© Shutterstock
Track 1
At-risk researchers currently outside the EU
Non-EU researchers at risk (outside the refugee process) who are facing threats in their country of residence or have recently fled their country of residence due to such threats, and have neither refugee nor subsidiary protection status.
Track 2
At-risk researchers already within the EU
Researchers without EU citizenship who are already in an EU Member State at the time of application, either with recognised refugee or subsidiary protection status in the EU, or researchers outside the refugee process holding or applying for temporary permits/visas in an EU Member State.
Nota bene: The online application platform, which had opened from 18 November 2024 to 20 January 2025 at 23:59 (CET), is now closed. Please note that SAFE is a pilot project, therefore only one call is foreseen at this stage.
Fellowships
HOST INSTITUTIONS
Eligible host institutions are academic or non-academic higher education and/or research organisations established in an EU Member State.
RESEARCHERS
Fellowships were open to researchers in all domains of research and innovation. Applications must be submitted by prospective host institutions on behalf of researchers who meet the eligibility criteria.
- Doctoral candidates enrolled on a doctoral programme or postdoctoral researchers (i.e. in possession of a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship is set to begin)
- Face or have recently faced qualifying risks
- Have the language skills required to successfully conduct their research activities at the envisaged host institution, as confirmed by the host institution in the application
- Be non-EU citizens
- Ethics checklist is provided with application
Evaluation and selection
Evaluation and selection took place in a six-step process
- Step 1: Eligibility check
- Step 2: Preliminary assessment
- Step 3: External evaluation
- Step 4: Final selection
- Step 5: Notification of the results to applicant host institutions
- Step 6: Signing of fellowship agreements with host institutions
Online
application
Only host institutions based in the EU could apply on behalf of researchers at risk. A host institution could send one application only.
Matchmaking
The SAFE programme helped matching researchers at risk with potential host institutions in the EU with the aim of developing a joint proposal in response to the SAFE call for applications.