Research in Iceland

Iceland’s national competitive fund for scientific research is the Icelandic Research Fund (IRF), administered by Rannís – The Icelandic Centre for Research. The IRF supports defined research projects and research-based postgraduate studies across disciplines, operating as an open, competitive programme with professional peer evaluation. The fund’s remit is grounded in national legislation and aligned with Iceland’s science and innovation policy priorities.

The IRF provides competitive grants for researchers, research groups, and students engaged in research-based postgraduate study at Icelandic universities, research institutes, and companies in Iceland. Key features include:

• Open, competitive fund: applications undergo professional evaluation of project quality, applicant competence, and feasibility (people, facilities, resources).
  
  

• Legal basis and scope: the fund operates under Iceland’s Act on Public Support for Scientific Research No. 3/2003, with its scope determined by the annual state budget.
  
  

• Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) must have completed graduate studies at an accredited university and have experience leading research projects (requirement does not apply to Doctoral Student Grants).
  
  

• Application language: applications must be in English.
  
  

• Grant types: the IRF offers five grant categories:
  
  

  • Project Grants
    
    

  • Start-up Grants
    
    

  • Grants of Excellence
    
    

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants
    
    

  • Doctoral Student Grants
    
    

• Guidance and rules: further details (rules, processes, requirements) are provided in the IRF Handbook, with additional links for Data Management Plans, Expert Panels, and staff contacts.
  
  

 IRF instruments cover multiple career stages and team configurations: Doctoral Student Grants support research-based postgraduate study; Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants back early career independence; Project, Start-up, and Grants of Excellence enable group-led or PI-led projects with ambitions for scale and impact. Eligibility specifics and award conditions are defined in the IRF Handbook linked from the fund page.

1. Check fit and category: select the appropriate IRF grant type (Project, Start-up, Grants of Excellence, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Doctoral Student), ensuring eligibility requirements are met.
   
   

2. Review the IRF Handbook: consult rules, assessment criteria, required attachments, and reporting obligations.
   
   

3. Prepare the application in English: draft the research plan, team CVs, budgets, and (where required) a Data Management Plan.
   
   

4. Use the Rannís application system (“My Pages”): complete forms and upload documents within the online portal; follow any video tutorials provided.
   
   

5. Follow evaluation guidance: note that proposals are reviewed by Expert Panels and external reviewers according to scientific quality, applicant competence, and feasibility.
   
   

6. Plan for follow-up: if awarded, adhere to IRF reporting (annual/final reports) and acknowledge IRF support as specified.
   
   

• Icelandic Research Fund (IRF) — overview, eligibility, grant types, handbook, contacts: https://en.rannis.is/funding/research/icelandic-research-fund/