Whether you are an early-career researcher or an established investigator, there are many funding opportunities available to support cancer research. This page brings together key national and international funders, travel grants and funding resources to help you identify suitable opportunities. Need help choosing the right grant? The CCA grant advisor can help you identify suitable funding schemes and develop your funding strategy.

Before you apply: Please note that CCA has no control over, or formal connection with, these grant organizations. Each will have their own terms and conditions for funding, which may entail specific requirements for publication of the funded research, or rights to use the resulting data and Intellectual Property, or even revenue sharing. Please make sure to check these conditions before applying, and in case of doubt, contact LRS or your CCA business developer.

Looking for current funding opportunities? Visit the CCA funding calendarfor an overview of upcoming oncology funding opportunities and application deadlines.

Oncology funding 

Government & public funding

  • KWF (Dutch Cancer Society)

  • NWO (The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research)

  • ZonMw (The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development)

  • KNAW (The Royal Netherland Academy of Arts and Sciences)


Important: KWF applications require participation in the mandatory CCA Internal KWF Review before submission.

Tumour-specific foundations

Blood cancers

Bone cancers

Breast cancer

Brain tumours

Childhood cancer

Colorectal cancer

Gastrointestinal cancers

Kidney cancer

Lung cancer

Melanoma

Rare diseases

International funding and societies

European programmes

International cancer research organisations

Professional societies

  • European Association for Cancer Research – EACR

  • European Society for Medical Oncology - ESMO

  • European Society of Surgical Oncology - ESSO

  • European Hematology Association - EHA

  • European Society of Pathology - ESP

  • European Association of Neuro-Oncology - EANO

  • European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology - ESHO

  • European Oncology Nursing Society - EONS

  • Federation of European Biochemical Societies – FEBS

  • International Gynecologic Cancer Society - IGCS

  • International Psycho-Oncology Society - IPOS

  • International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies - IFHNOS

  • International Liver Cancer Association - ILCA

  • International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer - IASLC

  • International Society of Geriatric Oncology - SIOG

  • Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer - SITC

  • American Association for Cancer Research – AACR

  • American Society for Clinical Oncology –ASCO

  • American Society for Radiation Oncology - ASTRO

  • Radiologic Society of North America - RSNA

  • American Society of Hematology – ASH

Private foundations & philanthropic funders

Important: Amsterdam UMC Research Grant Support (RGS) provides a dedicated support programme for applications to the Hanarth Fonds, including internal reviews and referee feedback. See the RGS SharePoint.

Travel grants

Travel grants support researchers in gaining international experience, building collaborations, and sharing their work with the scientific community. They can help fund research visits, training opportunities, and conference participation, with many schemes specifically aimed at PhD candidates and early-career researchers. Explore the opportunities below to find a travel grant that fits your career stage, research goals, and planned activities.

Programme Intended forAmountDuration

Fulbright Program

PhD candidates visiting the United States$12.0003-6 months

René Vogels Stichting

Researchers up to 35 years oldNo maximum-

Nijbakker-Morra Stichting

PhD candidates and early postdocs€10.8004-12 months

Studiefonds Ketel 1

PhD candidates in fundamental researchNo maximum-

Catharine van Tussenbroek Fonds

Women within five years of obtaining a PhD€30002 weeks - 6 months

LNVH Advancing Women in Biology

Female PhD candidates€2500-

LNVH Distinguished Women Scientists Fund

Female postdocs within three years after PhD€1500-

AUMC Women in Science Fund

Female PhD candidates€1000/monthUp to 12 months

Pieter de Mulder Award

PhD candidates in medical oncology€15.000Up to 3 months

CCN Travel Grant

Surgical A(N)IOS and PhD candidates

€2500

-

NVVI Travel Grant

NVVI members in the third or fourth year of their PhD€500-

Postdoctoral fellowships

Postdoctoral fellowships provide early-career researchers with opportunities to develop their independence, expand their expertise, and establish international collaborations. These programmes typically support salary costs, research time, and professional development, enabling researchers to pursue innovative projects and strengthen their academic careers. Explore the fellowships below to find opportunities that match your research focus, career stage, and ambitions.

ProgrammeIntended forAmountDuration

LSBR Fellowship

≤8 years post-PhD (blood)€700.0005 years
Lymph&Co Fellowship≤6 years post-PhD (lymphoma)€100.0002 years
EACR-Mark Foundation Fellowships≤5 years post-PhD Salary3 years
ESO Doctors FellowshipMedical specialists (maximum 5 years)€2500/month3-6 months
Hatcher Pathology Fellowship≤6 years post-PhD (orthopeadic surgery)$85002 years
Branco Weiss Fellowship≤5 years post-PhD 
CHF 600,000 5 years
CRI Irvington Fellowship≤5 years post-PhD 
Salary3 years
ESMO FellowshipsMedical doctors (<40 years)VariousVarious
Rubicon≤1 year post-PhD 
Salary2 years
EMBO Fellowships≤2 years post-PhD 
Salary2 years

ResearchConnect

ResearchConnect is a searchable funding database that helps researchers identify funding opportunities tailored to their research interests.

Using your Amsterdam UMC institutional login, you can:

  • search thousands of national and international funding opportunities;
  • filter by discipline, career stage and funding type;
  • create personalised email alerts for new grant calls.

This is an excellent starting point if you are exploring funding opportunities beyond those listed on this page.