Fondation Sedes Sapientiae - Sedes Sapientiae Foundation Scholarships

What you get

You will receive a paid PhD scholarship to carry out research in the field of Christian theology or religious studies at Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. With a PhD scholarship, you will be paid to work on your doctoral thesis. The scholarship is tax-free. Under the Belgian social security system, it is treated as paid employment, meaning you are insured in the same way as an employee. The duration is 2 years, with a review after the first year. At the end of the second year, you may apply for an extension of a further 2 years, bringing the total duration to up to 4 years. You will also have access to the faculty’s seminars, conferences and academic events, as well as to the libraries of UCLouvain and KU Leuven. Funding is provided by the Fondation Sedes Sapientiae, the scholarship office of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at UCLouvain. The monthly amount is not published on the official website.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are about to start a PhD programme at UCLouvain or are already studying for one.
• Doctoral school: You are either enrolled at the Doctoral School of Theology and Biblical Studies or the Doctoral School of Religious Studies, or you are applying to one of them.
• Field: Your field of research lies within the area of Christian theology (fundamentals and dogmatics, biblical studies and history, practical theology, theological ethics) or the study of religion.
• Supervisor: Your supervisor is a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies.
• Nationality: Open to all nationalities, both from within the EU and from outside the EU.
• Full commitment: You must devote yourself exclusively to your research. You must not receive any other income or engage in any activity that would interfere with your research. The faculty may require you to devote up to 20% of your time to faculty duties.
• Other funding: You must also apply for further research funding (FNRS and FSR) in the same year, or undertake to do so within 2 years.
• Merit: Selection is based primarily on your academic achievements and your research project.

How to apply

Apply by 19 June 2026 (23:59). First, apply online for admission to the relevant doctoral school. At the same time, email your scholarship application documents to the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Theology. The documents should include two letters of recommendation, a personal statement of no more than two pages, and the completed application form detailing your research project. You will be notified of the decision by 20 July 2026 at the latest.

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