FCT Portugal - BAGS PHD

FCT PhD Studentship (Bolsa de Investigação para Doutoramento)

You will receive 1,259.64 EUR per month for a PhD in Portugal, specifically for up to 4 years. In addition to the monthly scholarship, the FCT will cover your tuition fees and pay you a one-off settlement allowance at the start of your studies, equivalent to an additional month’s scholarship. It will also cover the cost of accident insurance relating to your research. If you travel abroad as part of your work, you can apply for a mobility allowance. You will also receive additional support for attending conferences and training courses. The funding comes from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal’s national research funding organisation, which is financed from the Portuguese national budget and the European Social Fund.

Who can apply

• Level: You are enrolled on a PhD programme or meet the entry requirements for enrolment on such a programme.
• No doctorate yet: You have not yet obtained a doctorate.
• First FCT PhD grant: You have not yet received an FCT doctoral scholarship.
• Field of study: Open to all academic disciplines.
• Nationality: Open to all: Portuguese citizens, other EU citizens, non-EU citizens, stateless persons and recognised refugees.
• Where you study: Your PhD programme takes place in Portugal. If you spend part of your time abroad or complete your PhD programme entirely abroad, you must be permanently resident in Portugal.
• Age: No age limit.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the myFCT portal. You will need your CV, your academic transcripts, a research plan and your supervisor’s approval. The application window runs throughout March and closes on 31 March. There will be no interview. International panels of experts will assess your application on the basis of your academic achievements, your work plan and the conditions at your host institution.

How realistic are your chances?

This is Portugal’s most important national funding programme for doctoral research projects, and it is extensive: around 1,600 grants are awarded each year. In the 2026 regular call for applications, approximately 3,628 people applied, and around 1,000 received funding – which corresponds to an acceptance rate of almost 28 per cent. Your research proposal carries the greatest weight in the assessment. A clear, well-reasoned application, backed by a supporting host institution, therefore offers you solid prospects.