The FWO is offering PhD Fellowship in Strategic Basic Research to study in Belgium. Fellowships are available for International Students.

A PhD fellowship strategic basic research allows young researchers to develop into strategically thinking and innovation-oriented scientists.

The FWO supports fundamental and strategic scientific research, stimulates international cooperation and promotes equal opportunity. A complete overview of all possible financing resources can be found at “Fellowships and Financing”.

Scholarship Description

• Applications Deadline: March 1, 2019
• Course Level: Fellowships are available to pursue PhD programme.
• Study Subject: Fellowships are awarded for strategic basic research.
• Scholarship Award:

1. Period: 2 years, renewable once
2. Net scholarship amount: minimum € 2.015,51
3. Fixed bench fee: €3,720 per year

• Nationality: Fellowships are available for International Students.
• Number of Scholarships: Numbers not given
• Scholarship can be taken in Belgium

Eligibility for the Scholarship

Eligible Countries: Fellowships are available for International Students.

Entrance Requirements: Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Art. 4.

• 1. Fellows of a postdoctoral (PhD) grant strategic basic research must be affiliated to a university in the Flemish Community, possibly in collaboration with a Flemish or Federal scientific institution where they conduct their research.
• 2. Fellows can conduct part of their research at a Flemish company for a period of maximum 12 months per grant period of 2 years, provided such collaboration significantly contributes to the PhD project and a written agreement is concluded between the host institution of the fellow and the company, in which arrangements are made with regard to the intellectual property rights. The host institution remains the owner of the intellectual property rights. Any transfer transaction to the company must be concluded at arm’s length.

Art. 5.

Candidates must submit and defend their application in English for the purposes of the international peer review.

Art. 6.

• 1. At the start of the fellowship, candidates must be holder of a diploma at least equivalent to a master’s degree following a bachelor’s degree and awarded by the competent institutions in one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
• 2. For the application of the preceding paragraph, master-after-master diplomas, as described in the Higher Education Register at www.hogeronderwijsregister.be, are not taken into consideration.
• 3. Diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland or diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in the French-speaking Community are recognised as equivalent to diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in the Flemish Community in accordance with the Decision of the Flemish Government on the codification of the decree provisions relating to higher education of 11 October 2013, the applicable European directives or a bilateral agreement.

Art. 7. (as amended by decision of the board of trustees of 28 March and 27 June 2018)

• 1. The master’s degree or equivalent diploma, on the basis of which the application is submitted, must have been obtained not earlier than three years before the closing date of the call.
• 2. The limits specified in paragraph 1 are extended by one year per period of at least three months of maternity leave, per continuous period of at least three months of full-time parental leave or per continuous period of at least three months full-time sickness leave taken between the date of the relevant master’s degree and the application.
• 3. The limits specified in paragraph 1 are extended by the duration of the study programme leading to the degree of physician-specialist, pharmacist-specialist or resident veterinarian, provided the study programme has a duration of more than 1 year.  A 1-year study programme cannot lead to an extension of the limits defined in paragraph 1.
• 4. The Executive Committee of the Research Foundation – Flanders may exceptionally deviate from the limits specified in paragraph 1 in cases where, for social and medical reasons, there has been either an interruption in the preliminary stage, or a reduced capacity to work.

Art. 8. (as amended by decision of the board of trustees of 27 June 2018 and 24 October 2018)

1. At the closing date of the call, the scientific experience of candidates, both remunerated and non-remunerated, acquired since gaining a master’s degree or equivalent diploma, shall not have exceeded a period of 18 months.

2. By prior scientific experience is meant all kinds of scientific activities including those that are substantively different from the PhD proposal or that cannot be described as PhD level research, such as application- or policy-oriented research or service-oriented research.

Appointments at universities or university colleges such as Tetra, BOF, VLAIO projects, SBO, or assistant fellowships are always taken into account unless the candidate was appointed under a non-research related statute, e.g. as practice assistant or teaching assistant, or administrative or technical staff.

If the candidate was employed in the business enterprise sector, the job description is a co-determining factor.

3. In determining the 18-month period referred to in the first paragraph, the employment percentage is taken into account.

English Language Requirements: Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency in English at the higher level required by the University.

Application Procedure

How to Apply: You complete your application online.

Scholarship Link