PREDOCS-UB (Programa de Contractació d'Investigadors Predoctorals de la Universitat de Barcelona)

PREDOCS-UB predoctoral researcher contract

You get a full-time, paid employment contract with the University of Barcelona (UB) to do a PhD. This is a job, not a scholarship. The pay follows the Spanish public pay scale for research staff and rises over time: 56% of the reference salary in years 1 and 2, 60% in year 3 and 75% in year 4. It is paid in 14 instalments per year, with extra payments in June and December. The exact euro figure depends on the official pay table. The contract runs for up to 4 years, or up to 6 years if you have a recognised disability. The UB also pays your doctoral enrolment fees for up to 4 years. Parental and sick leave pause the clock and extend the contract. From your second year you can apply for extra funding to study abroad for 1 to 3 months. The programme runs each year and is co-funded by the UB and Banco Santander. The 2025 round offers 32 contracts starting on 1 October 2026.

Who can apply

• Study level: You are enrolled full time in a UB doctoral programme, or will be by the time you sign the contract. You also qualify if you have been admitted, hold a degree giving access to a PhD earned after 1 January 2022, or are in a 2025/2026 master's that leads into a UB PhD.
• No PhD yet: You have not already completed a doctorate or defended your thesis.
• Field of study: All subjects qualify, across four groups: health sciences, experimental sciences and mathematics, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
• Grades: Your combined bachelor's and master's average is at least 6.5 out of 10.
• Supervisor: A permanent PhD-holding UB researcher agrees to supervise you and works on an active competitive research project. Part-time staff, visiting professors and emeriti do not count.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply. If you are from outside the EU, you need a valid residence and work permit before you sign the contract.
• No long prior contracts: Your earlier predoctoral contracts do not add up to more than 4 years, or 6 years if you have a disability.
• Disability places: One of the 32 contracts is reserved for candidates with a recognised disability of at least 33%.

How to apply

You apply online between 19 January and 13 February 2026, by 14:00 Barcelona time. You must submit through both the UB electronic office and the Banco Santander platform. Missing either one means you are excluded. Selection is based on your documents (grades, CV, research plan and supervisor's report). There is no interview.

How realistic are your chances?

This is tied firmly to the University of Barcelona: you need a UB doctoral programme and a permanent UB supervisor already lined up, which shrinks the field to well-connected candidates. With 32 contracts split across four subject groups, competition is real, and grades plus your supervisor's profile weigh heavily. If you clearly meet the 6.5 grade bar, have a committed supervisor in an active research project and apply on time, your prospects are solid.