We have just concluded MAESTRO 17 for advanced researchers and SONATA BIS 15 for researchers aiming to form new research teams. 77 projects will be awarded funding of over PLN 250,000,000.
Best minds in science
MAESTRO is the NCN’s flagship programme designated to fund pioneering research projects conducted by experienced researchers, including interdisciplinary research, which are significant for the development of science, go beyond the current state-of-the-art and have a potential for scientific discoveries. MAESTRO is open to researchers with a PhD, who have significant research achievements evidenced with publications in renowned academic press or journals and experience in leading major grant projects. Projects may last 3, 4 or 5 years and must result in high-quality basic research and training. The call results impose an obligation on principal investigators to employ PhD students or post-docs for a total period of at least 72 months.
Under MAESTRO 17, NCN received 83 proposals for a total of over PLN 323,000,000. Funding was awarded to 7 projects with a total value of nearly PLN 26,600,000. The numerical success rate was 8.43%, while the financial success rate was 8.22%.
New research teams
SONATA BIS is important for Polish science, as it enables researchers with a PhD degree conferred within 5 –12 years to establish their own independent research groups and carry out ambitious basic research projects lasting 3 –5 years. The project budget may include funds for salaries for principal investigators and co-investigators, purchase of research equipment, devices and software, materials, outsourced services, business trips, consultations and other costs crucial to the project. A researcher can be the principal investor in a SONATA BIS call only once.
Under SONATA BIS 15, NCN received 481 proposals for a total of over PLN 1,300,000. A total of PLN 223,700,000 was awarded to 70 projects. The financial success (17.01%) was higher than the numerical success rate (14.55%).
Ranking lists in PDF format for download: MAESTRO 17, SONATA BIS 15
Greater needs
MAESTRO 17 and SONATA BIS 15 received the largest number of proposals over the past 5 years compared to the previous editions. It proves that researchers employed at the Polish research institutions are more active, have brilliant ideas and ambitious research objectives. Although their projects are very well planned and highly rated by the experts, they are often denied funding due to NCN’s restricted budget.
A competitive research funding system guarantees that high-quality research is funded through public resources. NCN call success rates remain too low to ensure efficient operation of the system. Success rates of 25-30% should be acquired, similarly to other grant-funding agencies around the world. Over the last five MAESTRO calls, success rates at this level were achieved only twice — in 2022 and 2024, the latter thanks to NCN’s one-off budget increase, allowing projects on the waiting lists to be funded. As regards SONATA BIS, the best success rates over the last five years were achieved only once — in 2024, also because projects on the waiting lists were funded.
MAESTRO
| Year | Call | No of submitted proposals | Amount | Funding | Awarded | Numerical rate | Financial rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2022 |
MAESTRO 13 |
73 |
254,055,098 |
9 |
33,818,104 |
21.99 |
25.67 |
|
2023 |
MAESTRO 14 |
72 |
254,790,076 |
5 |
23,827,924 |
6.94 |
9.35 |
|
2024 |
MAESTRO 15 |
56 |
200,948,127 |
19 |
69,025,019 |
33.93 |
34.35 |
|
2025 |
MAESTRO 16 |
69 |
246,976,030 |
7 |
29,735,610 |
10.53 |
12.04 |
|
2026 |
MAESTRO 17 |
83 |
323,654,586 |
7 |
26,598,170 |
8.43 |
8.22 |
SONATA BIS
| Year | Call | No of submitted proposals | Amount | Funding | Awarded | Numerical rate | Financial rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2022 |
SONATA BIS 11 |
382 |
786,974,885 |
84 |
202,019,938 |
12.33 |
13.31 |
|
2023 |
SONATA BIS 12 |
400 |
948,366,264 |
58 |
164,374,171 |
14.5 |
17.33 |
|
2024 |
SONATA BIS 13 |
420 |
1,004,919,493 |
100 |
266,663,703 |
23.81 |
26.54 |
|
2025 |
SONATA BIS 14 |
417 |
1,100,960,699 |
63 |
205,948,329 |
15.11 |
18.71 |
|
2026 |
SONATA BIS 15 |
481 |
1,315,145,329 |
70 |
223,728,879 |
14.55 |
17.01 |
Peer-review and transparent principles
MAESTRO 17 and SONATA BIS 15 winners are selected following a multi-stage evaluation process performed by the expert teams and external reviewers. The evaluation process is performed in two stages. Firstly, proposals are evaluated by the expert teams comprising mainly foreign experts. Each proposal receives two reviews, and the final decision follows the panel discussion by the expert team. At the second stage, proposals are reviewed by external (mainly foreign) experts. In addition, the principal investigator is interviewed in English, in NCN headquarters. They are asked about project objectives, methodology and research-related risks. The final list of projects recommended for funding is, as usual, compiled by the expert team at the second meeting.
Service of decisions
NCN Director’s decisions are served on the applicants only and are not communicated to the principal investigator if the applicant is specified in Article 27 (1)-(7) and (9) of the NCN Act. If an individual applies, the decision is not communicated to the participating entity specified in the proposal. More on the service of decisions.