Studentships research directly funded by FCT
General Questions
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Find information about Open Access at https://www.fct.pt/sobre/politicas-e-estrategias/politica-de-acesso-aberto/
Compliance with the FCT open access policy applies to scientific outputs generated under all FCT funding, including Studentships. You must ensure the deposit of publications resulting from Studentship, although with embargo if necessary, in a repository of the RCAAP network. For further clarifications send your questions to the email politica-fct@rcaap.pt.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by accessing the menu Financing → Requests → Create Requests, and submit the following documentation, justifying the reasons for the cancellation and indicating the date from which you wish the cancellation to take effect:
a) Declaration from all supervisors that they are aware of the cancellation requested. The supervisors' declaration is submitted by them directly on the myFCT platform after the grant holder has made the request.
b) A declaration issued by the heads of the host institutions stating that they are aware of the cancellation requested. The declaration must be submitted by the scholarship holder in PDF format.
Don't forget that, as in any other Studentship, for the process to be closed you must send the documents listed in the answer to question 4 of this FAQ.
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No, reactivations apply only to suspensions from Studentships to cases where the law provides for this possibility.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to Financing → Requests → Create Requests and submitting the following documentation:
a) Final activity report.
b) The opinion of all supervisors regarding the activities carried out. The supervisors' declaration is submitted by the supervisors directly on the myFCT platform after the grant holder has requested it.
c) Certificate of having obtained a doctorate (you have three years to present the certificate proving that you have obtained a doctorate, after the end of the Studentship contract).
d) Social Security current account statement showing the contributions to Voluntary Social Security, if you have joined Voluntary Social Security.
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You can suspend the activities of Studentship for the following reasons:
a) Parenthood, under the terms of the regime foreseen in the Labor Code;
b) Illness of the grantee, justified by medical certificate or declaration of illness issued by a hospital establishment;
c) In case of transitory exercise of another remunerated function or activity, public or private, incompatible with the regime of exclusive dedication foreseen in article 5 of the Research Grant Holder Statute.
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See FAQ - parenting.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to Financing → Requests → Create Requests and submitting the following documentation:
a) Medical certificate or declaration of illness issued by a hospital.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by accessing the menu Financing → Requests → Create Requests, and submit the following documentation, indicating the time foreseen for the suspension of Studentship due to the exercise of functions or activities:
a) A statement from the institution where the new duties will be carried out, proving their transitional nature and, where identifiable, the period during which they will take place. The declaration must be submitted by the scholarship holder in PDF format.
b) An opinion from all supervisors stating that they are aware of the request to suspend Studentship, as well as being aware of the incompatibility of the activity to be carried out with the exclusive dedication regime, and confirming that the grant holder will be able to resume Studentship at a later date without prejudice to the completeness of the work plan contracted with the FCT. The supervisors' declaration is submitted by the supervisors directly on the myFCT platform after the grant holder has requested it.
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No. During the suspension of activities of your Studentship, whether due to parenthood, illness or temporary performance of duties incompatible with the punctual fulfillment of your work plan, the counting time of Studentship is also suspended, and will be resumed after the end of the suspension.
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Yes. As soon as you are sure when you will resume fulfilling your work plan, you should submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to Financing → Requests → Create Requests.
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Reactivation of Studentship must be requested when the circumstances that led to its suspension cease.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by accessing the menu Financing → Requests → Create Requests, and submit the following documentation, indicating the cessation of the reasons that led to the suspension:
a) A statement from all supervisors explaining whether or not they consider it appropriate to reactivate Studentship. The supervisors' declaration is submitted by the supervisors directly on the myFCT platform after the grantee has requested it.
b) A statement from those responsible for the host institutions clarifying whether or not they are available to host the scholarship holder from the date of reactivation of Studentship.
c) A sworn statement that you are carrying out your duties under an exclusive dedication regime.
d) Certificate of enrollment for the applicable school year, signed and stamped.
e) Any other documents that prove the cessation of the impediment that led to the suspension of your Studentship and that you deem convenient.
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This request must be submitted within 60 working days prior to the end of the current Studentship period that you are benefiting from, preferably as early as possible within this timeframe.
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You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to Financing → Requests → Create Requests, and submit the following documentation:
a) Opinions issued by all supervisors and the host entity/s on the monitoring of the grant holder's work and the evaluation of their activities and on the advisability of renewing Studentship. The supervisors' declaration is submitted directly by the supervisors on the myFCT platform after the grant holder has requested it.
b) A sworn statement that you are carrying out your duties under an exclusive dedication regime.
c) Certificate of enrollment for the applicable school year, signed and stamped.
d) Social Security account statement showing the contributions made to Voluntary Social Security in the period of Studentship that you are completing, if you have joined Voluntary Social Security.
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If you do not benefit from any other mandatory social protection scheme (either within the social security system or other legally provided systems), and if you are not a disability or old-age pensioner, you can join the Voluntary Social Insurance while you are a research fellow.
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You should contact the Social Security service of your area of residence. In addition to your civil and tax identification document, you will also need to present, among other documents, the declaration proving the status of grant holder issued by FCT.
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Voluntary social insurance is not compulsory, so the grantees are free to decide if, and when, they want to join. At the time of joining, they are also free to decide in which tier they wish to make their contribution. Therefore, in the first instance, the grantee is responsible for paying SSV contributions. However, for all fellows who decide to join the SSV, the FCT always pays the contributions for the 1st level. If the grantee opts for a higher tier, he/she will be responsible for paying the additional amount.
