FCT releases results of the Call for PhD and Postdoctoral Studentships 2016

The Foundation for Science and Technology today announced the results of the 2016 Call for PhD and Postdoctoral Studentships . A total of 800 PhD Studentships and 400 post-doctoral Studentships were awarded, for a total of 1,200 Studentships, representing an increase of around 30% compared to the number of Studentships awarded in the same phase of the 2015 Call .

Research Studentships are a grant awarded to researchers to carry out scientific and technological activities on an exclusive basis. The process of awarding Studentships included several stages between the application and the announcement of the results. After submission, and once their admissibility had been verified, the applications were assessed separately by two recognized researchers in each scientific area, and external experts were also used whenever necessary.

In the 2016 Call , 5262 applications were submitted and 4,406 applications - 2,392 PhD and 2,014 Post-Doctoral - were evaluated by 464 evaluators from 39 scientific panels. The application success rate was 27%. The equivalent figure for the 2015 Call was 24%.

Scholarship holders now selected for funding can set the start date of their work plan between October 1, 2016 and September 1, 2017. In cases where the work plan was started before the Studentship contract was signed, the amounts for the months that have elapsed in the meantime will be paid retroactively.

After all the applications had been assessed individually, the researchers on each panel met face-to-face to agree on the assessments in the context of their disciplinary area and to rank the candidates by type of Studentship. Depending on the funding available, FCT proposed funding for the best-placed candidates in each panel. All applicants have since been informed of the funding proposal and have access to the panel's comments justifying the classification awarded to their application. After notification, and in the event of disagreement with the ranking proposal, applicants have up to 10 days to present their arguments to the panel in a Preliminary Hearing.

In 2017, FCT will significantly bring forward the timetable for the Call for PhD Studentships . As announced, the application period for the 2017 Call for PhD Studentships will run through March. The documentation for this Call will be published in the next few days.

See the number of Studentships awarded per panel.