Special Research Fund

Calls Special Research Fund 2025-2026

Flemish universities can - within the framework of the legislation on higher education in the Flemish Community - draw up their own research policy. To this end, they receive annual funding from the minister responsible for science for their Special Research Funds (BOF). The government contribution to the Special Research Funds is legally regulated at a high level in the W&I decree and more concretely in the BOF decree. Distribution between universities is based on an allocation key. The Research Council considers all applications for funding and advises the board for the allocation of various mandates and projects. 

Scholarships & academic positions

• Cofunding for Chinese CSC preference scholarship students (deadline 16/12/2025)
• Doctoral scholarships for candidates from the Global South (deadline 17/02/2026)
• Postdoctoral fellowships - deadline via FWO
• PhD grants with GUGC or Blue Growth label (deadline 21/05/2026)
• Exceptional extension of a PhD trajectory that was delayed due to COVID-19 (no deadline, permanent call)

Projects

• Basic Research Funding (on invitation)
• Starting Grants (on invitation)
• Societal Value Creation Fund (deadline Spring call 17 March 2026)
• Interuniversity BOF projects (IBOF) (deadline closed)
• Core Facilities co-funding
• Renewal International Thematic Networks
• Methusalem (no call in 2024-2025)
• Basic Infrastructure projects (deadline closed)

Results

The results of BOF applications are published on the website. Applicants can contact the University Services for feedback via bof@ugent.be.

Scientific Report

A final scientific/scholarly report must be submitted electronically to BOFapplication@UGent.be

Contact

• email: BOF@UGent.be