Applications/Budget/Contracts Horizon 2020
Applications
Researchers at UU who submit their applications for the EU’s framework programme can receive budgeting assistance from the AEU (see Budget).
Contact the research secretaries and EU project coordinators if you require help with the application itself. See the page on EU funding.
Budget
At the AEU, we can offer assistance with the budget that is to be drawn up as part of the project application.
Target value for the EUR currency exchange rate in budgeting. As the budget concerns a time period of up to five years, it is difficult to approximate a correct budget value. Considering the precautionary principle, the rate should preferably err on the low side. For current EUR rates, see this page.
Always contact us at the AEU if the rules of a given call are unclear!
Cost categories
The budget is split into different cost categories: Personnel costs, Subcontracting, Other direct costs and Indirect costs. Personnel and Other direct costs form the basis for the calculation of Indirect costs. All cost categories factor into the total project cost.
| A | Direct Personnel costs | Actual cost |
| B | Direct costs of subcontracting | Actual cost |
| D | Other direct costs | Actual cost |
| E | Indirect costs | Flat rate 25 per cent of row A & D |
| F | Costs of specific categories | Unit costs* |
|
| Total costs | Sum row A-F |
|
| EU-contribution | 100 per cent of Total costs ** |
*The category applies for certain announcements, for instance access costs for research infrastructure.
**The level of compensation is always 100 per cent of the total project cost of Uppsala University. However, the project consortium may have agreed to a lower level of funding as part of the contract.
Direct personnel costs
Remember to budget for expected salary raises for the entire duration of the project.
Salary side costs (LBK) including holiday compensation must also be included in all calculations.
For current percentage, please see the page Budget conditions.
Other direct costs
Other direct costs include travel expenses, consumable materials, equipment/write-offs and such. The cost of the revision report is also budgeted here.
When budgeting equipment, please keep in mind that only the write-off cost that pertains to use in the specific EU project is an eligible cost. Write-offs of equipment shall, in accordance with the University’s reporting principles, be distributed across 3 or 5 years. Therefore, we urge you to keep in mind that any equipment that is purchased for the project may not be able to be fully written off over the duration of the project. Remaining write-off costs at a previously procured facility may be an eligible cost.
Auditing certificate
Whenever total direct costs exceed EUR 325,000, an auditing certificate is required for the financial report. The revision should only be carried out at the end of the project, that is, auditing should only be done once for all reporting periods. A revision certificate will run you approximately EUR 4,000.
Indirect costs
Uppsala University always uses a flat rate of 25 per cent. This means that the indirect costs are calculated as 25 per cent of the total direct costs excluding any costs for subcontracting.
Subcontracting
Avoid subcontracting as far as possible. In order for subcontracting to be an eligible cost, the application and Description of Work (annex 1) must clearly state so. No subcontracting costs may factor into the calculation of indirect costs.
NOTE: Please save the documentation surrounding procurement and the selection process if the contractor is not covered by existing framework agreements. Read more on the page Procurement.
Contracts
According to the University’s delegation order for projects within the EU’s framework programmes, the University Director is responsible for signing the contract (Grant Agreement if UU is a coordinator, or Mono-contractor or Grant Accession if UU is a partner) and the consortium agreement.
All contract signing and reporting is done electronically in the Participant Portal. A detailed description of how a contract is processed once approved can be found on the page EU financing.
The department must fill out an internal form (which can be found on the page EU financing) for the University Director’s signing of the contract. The head of department must sign the internal form.
Consortium agreements (agreements between participating partners) must always be submitted to the Legal Affairs Division for auditing before signing by the University Director. The European Commission commonly demands involved parties to have established the consortium agreement before any contract signing can take place.