Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium - Frédéric Swarts Award

Frédéric Swarts Award

You will receive a one-off cash prize for the best research work in the field of pure or applied chemistry. The Royal Belgian Academy of Sciences awards this prize every two years to encourage young researchers to remain in the field of chemistry. This is a scientific prize rather than a monthly scholarship, so you will receive a one-off payment. The Academy does not disclose the amount of the prize money.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a citizen of an EU country.
• Degree: You hold a PhD, which you obtained less than 10 years ago.
• Field: Your field of work lies in pure or industrial chemistry. This also includes physical chemistry and biophysics.
• University: It does not matter where you studied, as long as you meet the EU nationality requirement.
• What you submit: A well-researched academic work, such as a doctoral thesis or a published paper.

How to apply

You may submit your research paper to the Academy either yourself or via a member of the Science Class. The deadline is 30 June each year. Examiners from the Science Class assess the submitted papers and propose a winner.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single prize awarded only once every two years; consequently, it is awarded just once per cycle, and competition is fierce. However, the entry criteria are strict: candidates must hold a recently awarded PhD in chemistry and have compelling research findings suitable for submission, which keeps the pool of applicants small. If your work is well-founded and clearly aligns with the focus on chemistry, a suitable candidate stands a real chance.