International call for proposals – PSL Global Seed Fund – Fall 2025

This call is open to PSL faculty members, researchers, and equivalent staff from PSL component schools and associated members. 

The GSF is open to all disciplines, themes, and international partners. Proposals involving early-career researchers, doctoral candidates, as well as collaborations between several PSL institutions, are especially encouraged. 

Objectives of the GSF 

• To support and consolidate projects at their early stage, with a view to securing larger-scale funding. 

• To foster the emergence of scientific, artistic, and pedagogical collaborations at the international level, with long-term structuring effects. 

Additional funding opportunities through privileged partnerships 

PSL shares the GSF call with its strategic partners and communicates relevant projects to them in order to maximize funding opportunities. This is notably the case with: Rice University, the University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Université and Polytechnique de Montréal, University College London, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, New York University, University of Austin, Australian National University, NTU Singapore, and NUS – National University of Singapore. 
Projects involving these partners may benefit from co-funding according to contractual or ad hoc arrangements. 

 

Funding 

• Total budget envelope for this call: €150,000 

• Maximum grant per project: €12,000 

• Eligible funding period: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027 

 

Eligible activities 

• Exploratory or consolidation missions with an international partner. 

• Organization of conferences, research seminars, workshops, artistic events, etc. 

• Research stays for doctoral candidates or postdoctoral researchers. 

• Knowledge transfer or expertise-sharing activities to strengthen scientific skills. 

• Hosting an intern in a PSL laboratory. 

Evaluation criteria 

Projects will primarily be assessed on: 

• The scientific quality of the proposal and its alignment with training objectives. 

• The ambition and short-term expected outcomes of the project: what is its added value as a seed project? (e.g., preparation of European/international funding applications, structuring or innovative effect of the collaboration). This should be clearly highlighted in the “Impact” section of the application. 

• The involvement of multiple PSL schools, whenever relevant. 

• The relevance of the international collaboration for PSL, demonstrating the complementarity and added value (scientific, technical, or field access) of the partner institution. 

Additional points of attention 

The selection jury will pay particular attention to: 

• Involvement of early-career researchers (doctoral and postdoctoral). 

• Interdisciplinarity. 

• Co-funding (e.g., support from one or more PSL institutions, matching funds from the international partner, or external funding). 

• The project’s carbon footprint. 

 

How to apply? 

Applications must be submitted via the online portal (“Application Portal” button at the top right of the page). 

Steps: 

1. The project leader creates an account using a PSL institutional email address. 

2. Once the account is created, the candidate completes the online application form. Drafts can be saved and resumed later by logging back into the platform and clicking “Start or resume an application.” 

3. At the end of the form, applicants must upload: 

• A short CV of the project leader and of the invited researcher (if applicable) – single PDF. 

• A written commitment from the foreign partner(s) (letter or email). Multiple letters should be compiled into a single PDF. 

4. The completed application must be submitted by November 16, 2025. 

 

Selection procedure 

• Applications will first be reviewed by the designated GSF representatives of each PSL institution, before being evaluated by the jury. 

• All proposals will be assessed by a jury composed of the PSL Vice-Presidencies for Research, Education, and International Relations, and their teams. 

For any questions regarding the call, please contact: relations.internationales@psl.eu