Ghent University Doctoral Scholarship for Developing Countries 2024

With support from its “Special Research Fund” (BOF), Ghent University grants PhD “sandwich” scholarships to promising PhD students from developing countries who wish to carry out half of their PhD research at Ghent University (‘North’) and half at a university in a developing country (‘South’). Ghent University only finances the part of the research that will be carried out in Ghent (24 months). The candidate must have full-time funding for the other 24 months of research to be carried out in the South.

Ghent University Doctoral Scholarship

Benefits of Ghent University Doctoral Scholarship

• PhD scholarship at Ghent University  (in total, 24 months).
• The Ghent University promoter receives a bench fee of € 310/per month of research in Ghent plus a €8,000 travel budget to cover (part of) the operational costs as well as part of the travel costs of the student and both the Ghent University and the local promoter.

Requirements for Ghent University Doctoral Scholarship

• Candidates need to come from and have the nationality of one of the selected developing countries (see country list);
• The proposals must be jointly submitted by a candidate, a supervisor (promoter) at Ghent University and a supervisor at the partner university (South);
• No restrictions are imposed on the field of research; nevertheless, preference will be given to topics that are relevant for development.
• Only degree students (students who intend to obtain a joint PhD degree at Ghent University) can apply. Exchange students cannot apply for this scholarship.
• This program is meant for students at the beginning of their PhD. To a limited extent, PhD students are allowed to have already completed preliminary research. At the time the fellowship starts (1/10/2024), a minimum of 36 months of doctoral research will still be required to complete the PhD.
• Ghent university wants to encourage more female researchers to apply for this scholarship. That is why a Ghent University supervisor can support a maximum of two candidates per call, provided they are both of a different gender.

Selection Process

The following mobility scheme is mandatory:

1. Students need to start and end with a research stay of 3–12 months at Ghent University.
2. The first research stay at Ghent University needs to be started between October 1, 2024, and October 28, 2025.
3. At least 24 months of locally funded research in the South must be scheduled in between the first and last research stays at Ghent University.

Exceptions to the mandatory mobility scheme

• Applicants who can demonstrate that they are unable to start their 4-year PhD research with a research stay at Ghent University because the partner university/research center in the South requires a successful completion of a PhD study program in their university before commencing further research activities can request an exception to the mobility scheme.
• Applicants who can demonstrate that they are unable to start their 4-year PhD research with a research stay at Ghent University because they must first complete a period of field research in the South can apply for an exception to the mobility scheme.
• Applicants who can demonstrate that they have successfully completed a full-time funded PhD study period (of up to 12 months) at the partner university/research center in the South can request to integrate this period into the required 24 months of locally funded research stay in the South.
• Applicants who can demonstrate that they have successfully completed a full-time funded PhD study period (of up to 12 months) at Ghent University can request to integrate this period into the required 24-month research period at Ghent University.

Application Documents

• Advice on the candidate, which declares the supervisor’s opinion regarding the candidate’s capability as a future researcher.
• Advice on the ethical and biosafety aspects of the research project that is to be proposed.

Application Deadline

February 20, 2024

How to Apply