AUFF Recruiting Grants

AUFF Recruiting Grant can be a tool in ongoing negotiations, where an offer of start funding will be vital to the successful recruitment of a particularly attractive candidate, who has other job offers on hand. Applications are processed as quickly as possible upon receipt, and the deadline for reply is agreed upon with the given head of department.

This means that there will be no ordinary application rounds in 2023. 

The target group of AUFF Recruiting Grants includes assistant professors, associate professors and professors. Applications must be submitted by the head of department upon recommendation from the dean.

The 2023 budget for AUFF Recruiting Grants is DKK 40 million.

Grant size

  • Assistant professor: Up to DKK 2 million over a period of 3 years
  • Associate professor: Up to DKK 3 million over a period of 3 years
  • Professor: Up to DKK 4 million over a period of 3 years

AUFF Recruiting Grants take the form of framework funding, which makes the grant flexible and able to complement other external funding, where relevant.

Application from the head of department upon recommendation from the dean and related appendices (see below) should be sent via email to: Tove Østergaard Le, AU PhD and fund services, email: recruitinggrants@auff.dk

Application appendices:


Appendix A: Research plan
Research plan for the pursued research field (not a project description) and a description of the setup, i.e. the research group, manpower and/or apparatus needed for starting up or consolidating an independent group (up to 3 pages).


Appendix B: Budget

Specified budget (main budget lines, e.g. salary (PhDs, postdocs and/or scientific assistance), research equipment and operating expenses) (1 page). The grant cannot include salary costs for the candidate. It is not possible to apply for costs covering longer stays abroad, publication support and guest researcher visits.


Appendix C: CV and list of publications
Applicant’s CV and list of publications (up to 3 pages).


Appendix D: Recommendation letter
Academic recommendation letter by the head of department at Aarhus University, approved by the dean of the faculty.

Please direct questions regarding AUFF Recruiting Grants to:

Tove Østergaard Le
AU PhD and fund services
Aarhus University
Mobile: 2162 4921
Email: toe@au.dk

Review Committee

  • Professor Dorthe Staunæs, AU DPU
  • Professor Lotte Bach Larsen, AU Technical Sciences
  • Professor Michael Møller Hansen, AU Natural Sciences
  • Professor Helle Prætorius Ørhwald, AU Health
  • Professor Jens Blom-Hansen, AU Business and Social Sciences