How do I write a research proposal?

Short answer: Short, realistic and matched to one of the program's research lines. The committee reads it to judge whether you can do the project in three years.

1. Title: clear, not poetic.
2. Background: what is known, with key references.
3. Gap and questions: one or two research questions you can answer in three years.
4. Methods and data: how, and where the data comes from.
5. Timeline: year one, two, three.
6. Fit: which group or professor, and why.

Check the page limit in the call and respect it exactly. Write it yourself; in the interview you will defend every line.