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Scholarship holders who have informed the FCT that they have joined the SSV and who have no outstanding SSV amounts with the FCT, will receive the equivalent of the contribution to the 1st bracket every month. To do this, go to https://myfct.fct.pt/ and go to Financing → Requests → Create Requests, and present the statement issued by Social Security proving that you have joined the SSV.
At the end of each period of Studentship, along with the documents required for its renewal, the FCT must be sent the current account statement obtained from Social Security or taken from Segurança Social Direta, so that the SSV payments made by the grantee can be validated in the system. If the situation is regularized, the amounts will continue to be transferred monthly from the FCT to the grantee. If any adjustments need to be made, they will be made and the advance will be resumed as soon as the accounts are settled.
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On the Social Security website you can consult the Practical Guide at:
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To obtain a statement proving your status as a research grant holder, go to https://myfct.fct.pt/ to the Funding menu → click on the Studentship reference → obtain statement.
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The declaration can be used for various purposes (e.g. joining the Voluntary Social Security scheme, young tenants, bank loans...)
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The one-time allowance for participation in scientific meetings, in the amount of EUR 750.00, is automatically granted on the first monthly maintenance allowance.
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Whenever the grant holder needs to carry out research work in a country other than that of the host entity, he/she may benefit from one of the following supports:
a) Supplementary training allowance, if the travel is due to training activities. The duration of this allowance cannot exceed six months and only grant recipients with Studentships of the in-country or mixed typology are entitled to this allowance;
b) The scholarship holders of mixed typology or abroad will receive, during this period, the amount applicable to Studentships abroad;
(c) In either case he may also receive a one-time travel allowance and, if the research work lasts for at least six consecutive months, a one-time installation allowance.
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This subsidy can be awarded to scholarship holders who wish to carry out their activities abroad or in Portugal for a maximum period of 6 months (consecutive or interpolated) in host institutions that are not included in the Studentship file or to carry out fieldwork. To apply for this type of funding, go to https://myfct.fct.pt/ and click on Funding → Applications → Create Applications, and submit the following documentation:
a) The supervisor's opinion on the relevance of the additional training and the actual start and end date of the training. The supervisor's declaration is submitted by the supervisor directly on the myFCT platform after the grant holder has requested it.
b)A letter of invitation from the institution, issued by one of the heads of the institution, expressly stating the start and end date of the period of further training.
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No. According to the Regulation of Studentships de Investigação, the FCT is only responsible for paying training costs/fees/registration or enrollment fees to the institution that will award the degree.
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No.
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No.
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You must do this no later than 60 days before the start date of the training.
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The one-time travel allowance is €300.00 for travel within Europe and €600.00 for travel outside Europe. The one-time installation allowance is €1,000.00, regardless of whether the trip is within or outside Europe.
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You must submit your request to the FCT, preferably at least 60 days before the start date of the work abroad. You must submit your request at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to Funding → Requests → Create Requests, indicating the start date and duration of the period(s) in which you intend to stay abroad and an opinion from all the supervisors justifying the relevance of the trip abroad, by reference to the work plan of Studentship. The supervisors' declaration is submitted by the supervisors directly on the myFCT platform after the grantee has requested it
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If your degree-granting institution is Portuguese, FCT pays directly to the university the amount related to registration, tuition and fees, in the pre-established amounts. If the degree-granting institution is a foreign institution, FCT transfers the tuition fees/training costs directly to the grant recipient so that he/she can make the payment to the degree-granting institution, and is responsible for proving to FCT that the payment was made.
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As a rule, proof of payment of tuition fees must be in the form of an original paper document, dated and stamped by the institution to which the tuition fees were paid, and must be sent by post to the FCT's address. Currently, exceptionally, the FCT accepts the same documents in digital format, under the terms of Article 16A(1) of Decree-Law 10-A/2020, as amended, and the document must be submitted at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by accessing the menu Funding → Requests → Create Requests.
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The tuition/matriculation/registration/training costs paid by the FCT to Portuguese universities corresponds to a total of 2,750.00€, regardless of the values applied by the different higher education institutions.
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FCT pays up to a maximum of $8,000.00 in tuition fees per year abroad.
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You can find relevant information about residence visas in Portugal on the website of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA): https://aima.gov.pt/pt/estudar.
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No. You can only pay for the components of Studentship by bank transfer to accounts with IBANs from Portuguese institutions (IBANs starting with PT50).
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You must present the supporting document issued by the bank indicating the IBAN and proving ownership of the account at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by accessing the menu Financing → Requests → Create Requests.
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The funding of the research Studentships awarded by FCT comes from the State Budget and from the Community budget through the European Social Fund (ESF). In this context, the rules for publicity of the funding granted must be strictly observed in all the work and/or creations carried out within the scope of the research Studentship that you receive.
Thus, all scientific publications and creations, including theses, published articles and books, reports, presentation posters, etc., must state that they have received financial support from the FCT and, if applicable, the EU. For this purpose, mention should be made of financial support from the FCT as well as from the relevant Ministry. Whenever applicable, the funding program and the ESF with the insignia of the European Union must also be mentioned.
All the information about the logos, as well as access to download them, can be found on the FCT website at https://www.fct.pt/media/media-e-identidade-de-marca/ as well as in your area at https://myfct.fct.pt/ by going to the menu Funding → click on the reference Studentship → Funding →Financial Data