2026 - BOF DOCTORAL GRANTS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF COOPERATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF NAMUR AND HASSELT UNIVERSITY
Research
Funding organisation:
Bijzonder OnderzoeksFonds
What?
The BOF Doctoral Fund and the Fonds spécial de recherche UNamur provide funding for PhD fellowships in the framework of the cooperation between University of Namur and Hasselt University.Both universities provide funding to cofinance 2 fulltime PhD-fellowships in close collaboration leading to a joint doctoral degree (2 separate diplomas, referring to the collaboration).
The fellowships have an initial duration of two years and are renewable for a second period of two years after a positive evaluation at the end of the second year. This evaluation will be based upon the progress report, produced by the candidate, for the doctoral committee and the doctoral committee’s advice.
The candidate will be appointed at both universities for 50% during the entire PhD.
Who?
- This programme is open to all applicants1 without restriction to gender, nationality or age.
- Graduates with a relevant Master degree and excellent grades.
- Motivated and determined researchers possessing first-rate analytical and writing skills.
- Final-year (master) students are (likewise) encouraged to apply if they have proven research skills.
1 This call is open to candidate PhD students, without restriction to gender, nationality or age. Since this concerns mandates in the scholarship statute, the circular of the Belgian Ministry of Finance regarding the exemption conditions of doctoral scholarships applies. This states, among other things, that employment contracts may not be replaced by a doctoral scholarship.
Exclusion criteria
A person can only be appointed as a PhD fellow (“doctoraatsbursaal”) for a maximum period of 48 months in total across all Belgian universities. Should you have been appointed as "doctoraatsbursaal" at a Belgian university in the past, you're are excluded from applying in this call.
BOF UHasselt only accepts applications from candidates at the start of a doctoral trajectory: candidates that are already appointed as “doctoraatsbursaal” or that have a doctoral file are excluded.
Exclusion criteria
A person can only be appointed as a PhD fellow (“doctoraatsbursaal”) for a maximum period of 48 months in total across all Belgian universities. Should you have been appointed as "doctoraatsbursaal" at a Belgian university in the past, you're are excluded from applying in this call.
BOF UHasselt only accepts applications from candidates at the start of a doctoral trajectory: candidates that are already appointed as “doctoraatsbursaal” or that have a doctoral file are excluded.
Application?
- The applicants can only submit their application within 1 of the BOF doctoral funding programmes: Euregional doctoral grants (with either ULiège, UNamur or UM) or UHasselt doctoral scholarship programme.
- The applications must be submitted by the PhD-candidate signed by both a UHasselt promoter and a UNamur promotor, in accordance tot the doctoral regulations at both institutions.
- The proposals must be submitted using the application form
- Send to BOF@uhasselt.be and secretariat.adre@unamur.be
- Applications are submitted in English
Regulations?
Assessment criteria?Scientific quality of the candidate:
- study results
- motivation and relevant competences
- scientific quality of the proposal
- quality of the research approach (methodology) and feasibility of the project
- quality of the research environment including excellence of lab (infrastructure, supervision, past experience, …)
- embedding of proposed project in research policy of the hosting research institute/group/school
- explain how the project will enhance the collaboration between both universities
- indicate prospect of more sustainable collaboration
- equal involvement of both sides
Applications submitted with promoters that do not have an existing collaboration within this programme receive precedence over other applications.
In case of an ex aequo (or very similar) scoring, candidates with promoters from different research groups/faculties receive precedence.
Timing?
- March 1st (23h59): deadline submission of application. If this is a Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday, the closing date is moved to the next working day at 23h59;
- May 2026: Selection by both Research Councils
- End of May 2026: Final decision
More information?
Contact UNamur:
E-mail: secretariat.adre@unamur.be
Tel: +32 81 72 50 49
Contact Hasselt University:
E-mail: elke.bos@uhasselt.be
Tel.: +32 11 26 90 53
Deadline
02.03.2026
Contact Hasselt University?
E-mail elke.bos@uhasselt.be
Tel. +3211269053