There is a wide range of pre-doctoral scholarships that cover tuition fees (part or all of them) and may on occasion allow UC3M to offer the candidate a work contract as a research assisstant.
Each awarding body has its own deadlines, application process and selection criteria.
Besides applying for financial aid, it is necessary to submit an application to the UC3M Ph.D. Program, since awarding bodies will require candidates to provide proof of acceptance to a Ph.D. Program during the application process.
Doctoral research will be carried out as part of the Ph.D. Program in which the student is enrolled, under the supervision of the assigned tutor and advisor. Research and teaching activity will be conducted at the Department or Institute where the contract is based.
The following is a list of the most common pre-doctoral scholarships:
1. Financial aids for university faculty training (FPU) | Ministerio de Universidades
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid receives these funds on an annual basis to cover for employment contracts for Ph.D. students of any area of research during a maximum of four years. The scholarship enables recipients to become a part of the teaching staff of the Spanish higher education and scientific research system.
The aid covers a work contract as a teaching assistant and Ph.D. monitoring fees (€ 390, according to tuition fees established for the current academic year).
The granting of aids will be determined through a competitive bidding process prior to the beginning of the 2023/2024 academic year.
Current call for applications: January 2023. Application period: 17th of January through 15th of February, 2023 (2 pm, CET).
Please note: If you are applying for a FPU financial aid, it is also required to apply for admission to a PhD Program for the 2023/2024 academic year.
Information about application for admission is available at www.uc3m.es/phdprogram/admission/admission-phd-programs
2. Financial aids for predoctoral training contracts (former FPI scholarships) | Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
These scholarships are received on an annual basis by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid to fund work contracts for Ph.D. candidates for a maximum period of four years. This financial aid is hosted by the National Training Sub-Programme to Develop, Attract and Retain Talent in the framework of the State Plan of Scientific, Technical and Innovative Research 2021-2023, which aims at increasing the quantity and qualification of new Ph.D. graduates.
The aid covers a work contract of the Ph.D. candidate and a €6,860 grant that covers academic fees (Ph.D. monitoring fees plus complementary, cross-curricular and specific training), and research visits.
Scholarships will be awarded within 6 months from the date of the last call for applications.
Latest call for applications: January 2023. Application period: 12th through 26th of January, 2023 (14:00 h., CET).
Electronic signature is required for applicants located in the Spanish territory.
3. Financial aids for hiring pre-doctoral research personnel in training | Community of Madrid
The Community of Madrid, in order to promote research in areas considered of strategic interest to the region and strengthen the research groups of universities and research organizations, hosts these new grants for the 23/24 academic year. The purpose is to hire pre-doctoral research personnel in training to carry out their doctoral thesis and graduate with a International PhD distinction.
The aid covers the hiring of the doctoral student in training plus expenses from research stays abroad (travel expenses, transportation, accommodation and support plus mandatory insurance and visa).
The granting of aids will be determined through a competitive bidding process within a maximum period of 6 months from the call.
Call: Order 3789/2022. 9th of December, 2022.
If you are applying for this predoctoral financial aid, it is also required to apply for admission to a PhD Program for the 23/24 academic year.
Information about application for admission is available at www.uc3m.es/phdprogram/admission/admission-phd-programs
Applications are processed online by the UC3M Research Service.
Application period: January 10 (12:00 am) through January 30, 2023 (11:59 pm).
4. UC3M Scholarships
Pre-doctoral research training scholarships (PIPF)
Scholarships established by the Faculty Vice-chancellorship at UC3M. Recipients join the UC3M departments and Ph.D. programs under a research training contract.
- April. These scholarships are awarded in July. Recipients join the department in September;
- October. These scholarships are awarded in January. Recipients join the department in February.
These scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. The aid covers a work contract as a teaching assistant, Ph.D. monitoring fees (390€ according to tuition fees for the last academic year) and 6 credits for complementary or cross-curricular training.
Current call for applications: May 2023. Application period: May 22nd (14:00h., Spanish peninsular time) through June 5th (14:00h., Spanish peninsular time), 2023.
Further information (Predoctoral section)
Scholarships for predoctoral contracts funded by research projects
Scholarships for doctoral thesis developed in the framework of UC3M research projects
There are two main application periods during the year academic:
- April. These scholarships are awarded in July. Recipients join the department in September.
- October. These scholarships are awarded in January. Recipients join the department in February.
The aid covers a work contract as a research assistant.
Last call for applications: March 2023. Application period: March 2nd through 11th, 2023, inclusive.
Further information(Predoctoral section)
5. Industrial Ph.D. Financial Aids
Aids for Industrial Ph.D. CAM
The objective of these financial aids is to promote the collaboration and transference of knowledge between academia and corporations with the recruitment of young researchers. An Industrial Ph.D. enable these students to join corporations once the financial aid has expired, thus contributing to a stronger research work and competitiveness of companies in Madrid.
The recipients are both the academic institution (which receives funds to cover tuition fees, equipment, etc.) and the companies (as employer of the Ph.D. candidate). The maximum duration of these financial aids is 3 years.
Current call for applications: May 2022. Application period: May 6th through 27th, 2022 (3 pm, Spain peninsular time, CEST).
Aids for the recruiting of researchers in training at companies (Industrial Ph.D.) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation
The objective of these aids is to train doctors in companies by co-financing the labour contracts of trainee research staff participating in an industrial research or experimental development project being carried out in companies, in which their doctoral thesis will be framed, in order to favour the labour insertion of researchers in companies from the beginning of their professional careers, contribute to the employability of these researchers and promote the incorporation of talent to the productive fabric in order to increase its competitiveness.
The recipients of these aids are the companies, which receive funding for tuition fees (1.500€), stays (up to 2.400€), and the salary of the Ph.D. candidate under contract. The maximum duration of these financial aids is 4 years.
Last call for applications: February 2022. Application period: February 3rd through 24, 2022
6. Other Scholarships
La Caixa
Obra Social La Caixa scholarships cover a work contract for the Ph.D. candidate in training.
Current call for applications: December 2022. Application deadline: February 16, 2023 (2:00 pm, Peninsular Spain Time)
Further information on La Caixa scholarships
Fundación Carolina
Fundación Carolina scholarships cover the Ph.D. training of students from member states of the Comunidad Iberoamericana de Naciones.
The aid covers:
- €1200 per month for living costs (maintenance and accommodation)
- 3 economy class plane tickets from the capital of the Ph.D. candidate's home country (one ticket per academic year).
- Academic fees (Ph.D. monitoring fees plus complementary, cross-curricular and specific training)
- Health insurance. Prescription drug coverage not included.
Current call for applications: deadline April 7th, 2022, inclusive.