FWO - Special PhD fellowship

Benefit

You will receive one year of paid leave to finish your PhD. The monthly amount corresponds to the net salary from your current main job, up to a maximum of the net salary of a university assistant in Flanders. You will also receive an amount of bench fee of 3,720 EUR per year to cover your research costs. The fellowship runs for exactly 12 months, with no possibility of extension, and is tax-free under Belgian income tax regulations. It is funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), the leading public body for research funding in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. It offers individuals working outside the research sector a single, focused year to complete their PhD.

Eligibility

• Your job: You are in permanent employment outside the field of academic research. Your employer has agreed to grant you one year’s study leave or unpaid leave (not a sabbatical) and will allow you to return to your post afterwards.
• Degree: You must hold at least a Master’s degree, which followed on from a Bachelor’s degree and was awarded within the European Economic Area or in Switzerland. For a degree from another country (including the United Kingdom), a NARIC equivalence certificate or written confirmation from the host university is required, stating that this degree qualifies the holder to undertake a PhD. A ‘Master’s-after-Master’s’ degree will not be recognised.
• Where you study: You are undertaking a PhD at a university in Flanders or at one of the two Protestant theological faculties (in Leuven or Brussels). You have already found a supervisor there who is willing to supervise you.
• Field of study: Any field of research is fine.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. What matters is where you obtained your qualification, not your passport.
• No earlier FWO grant: You have never held an FWO pre-doctoral fellowship before, not even in part.
• Side jobs: During the scholarship, you must refrain from any secondary employment and any associated income.
• Clinicians: Doctors, vets, dentists and pharmacists who are recognised as specialists in Belgium may also apply, provided they meet the other requirements.

How to apply

First, secure a supervisor at an eligible university. Then submit your application in English via the FWO e-portal by 2 March 2026 at 17:00 CET. Your supervisor will submit a letter of recommendation. An interdisciplinary panel of experts will review your application, and the FWO Executive Board will make the final decision following interviews. The results will be announced on 2 July 2026, and the scholarship will commence on 1 November 2026.

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