Special Research Fund- Doctoral Scholarship

Through the Special Research Fund (BOF), Ghent University awards each year about 50 PhD fellowships to predoctoral researchers, aimed at obtaining a doctoral degree within a time span of 4 years. The scholarship is approximately € 2.470 per month, depending on the family status of the scholar.  A bench fee of € 310/month  will be awarded to the promoter.

*Dutch Version*

FWO applicants (type of doctoral grant - Fundamental Research or - Strategic Basic Research deadline 1 March 2023) who want to submit a BOF PhD fellowship application to Ghent University in parallel can now choose to submit a copy of their FWO application (pdf) instead of the BOF application form. Read more details at 'how to apply for a BOF PhD fellowship'
Please note that at Ghent university doctoral studies are only open toward students who have the explicit invitation of a professor at Ghent University to join his/her research group as future PhD student. As soon as you have secured the support of a Ghent University professor you can start a scholarship application.

Duration BOF PhD fellowship

  • Period: 1+3 years

In accordance with the regulations for PhD scholarship recipients, the doctoral program starts by definition with a scholarship agreement of 1 year.

If, before the end of the first year, the doctoral advisory committee or, in the absence thereof, the promoter(s) judge(s) that both the substantive progress in the context of the doctoral research and the overall functioning of the PhD scholarship beneficiary such that the doctoral program can be successfully completed within a reasonable period of time, the promoter issues a positive advice in a written form. A positive recommendation leads to a 3-year extension of the doctoral scholarship.

  • Start fellowship: 1 October 2023

Who can apply for a BOF-PhD  fellowship

This call is only (*) open to applicants who can submit an admissible FWO PhD Fellowship - Fundamental Research  or -Strategic Basic Research in the year of the BOF application and the following year.
  • This implies that BOF candidates must be able to submit an admissible application to the FWO for an FWO PhD Fellowship - Fundamental Research (FO) or an FWO PhD Fellowship - Strategic Basic Research (SBO) both in the year of their BOF application and in a subsequent submission round.
  • Please note, that candidates are not obliged to submit a parallel FWO application in the year of their first BOF application. They are obliged to do so in the year following the granting of their BOF mandate (*). Candidates are also strongly encouraged to submit 2 applications (in 2 different years) to the FWO (**) in order to maximize their chances of being granted a fellowship.

(*)Candidates who already submitted to the FWO for a 2nd time in 2023 can still submit a BOF application in 2023.

(*) Candidates for a GUGC label are exempted from the obligation to submit to the FWO. However, they have to meet the same conditions as the other applicants with regard to obtaining a master's degree (maximum 3 years on March 1 2023) and with regard to scientific seniority (maximum 18 months on March 1 2023).

  • There are no restrictions on nationality, age or research topic.
This call is highly competitive. Excellent study results are an absolute requirement when applying for a BOF PhD fellowship. To be taken into consideration, applicants preferably belong at least to the top 15% best students of the group of fellow students who took exams for the same degree (both on bachelor and master level). Applicants with a lower candidate score have very little chance of getting a BOF doctoral scholarship.

Applications must be submitted with the support of a Ghent University promoter (Tenured Academic staff). UGent researchers can act as co-supervisor, non-UGent researchers as 'involved researchers'.

FWO PhD Fellowship fundamental research (FO)  or an FWO PhD Fellowship strategic basic research (SBO).

(**)The following rules apply when applying for an FWO Fellowship (FO or SBO)

  • Candidates are allowed to submit 2 applications to the FWO.
  • Candidates for an FWO application must have obtained their master's degree or equivalent no earlier than three years before the deadline (March 1) of the call.
  • Candidates for an FWO application have a maximum of 18 months of scientific seniority before the deadline (March 1) of the call.

For more details on the requirements of an FWO Fellowship Fundamental Research (FO) or an FWO Fellowship Strategic Basic Research (SBO), please visit the FWO website: https://www.fwo.be/en/fellowships-funding/phd-fellowships/phd-fellowship-fundamental-research/

BOF PhD fellowship within a specific collaboration

Within the framework of specific partnerships, a number of additional fellowships are provided each year. These fellowships are only awarded in the context of the proposed cooperation. For more information and supplementary requirements, please consult the call document available at the end of this webpage.

