Is it possible to obtain EU financing for PhD programmes?

BASICS

• In general, as concerns EU financing (the EU’s 7th Framework Programme), funding CANNOT be obtained for individual PhD projects.
• It is thus only possible to obtain EU financing if the project can be seen in a greater academic context, either through:
  o Research school collaboration in an ITN or
  o As an integrated part of a larger research project
   
  

DETAILED INFORMATION

Two PhD funding categories
There are two categories under the EU’s 7th Framework Programme under which it is possible to apply for funding for PhD scholarships: Coordination and People. The funding accounts for 75% and 100%, respectively, of the total project expenses. In both cases, the PhD programme is included as an integrated part of an overall research strategy context.
 

Coordination
Expenses for one or more PhD scholarships may be included in the total budget for a research project (Collaborative Research Project) for which an application for funding is made under FP7. As is the case with the other project expenses, the PhD scholarship will be able to obtain 75% coverage only from the EU in the budget. At the University of Copenhagen, it is possible to utilise the project overhead to cover the remaining 25% (cf. the decision made at the Management Team meeting on 14 March 2007).
 
People
The EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research offers funding for the establishment European research school collaboration called Initial Training Networks (ITN). The respective ITNs advertise a number of academically focused scholarships, which form part of a European-based academic partnership. Parts of the PhD programme must be done at the other European universities forming part of the network.
 
PhD projects which form part of an Initial Training Network (ITN) supported by the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research (FP7) can be fully financed (100%) with EU funding.

 

 

LINKS

Internal link to FAQ: What financing forms are possible for PhD scholarships?
CORDIS’ website (portal for research funding offered under FP7):
 
External funding for research, including PhD projects, of relevance to the research fields at LIFE is advertised in a news email, which is distributed at regular intervals by Research and Innovation at LIFE (FIK). It is possible to subscribe for the news email by sending an email to  .
 
 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please direct any queries regarding Research and Innovation’s news email to Mette Christiansen or  , tel.: +45 353-32106.
 
Please direct any queries regarding EU financing for PhD projects to Annette Hjort Knudsen