FNRS-Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium) - Fellowship for a Research Fellow

What you get

You will receive approximately 2,925 euros per month to complete your PhD on a full-time basis over a period of 4 years. This is a scholarship, which means you will be paid for your research work rather than holding a separate job. The funding is initially awarded for 2 years and may be extended by up to 2 further years, meaning you will be paid for the entire duration of your PhD. In addition to your salary, your supervisor manages a budget to cover your research costs. The funding comes from the F.R.S.-FNRS, the public research funding body for the French-speaking part of Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels). If you have a disability, you may work part-time and spread your PhD over up to 6 years. Breaks of 30 days or more due to parental leave, adoption or illness may extend the duration of your funding.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a Master’s degree comprising at least 120 ECTS credits or are in the final year of such a degree programme. Qualifications from Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are recognised directly. Other qualifications must be officially recognised, and you will need proof of admission to a Belgian PhD programme.
• How recent: You completed your degree no more than 4 years before the expiry date. This period is extended if you have children (for example, by 15 months per birth).
• Where you do your PhD: You are undertaking your PhD at one of the five French-speaking Belgian universities: UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMons or UNamur. Your supervisor must hold a permanent post at one of these institutions.
• Field of study: Open to all areas of research.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Attempts: You may apply no more than twice. You are not eligible to apply if you have already received this scholarship or have received funding through the F.R.S.-FNRS programme for a total of more than 24 months.
• No other job: During the scholarship, you must not undertake any teaching duties or receive any other remuneration. Light supervisory duties are limited to an average of 8 hours per week over the course of the year.

How to apply

You apply once a year through the e-space online platform when the Grants and Fellowships Call opens. For the 2026 call, your application must be validated by 17 February 2026 at 2 p.m. (Brussels time). Your supervisor and then the rector confirm it afterwards. You submit a CV, a list of publications, your research project and details of two external scientific experts. The Board of Trustees decides in June, and fellowships start on 1 October.

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