Pablo de Olavide University - Predoctoral Bridge Fellowships

Benefit

You will receive 900 EUR per month as part of a paid research contract with Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) in Seville, Spain, which runs until 18 months. This is not a traditional scholarship, but a fixed-term training post under Spanish labour law, for which you will be paid a monthly salary. It serves as a stopgap: it covers your living costs whilst you gain research experience and apply for a longer-term, externally funded PhD position, such as a Spanish FPI or FPU scholarship. Each year, around 8 contracts are awarded across all faculties. A full-time professor at the UPO who holds a PhD will supervise your research.

Eligibility

• Where you study: You are enrolled on a Master’s or PhD programme at UPO and will remain affiliated with UPO for the entire duration of the funding period.
• Study phase: You have recently graduated and have not yet completed your PhD.
• Supervisor: A full-time UPO professor with a PhD has agreed to supervise your dissertation.
• Field of study: All subjects taught at the UPO, ranging from social sciences, law, economics and the humanities to health sciences, natural sciences and engineering.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Other funding: You may not receive any other public or private funding for the same purpose at the same time.

How to apply

The vacancy is advertised once a year. The UPO publishes it via its online job board and internal channels, but not as a public advertisement; therefore, you must be part of the UPO community to view it. The UPO Research Committee reviews the applications, and the Rector makes the final decision.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined. You must already be enrolled on a Master’s or PhD programme at UPO and be able to demonstrate that you have a full-time supervisor at UPO, meaning that only a small group of graduates from recent years are eligible. With around 8 contracts per year, competition is fierce, but it is limited to this internal group. If you clearly meet these requirements and have a supervisor who supports you, your prospects are good.