# Participation of people with a brain and/or mental disorder in education and employment

**Funder:** NWO
**Budget:** €4.4M total (4× €800k for phase II proposals + €1.2M for phase III overarching proposal)
**Deadline:** 27 April 2027 (Phase II full proposal deadline was 2025-06-12 (past). Phase III overarching proposal deadline: 27 April 2027, before 14:00 CEST)
**Duration:** 5 years (phase II: 4 years; phase III: 3 years, overlapping 2 years with phase II)
**Consortium:** Required — at least one main applicant, one co-applicant, and one collaboration partner (at least one from the healthcare sector)
**Application:** 3-stage: research idea submission (phase I, closed) → collaborative workshops → full proposal (phase II, closed) → overarching proposal (phase III, deadline 2027-04-27)
**Frequency:** One-off
**Eligible countries:** NL
**Official call:** https://www.nwo.nl/en/calls/participation-of-people-with-a-brain-and/or-mental-disorder-in-education-and-employment
**Last verified:** 5 July 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Interdisciplinary, knowledge-chain-wide consortia must include at least one healthcare-sector partner. Research targets participation in education and (un)paid work for people with brain/mental disorders, including those with lower SEP or migration background. Dutch knowledge institutions and societal stakeholders must jointly formulate research questions. Phase III overarching proposal remains open; phase II is closed.

## Summary

NWO's three-stage call funds interdisciplinary consortia researching how people with brain and mental disorders can participate in education and paid/unpaid work, with €4.4 million total across overlapping Phase II (four years, up to €800k per project) and Phase III (three years, €1.2M for one overarching synthesis proposal). The call is open to Dutch knowledge institutions and healthcare partners working on social inclusion for populations including those with lower socioeconomic status or migration backgrounds. This is a one-off call requiring mandatory collaborative workshops, full proposals, and a final cross-project synthesis.

## Who should apply

- Dutch knowledge institutions (universities, research institutes) as lead or co-applicants
- Healthcare sector organisations (hospitals, clinics, mental health services) as required consortium partners
- Interdisciplinary teams spanning neuroscience, psychology, vocational rehabilitation, education, and social sciences
- Consortia with active involvement of societal stakeholders and people with lived experience of brain/mental disorders
- Research groups focusing on underrepresented populations, including those with lower socioeconomic position or migration backgrounds

## Key dates

- Phase I: research idea submission + two mandatory collaborative workshops (dates set by NWO; Phase II deadline 12 June 2025 already passed)
- Phase II deadline: 12 June 2025 at 14:00 CEST (submissions closed)
- Phase III (overarching proposal) deadline: 27 April 2027 before 14:00 CEST

## Tips for applicants

- Healthcare partner involvement is mandatory and gating, the consortium cannot proceed without at least one active partner from the healthcare sector contributing to design and implementation.
- All consortium members must co-author the research design and demonstrate active implementation roles; NWO reviews collaboration letters carefully and screens for unequal burden-sharing.
- The Phase III overarching proposal is competitive across successful Phase II teams; frame your Phase II project as part of a broader synthesis narrative to strengthen Phase III positioning.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the total budget for this NWO call?

€4.4 million: up to €800,000 per Phase II project (4 projects, 4 years each) plus €1.2 million for one Phase III overarching synthesis proposal (3 years).

### Who must be part of the consortium?

At least one main applicant, one co-applicant, and one collaboration partner, with at least one partner from the healthcare sector actively involved in research design and delivery.

### Can international researchers participate?

No, this call is restricted to Dutch knowledge institutions and societal stakeholders; host institutions must be based in the Netherlands.

### Is this a recurring call?

No, this is a one-off call; it will not be repeated in future funding cycles.

### What is the Phase III overarching proposal?

Phase III is a single €1.2M synthesis project running in years 4-5 of the overall timeline, integrating findings from successful Phase II projects into cross-project insights and policy recommendations.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/nwo-participation-of-people-with-a-brain-and-or-mental-2027-04) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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