Autonomous Community of Asturias - Severo Ochoa Predoctoral Fellowship Programme

Severo Ochoa Predoctoral Fellowship (Principado de Asturias)

You will be offered a paid employment contract to complete your doctoral thesis (dissertation) in Asturias, Spain. The contract will run for 1 to 4 years. Your salary will increase each year: approximately 17,824 EUR gross in the years 1 and 2, approximately 19,097 EUR in the year 3 and approximately 23,871 EUR in the year 4. This is based on a full reference salary of approximately 31,828 EUR gross per year, which corresponds to roughly 1,342 EUR per month. Your employer will also pay social security contributions. If you complete your PhD before the fourth year, you may be eligible for funding as a early-career researcher for up to 12 further months. The programme is offered by the Regional Government of Asturias, which funded 80 places in the 2024 round.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled as a full-time PhD student at a university in Asturias and are carrying out your research at a university there, a public research institution or a technology centre.
• Degrees: You hold a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree (or a foreign qualification entitling you to pursue a PhD), which together comprise at least 300 ECTS credits. You are also eligible to apply if, at the time of application, you are still enrolled on a suitable Master’s programme.
• No PhD yet: You do not yet hold a doctorate.
• Grades: Your average mark is at least 6.5 on a scale from 1 to 10.
• Nationality: You are a Spanish national, an EU citizen or a non-EU citizen and hold a Spanish Foreigner Identification Number (NIE) as at the reference date.
• Field of study: All compartments are open.
• Host acceptance: A research centre in Asturias has confirmed that it will accept you.

How to apply

You can apply online via the Asturian Regional Government’s portal or in person at a citizens’ advice centre. In 2024, the application deadline was 18 June. A selection committee allocates places as part of a selection process. Your grades, your research project, your supervisor and the research group will be assessed.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is linked to a specific Spanish region. You must be admitted to a PhD programme in Asturias and already have a host institution lined up there; it is therefore particularly suitable for those who already have contacts in the region. With 80 funded places in 2024, the number of scholarships on offer is certainly not small, but the selection process is highly competitive and depends heavily on your grades, as well as the quality of your research proposal and your research group. If you clearly meet the requirements and have a strong supervisor who supports a solid research proposal, your chances are good.