research activities (in line with the definition in the SNG Guide)
One person can submit a maximum of one grant application in one scheme round.
General conditions for a return grant
Project length: minimum 12 months, maximum 30 months
Principal investigator’s workload: 0.5–1.0 FTE
Mandatory activities:
- principal investigator’s research
- expert team’s involvement (min 1, max 4 persons)
Optional activities:
- involvement of a mentor
- outbound mobility for the principal investigator (max 2 mobilities, in total max 6 months)
- further specialist training for the principal investigator
- contribution towards childcare or dependant care expenses
The grant is conceived as a comprehensive instrument to support academic staff when returning to research, not merely as a financial contribution to a partial activity.
There is no restriction on the research focus. However, for PhD students, the topic of the return grant project must differ from the topic of their doctoral dissertation.
SNG Scheme Funding
Total financial allocation of the Scheme: CZK 61,776,732
Maximum financial support for individual return grants is tied to the pre-defined rates for individual unit costs.
Number of Scheme rounds: at least 1
First Scheme round: planned for the second quarter of 2026
If the allocated funds are not fully utilised, an additional round may be launched after a one-year interval.
Expert and administrative support for applicants
The implementation of the scheme includes:
- SNG expert committee, which ensures expert oversight of the Scheme
- SNG Administration Office, which provides the applicants with:
- consultations of project proposals
- methodological and administrative support
- answers to queries regarding the Scheme rules and regulations
The aim is to enable the applicants to focus primarily on the quality of the research proposal and to return to research rather than struggle with administrative barriers.
The names of contact persons are available in the Contact Us tab.
