Royal Academy of Doctors (Spain) - Royal Academy of Doctors Research Award

What the RADE Research Award gives you

For an outstanding doctoral thesis, you will receive a one-off cash prize of 1,000 to 2,000 EUR, depending on which prize you win. The Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (RADE) awards these prizes once a year to recognise outstanding research achievements by recent PhD graduates. There are nine different prizes. Four of these are open-theme prizes, each worth 1,000 EUR, one for each of the following major fields: humanities and arts; life and health sciences; law, politics and economics; and experimental and technological sciences. The other five are sponsored prizes on specific topics, each worth 1,000 to 2,000 EUR, such as economics and accounting, corporate reporting, the social economy, anaesthesiology, and disability and accessibility. You may only apply for one of the nine prizes.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a Spanish national.
• Degree: You defended your doctoral thesis between 16 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
• Grade: Her doctoral thesis was awarded the grade ‘sobresaliente cum laude’, the highest distinction in the Spanish doctoral system.
• Language: Your dissertation is written in Spanish. If it is written in another language, the PDF file must include a summary of the objectives, results and conclusions in Spanish.
• Field of study: All disciplines are eligible, as the prizes cover all disciplines.
• Exclusion: Members of the RADE Academy are not permitted entry.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted using the form in the ‘PREMIOS’ section of the RADE website. Please upload your thesis and CV as PDF files. The closing date for entries is 30 June 2026. A panel of RADE academics will select the winners, who will be announced in December 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

The pool of candidates is small from the outset. You must be Spanish, have defended your doctoral thesis within the past year, and have achieved the top mark of ‘cum laude’. Only one prize is awarded in each subject area, so there is genuine competition amongst these outstanding theses. If you clearly meet the criteria and your thesis fits into one of the nine categories, entering requires little effort and is well worth a try.