FWO/FNRS-Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium)/McKinsey & Company - Scientific Prize McKinsey & Company

Benefit

For an outstanding doctoral thesis, you will receive a one-off prize of 5,000 EUR, which you are free to spend as you wish. Two prizes are awarded each year: one for researchers in Flanders, awarded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), and one for researchers in the French-speaking part of Belgium, awarded by the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS). Both prizes are funded by the management consultancy McKinsey & Company. The prize is awarded to a single winner and cannot be shared.

Eligibility

• Degree: You completed your PhD and publicly defended your thesis in 2025, between 1 January and 31 December.
• Research area: You work in the exact or applied sciences, the social or economic sciences – including business administration – or in biomedical research.
• Your thesis: This section explains the significance of your research for society or the economy, and how it can be put into practice.
• Where you are based: To be eligible for the Flemish prize, you must be affiliated with a Flemish university or a Flemish research institute on the cut-off date, regardless of whether you are working there on a paid or unpaid basis. To be eligible for the French-speaking award, you must be affiliated with a recognised university within or outside the French-speaking part of Belgium and have defended your thesis at a university there or at the Royal Military Academy.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• No earlier prize: Your thesis has not already won another award. An honorary mention does not count against you.
• Not for McKinsey staff: You cannot apply if you are currently employed by McKinsey & Company.

How to apply

Please submit your application by email using the official form, together with your CV and an electronic copy of your thesis. For the Flemish prize (FWO), the deadline for applications is 16 February 2026, midnight CET. For the French-speaking prize (FNRS), the deadline is 2 March 2026, midnight Brussels time, and the application must be written in English. A panel of experts will assess the entries and select one winner for each prize.

You can find more scholarships in our guide Scholarships in Belgium.