The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) of Portugal has announced a new Call for PhD studentships to support advanced training that has a strong social impact and relevance. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia or Foundation of Science and Technology which comes under Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education in Portugal is funding these positions. International students from all over the world who meets the application requirements can apply for this opportunity. Applicants can only submit one application, applying for than one position will make him/her ineligible for application.
Under this program 1550 PhD studentships will be awarded to international students among these 550 will awarded under specific line of application for doctoral degree in in non-academic entities (NAE) This program follows the rules set by the FCT Regulation for Studentships and Fellowships (RBI) and the Research Fellowship Holder Statute (EBI). There are two types of applications available: the Regular Line, which focuses on research in academic institutions either in Portugal or abroad, and the Specific Line, which is designed for research mainly in non-academic institutions.
This opportunity provides a significant opportunity for PhD candidates to advance their research careers with financial and institutional support. Applicants are encouraged to review the detailed guidelines and submit their applications within the specified timeline.
FCT Studentship Overview
| Country | Portugal |
| Organizer | Foundation of Science and Technology of Portugal |
| Financial Coverage | Fully Funded |
| Eligible Nationalities | All |
| Eligible Degree | PhD |
| Deadline | 16 April 2025 |
Funding and Support
Successful applicants will receive following benefits under this Studentship,
- Monthly allowance.
- Tuition fees.
- Support for additional training activities and conference presentations.
- Personal accident insurance.
- Travel
- Relocation costs (if applicable).
Funding Sources:
- State Budget.
- European Social Fund (ESF) under the Programa Demografia, Qualificações e Inclusão (PDQI).
Eligibility Criteria
So to apply applicant must meet the following requirements,
- Applicants enrolled or eligible to enroll in a PhD program.
- Candidates planning to conduct research in academic institutions, R&D units, or non-profit organizations focused on R&D.
- Must not have previously received an FCT-funded PhD studentship.
- Must not hold a doctoral degree.
- Must reside in Portugal permanently or habitually if applying for studentships involving research abroad (applies to both Portuguese and foreign citizens).
Eligible Applicants:
Portuguese citizens, EU citizens, third-country nationals, stateless individuals, and political refugees.
How to Apply
Application Period is from March 17th to April 16th, 2025 (until 5:00 PM Lisbon time).
- Submit applications online via the FCT portal: https://myfct.fct.pt.
- Select the regular line of application and click “start application.”
- Applications submitted through other means will not be accepted.
Evaluation Process
Applications are evaluated by expert panels based on three criteria:
- Criterion A – Merit of the Applicant (30%):
- Sub-criteria:
- Academic career (50% weighting).
- Personal CV (50% weighting).
- Criterion B – Merit of the Work Plan (40%).
- Criterion C – Merit of the Hosting Conditions (30%).
Scoring
- Applications are graded from 0.000 (minimum) to 5.000 (maximum).
- A score below 3.000 disqualifies the application.
Tiebreaker Order:
- Merit of the Work Plan (Criterion B).
- Merit of the Applicant (Criterion A).
- Merit of the Hosting Conditions (Criterion C).
Contracting and Management
- Contracting and management responsibilities now lie with the institution indicated by the candidate.
- Institutions have 10 working days (from the application deadline) to validate candidates.
- Candidates not validated by their chosen institution are ineligible.
- Studentships for research fully abroad remain contracted and managed by FCT.
Results and Disputes
- Published within 90 working days after the application deadline (expected by early August 2025).
- Applicants with unfavorable decisions can dispute results within 10 working days.
- Disclosed after reviewing disputes.
- Candidates may file a claim within 15 working days or an appeal within 30 working days from the final decision notification.
