FCT awards 963 PhD Studentships in 2018 Individual Call

The Foundation for Science and Technology has released the final results of the 2018 Call for PhD Studentships . A total of 963 PhD Studentships were awarded, distributed among more than 50 degree-granting institutions, corresponding to a success rate of 38% of all applicants. In 2018, FCT awarded more than 1,530 PhD Studentships , between this Call and the PhD programs - a figure around 14% higher than in 2017.

The FCT will now contract the Studentships, and the first payments will begin in December. The scholarship holders will participate in PhD programs at Portuguese or foreign universities, with a start date between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019. Students who have already started their work plan will receive their Studentships with retroactive payments.

The applications were analyzed by 36 scientific panels, with three evaluation criteria: i) the absolute merit of the candidate: ii) the merit of the work plan; and iii) the merit of the host conditions. Analysis of the results now published shows that:

- 78% of the Studentships awarded refer to work plans carried out entirely in Portugal;

- 18% refer to mixed Studentships , with work plans to be carried out partly abroad; and

- 4% refer to work plans carried out entirely abroad.

The distribution of candidates by gender is 56% female and 44% male. Of the successful candidates, 91% are Portuguese nationals. Studentships were awarded to candidates from 22 countries, including Portugal. Among the foreigners, the largest number of applicants were Brazilians, followed by Italians and Spaniards.

The next Call for PhD Studentships will be announced at the end of 2018. As with the last two Calls, the application period will take place during the first quarter of 2019, so that the results will be available by summer 2019.

See more information in the annex.