Government of Spain-Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports/College of Spain - Training programme for Academic Staff (FPU)- Short-term travel grants for doctorate students

What you get

You will receive up to 1,500 EUR per month for a research placement abroad as part of your PhD. This amount covers the costs of accommodation and living expenses, with the exact amount depending on the destination country. You will also receive a travel allowance of up to 600 EUR for a destination in Europe or up to 1,200 EUR for the rest of the world. Furthermore, you may receive up to 200 EUR per month towards accident and health insurance if your European Health Insurance Card is not valid there. The funding is provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU). It complements the FPU programme, which trains future university lecturers and researchers.

There are two options: a short stay of 2 or 3 months (325 places for 2026) or a longer stay of 6 to 9 months (15 places for 2026).

Who can apply

• Current FPU grant: You already hold an active FPU doctoral scholarship. This additional funding is intended solely for those who are already receiving support from the FPU, not for new applicants.
• From an older round: Your FPU grant stems from a call for applications issued in 2022.
• Time already funded: For a short stay, you must have received FPU funding for at least 9 months. For a longer stay, a minimum of 24 months is required.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines. The placement must be related to the topic of the final thesis for which your FPU scholarship is being awarded.
• Timing: Your entire stay must fall entirely within your FPU funding period and must not fall within the last 6 months of that period.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, provided they hold a current FPU scholarship.

How to apply

You apply online via the Ministry’s electronic portal using a digital certificate or a user account. The application period for round 2026 runs from 16 January to 13 February 2026. An expert panel will assess all applications and award marks based on the impact on your career, the quality of the host research team, and the scientific merit and feasibility of your project.

How realistic are your chances?

This supplementary programme is narrowly defined: only active FPU scholarship holders from calls for applications prior to 2022 are eligible to apply, meaning that the group of eligible candidates is already small. The 325 places for short stays far outnumber the 15 places for longer stays, meaning that short stays are the easier option. As places are awarded on a competitive basis, a convincing, well-documented plan featuring a strong host team and a dissertation at an advanced stage offers a suitable applicant solid prospects.