FWO Postdoctoral Fellowships (jr./sr.)
(Disclaimer) Call open
Important dates
| 18/09/2025 | Opening call |
| 25/09/2025 | Info session (link & slides below) |
| 17/11/2025 | Deadline |
New
The FWO is trying to keep the number of applications within limits and is therefore introducing a new measure. From this call onwards, resubmission for the same mandate will be conditional. This means that anyone who wishes to submit a new application for the same mandate next year (call 2027) must be among the top 50% of candidates during the first submission (this call). This 50% ranking is based on the pre-selection (not the interview) and is done per panel, not generally. Candidates will be able to see in their feedback report whether or not they belong to that group. The junior mandate and the senior mandate are considered as two separate mandates by the FWO.
Basic information
The postdoctoral mandate is a personal mandate lasting three years and aims to support researchers who have either recently obtained a doctoral degree (junior) or have held one for some time (senior) in developing an independent, international research career.
Eligibility
(Reference: presentation FWO 25/09/2025, downloadable below)
Extra senior fellowship: On 1 October of the year in which the mandate starts, you must have at least two years of postdoctoral research experience. If you have not yet had a (junior) postdoctoral mandate from the FWO, you must demonstrate this by means of a statement signed only by your supervisor; the agreement of the host institution will be provided after the deadline in another way, as agreed with the FWO.
Procedure
1. Application phase
Deadline: 17/11/2025, 5p.m.
Example of an application form
The postdoctoral candidate finds a supervisor at a Flemish host institution that is eligible for funding. The supervisor is subject to eligibility conditions. After the deadline, the supervisor will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation to the FWO.
2. Evaluation phase
Invitation to the interview: 07/04/2026
Mock interviews will be organised internally for every selected candidate. More info will be sent through email.
Interviews: 21/04/2026 – 08/05/2026 (practical guidelines)
3. Award phase
Announcement results: 21/05/2026
As an FWO fellow, the FWO becomes your formal employer while UGent will be your host institution. If you previously had a contract with Ghent University, no leave/vacation days can be transferred from the Ghent University contract to the FWO contract.
Start of the mandate: 01/10 or 01/11
Extra information
In November there will be an info session for starting UGent postdocs. Starting postdocs will be noticed through email (and on this webpage).
The regulations, the regulations regarding the bench fee and the “I have a postdoctoral fellowship” contain an immense amount of relevant information.
Info session
Info session 25/09/2025: opening oproep 2026
- Link to the recording
- Link to the slides (available until 04/11)
Info session 06/11/2025: starting fellows 2025
- Link to the recording (when available)
- Link to the slides (when available)
Contact
Team Flemish, Federal & BOF Projects