  • BOF PhD fellowship with UNU-CRIS (United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies) label
  • BOF PhD fellowship with GUGC (Ghent University Global Campus - South Korea) label

Submission at FWO

    • Candidates who are rewarded a BOF PhD fellowship in 2023 are obliged to (re)apply(*) in 2024 or 2025 for an FWO PhD Fellowship fundamental research (FO)  or an FWO PhD Fellowship strategic basic research (SBO).
    • In case the awarded BOF PhD fellowship holder also applied for a FWO PhD Fellowship FO or SBO and is invited for the second FWO evaluation round (interview), he/she is obliged to participate and prepare the interview thoroughly in advance.
    • If the FWO fellowship is awarded, the candidate is obliged to switch to FWO funding. The BOF scholarship will then be reallocated to a candidate on the BOF reserve list.

    Attention: As a holder of an FWO aspirant's mandate, one becomes a staff member of the FWO. If one previously held a contract at UGent, leave cannot be transferred from the UGent contract to the FWO contract.

    (*)excluding candidates who fall under the exception measures 

    How to apply for a BOF PhD fellowship?

    1. BOF PhD fellowship application on the basis of a previous FWO PhD fellowship application

    FWO applicants (type of doctoral grant Fundamental Research or Strategic Basic Research - deadline 1 March 2023) who want to submit a BOF PhD fellowship to Ghent University in parallel can choose to submit a copy of their FWO application (pdf) instead of the BOF application form. 

    • In that case, the FWO application will count as BOF-application and will evaluated.
    • To this end, candidates should mail a copy of their FWO application (pdf) together with a copy of their FWO “personalia” (pdf) to BOFapplication@ugent.be by the deadline of 24 April 2023.

    Attention! FWO applicants with non-UGent study results

    • Please also include missing copies of all documents demonstrating study results for both bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as the documents indicating the ranking and/or percentile score per degree. If it is not possible to provide a ranking or percentile score, attach an official document (letter or e-mail) from the university that it cannot provide the requested information. Add this statement as an attachment to your application.

    (For UGent students, this information is automatically provided by the central student administration)

    2. BOF PhD Fellowship application (without previous FWO PhD fellowship application)

    or FWO applicants who wish to rework their FWO application

    • should complete the BOF application form + signed statement (signed by both candidate and supervisor) on study results and percentiles and mail this to BOFapplication@ugent.be by the deadline of 24 April 2023.

    Candidates opting for a special mandate (UNU-CRIS or GUGC) are requested to complete Part II (annex) of the BOF application form in addition to their FWO/BOF application and submit it together with their FWO/BOF application.


    The promoters of all applicants (FWO/BOF) should send a separate document with their opinion on the candidate's research potential to BOFapplication@ugent.be.


    The BOF application form and other relevant documents (templates: Annex II, declaration of study results, supervisor's advice) can be found at the bottom of this webpage.

    Deadline

    • Deadline: 24 April 2023; 23:59

    Non-UGent candidates who did not yet obtained their master degree at the moment of the application deadline have to send their diploma and final study results no later than 10 July 2023 to

    For UGent students, this information is automatically provided by the central student administration

    Results

      • Results available on 30 August 2023
      • Candidates who are not selected will automatically receive feedback on their application via email within 6 weeks.

      • Due to the high number of applications, the Research Council has decided to carry out the selection procedure in two steps. Applications that do not make it through to the second round (on the basis of their study reults) will not be assessed for content. Consequently, no substantive feedback is possible for these applicants with regard to their project.

    Contact

    Research Department
    Research Co-ordination Office - Special Research Fund

    E

    Call and application forms

    The entire call and application form can also be downloaded below.

    Scientific report

    Final report : within three months following upon the end of the grant a final scientific/scholarly report has to be sent electronically to . The promoter and co-promoter (if applicable) are included in this e-mail (either as sender, or in CC).