Funding a PhD thesis

You can fund your research in a number of ways. Below you will find a few general pointers on funding, as well as a list of most common sources of funding for doctoral research.
All funding programmes are highly competitive. It is important that you put effort into your application.
Your thesis supervisor can help you determine which funding programmes are best suited to your situation, and help you build a strong application.

Other funding opportunities can be found on Infofin, ULB’s database on sources of research funding, and on EURAXESS Jobs, ULB's PhD offers platform.

Assistantship

As a research assistant, you conduct both doctoral research (part-time) and teaching activities (part-time).
Check out our open assistant position (in French)

Doctoral fellowships

You can secure a fellowship in two ways:

• by applying for funding offered ULB or a third party
• by applying to a specific research project led by a ULB researcher

Practical guide and current amounts of doctoral fellowships (access restricted to ULB researchers)
 

Applying for funding

For each funding programme, several doctoral fellowships are generally available.
You may send your application to the institution offering the funds, whether this is ULB or a third party.
The content of your application and the application process may change from one institution to the next.

Major funding programmes include:

• ULB
  • ULB mini-ARC doctoral fellowship in human and social sciences (contact: Marie-Pierre SMAL)
  • Development cooperation scholarship for students from developing countries in order to allow them to realize their doctoral thesis in a ULB’s research unit, with a view to returning and valorising what they have learnt in their home country (contact: International Office)
  • "Esprit Libre" fellowship from Fonds Lewin - de Castro for researchers from developing countries wishing to conduct research on questions relating to rights and freedoms which are important values for ULB (contact: International Office)
• F.R.S.-FNRS
  • F.R.S.-FNRS fellowship - "Aspirant" (contact: Lucie LEMAITRE)
  • FRIA fellowship for applied research in science and technology, and life sciences and medicine (contact: Lucie LEMAITRE)
  • FRESH fellowship for applied research in human and social sciences (contact: Lucie LEMAITRE)
  • Other F.R.S.-FNRS fellowships

Join a research project

You can be hired for a research project led by a ULB researcher.
You may apply by answering a fellowship posting on EURAXESS Jobs or another platform. Offers are also often posted on social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).

PhD with an industrial partner

You received funding to complete your PhD thesis in partnership with a private company.

Main funding programmes:

• Applied PhD - Brussels-Capital Region (contact: Flore KEYMEULEN)
• Win4Doc - Walloon Region (contact: Flore KEYMEULEN) 

Other private funding

In certain cases, and depending on the area of research, you may receive funding from private companies or funds. You may discuss this with your thesis supervisor.