Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen - SofinaBoël Fellowships

SofinaBoël Fellowships

A fellowship is a grant that funds a research stay abroad. You get 1,650 EUR per month for a research or training stay abroad, plus a one-off travel grant of 1,000 EUR for an economy-class return ticket. The stay lasts 6 or 12 months and must take place during the 2027-28 academic year. The monthly sum is a top-up: it covers your rent, living costs, research expenses and local transport abroad. It does not replace your salary. The fellowships are awarded by the two Belgian research funds, FWO and F.R.S.-FNRS, with support from the King Baudouin Foundation on behalf of the SofinaBoël Fund for Education and Talent.

Who can apply

• Level: You are a PhD student. Clinical PhD fellows and candidates from the Royal Military Academy also qualify.
• Paid position: You have a fully paid position at a Belgian university (a fellowship, salary or other income) at the application deadline, when you leave, and for the whole stay. This award tops up that income, it does not pay your basic salary.
• Link to Belgium: You have been affiliated to a Belgian university (paid or unpaid) for at least one full year before the deadline.
• Degree: You obtained your Master's (MA or MSc) after 1 November 2022.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines.
• Where you go: Any country worldwide except the USA, at one host institution. For the USA, a separate scheme exists at the Belgian American Education Foundation.
• Language: You speak the language used at your host institution well.
• Grades: You have an outstanding academic record.
• Once only: You have not received a SofinaBoël Fellowship before.

How to apply

Submit your application as a single PDF by email by 26 October 2026, midnight (CET). FWO first checks that you are eligible. A scientific jury appointed by FWO and F.R.S.-FNRS then evaluates and ranks all applications. The SofinaBoël Fund's board makes the final decision.