Suppose you are a football player or football enthusiast. In that case, you are always looking for a talented and well-trained coach who can teach you on the pitch, but on the off-pitch, skilled and professional leaders who can help you provide skills to improve the player’s performance are required. So, the UEFA Research Grant Programme is back for 2024, and it will give you a chance to take your passion for the beautiful game to the next level. The research program is mainly carried out at the home institution. If you are a football enthusiast with a robust research mindset, the 15th cycle of the UEFA Research Grant Programme (RGP) 2024 is for you. It is more than just a scholarship – providing a gateway to shaping the future of the beautiful game.
The UEFA Research Grant Programme (UEFA RGP) was established in 2009 to support researchers studying for or already holding a PhD and analyzing European football from various academic disciplines. The UEFA Academy also supports another program called the UEFA Medical Research Grant Programme (UEFA MRGP).
Over the years, the UEFA Academy has funded numerous valuable research projects, contributing to the growth and development of football across Europe. So, this program is a combination of science and football to solve the challenges faced by the players of the game.
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Eligibility Criteria UEFA RGP 2024
The UEFA Research Grant Programme (UEFA RGP) is designed for academic research in a strategic partnership with national football associations to solve the challenges faced by European football. The program is mainly organized in the UEFA HQs; others are in Europe and elsewhere. It is a workgroup between national football associations and the academic community. The eligibility criteria for the UEFA RGP 2024 are as follows:
1. You need to have a Ph.D./doctorate degree, or you may currently pursue your research position at a recognized university or equivalent institution, or you are currently enrolled as a doctoral student or preparing a doctoral thesis in a recognized university.
2. University researchers must have the support from a UEFA member association.
3. Applicants need to submit the UEFA member association’s recommendation letter and confirm that the project addresses the current issues and offers possible practical value.
4. A maximum of 3 researchers are allowed to participate.
5. one individual will be nominated as the lead researcher from the selected researchers.
Application Process of UEFA RGP 2024
The applicants looking for the UEFA RGP 2024 need to know how to apply and the application process for this program. In the last 2023-24 session, 36 researchers were nominated by the 19 member associations. UEFA Academy programs give students an outstanding output to fulfill their dreams in football. Below, I am going to explain it.
1. Proposal Submission:
Researchers need to submit their detailed research proposal. If I talk about this proposal consists of the research justification, the research question(s) and hypothesis(-es), the planned methodology, and the total financial contribution expected.
2. Executive Summary:
Applicants must also provide a one-page executive summary explaining their research proposal’s key aspects, including the research’s justification, research questions, methodology, and financial needs.
3. Letter of Recommendation:
Recipients looking to apply to the UEFA RGP must submit all of the research projects to the national association through a letter of recommendation. So, to receive this letter of recommendation from the DFB (German Football Association), you must qualify for the UEFA requirements, and the DFB must also approve the research project.
4. Research Fields and Topics:
The UEFA RGP mainly focus on the different academic fields like economics, history, law, management, political science, psychology, and sociology. Moreover, the DFB also focuses on related issues, such as the performance evaluation of young players and understanding the role of the menstrual cycle in women’s professional football.
5. Final Report:
If the 55 UEFA member associations accept the application and a research grant is awarded, then one of your researchers will be appointed as the lead researcher. This person will act as UEFA’s sole point of contact and will be responsible for presenting the final report.
UEFA RGP 2024 Amount Grants
If you want to join the UEFA RGP 2024 season, you need to know that it is a nine-month research program. In this program, the football team is assigned different projects. So, each project selected by the UEFA Research Grant Jury is eligible for a grant of up to €15,000, and there is also a joint project. So, if you are selected for the joint project, each joint project can provide a grant of up to €20,000. A maximum of 5 grants have been awarded per cycle, with a total allocation of €75,000.
UEFA RGP 2024 Application Details & Deadline
| Application Deadline 2024/2025 Cycle | 15 March, 2024 |
| Jury decision 2024/25 cycle | 15 Jun, 2024 |
| Application Process Confirmation 2024/2025 | 22 April 2024 |
