Norwegian Centres of Excellence scheme
The SFF scheme gives Norway's leading researchers the opportunity to organise themselves into centres to achieve ambitious scientific goals. The research shall move the international research front, be innovative and groundbreaking. Centres are funded for up to ten years (six + four years).
Timeline for the call for proposals of SFF VI
May 2025
Phase 1: Planned call for proposals is published
May 2025
Phase 1: Information meeting
September 2025
Phase 1: The call text will be complete and you can create an application
November 2025
Phase 1: Application deadline
Spring 2026
Phase 1: Decision and invitation to apply for phase 2
Autumn 2026
Phase 2: Application deadline
Autumn 2027
Phase 2: Decision on allocations
Spring 2028
Expected start-up of new centres
Timeline for the call for proposals of SFF VI
Information about the SFF VI call for proposals
The next call for proposals for the Centre of Excellence (CoE) is a two-stage call, with an application deadline for stage 1 on 12 November 2025. The application deadline for stage 2 is 11 November 2026.
We expect to complete the final awards towards the end of 2027.
- See the call for phase 1 (closed).
- See the call for phase 2 (planned).
- See the questions and answers to the call.
Only approved Norwegian research organisations are eligible to apply as Project Owner.
was allocated to the centres in 2025
273million NOK
SFF-V (2023-2033)
- Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex
- Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting in Health (BCEPS)
- CREATE - Centre for Research on Equality in Education
- Centre for Planetary Habitability
- Norwegian Centre for Knowledge-driven Machine Learning
- Centre for Embryology and Healthy Development (CRESCO)
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance (PRIMA)
- iC3: Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate
- Center for Digital Narrative
SFF-IV (2017-2027)
- CanCell - Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming
- Hybrid Technology Hub
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences
- RoCS - Rosseland Centre for Solar Physics
- RITMO - Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion
- QuSpin - Center for Low Dissipation Quantum Spintronics
- PoreLab - Porous Media Laboratory
- SapienCE - Centre for Early Human Behaviour
- FAIR - Centre for Experimental Research on Fairness, Inequality, and Rationality
- Centre for Fertility and Health
SFF-III (2013-2023)
- Birkeland Centre for Space Science (BCSS)
- Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (CAGE)
- Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS)
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)
- Center for Multilingualism in Society across the Lifespan (MultiLing)
- Centre for the Study of the Legitimate Roles of the Judiciary in the Global Order (PluriCourts)
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT)
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC)
- Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED)
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO)
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR)
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience (KISN)
- Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD)