When will the next call for fellowship applications open?

The start of the call for applications may vary from one year to another. On the application website you can request to receive a notification when the next call for applications opens, by clicking on the "Receive a notification" button.

Can I submit applications to more than one programme of ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowships?

No. You can only apply for a fellowship for one of the three programmes included in the current call for applications.

I already submitted an application last year. Could I recover the information that I entered then?

Yes. In this case please contact [email protected].

I have already submitted applications in previous calls and I did not get the fellowship. Do I have less chances if I submit an application again?

No. The fact that you have already submitted applications in previous calls is not a factor that is taken into account when evaluating applications.

I want to carry out research and I am already in contact with a Research Centre that allows me start whenever I want. Should I get the fellowship, would it still begin in September or can I start at the university earlier or later by some months?

No, the start of the fellowship must coincide with the dates stated in the programme rules.

I already have a doctoral degree. Can I apply for the fellowship for a second doctoral degree?

No, this call for fellowship applications is for young researchers that have never started a doctorate. For more details, see the programme rules for participation.

I have been working for five years in a laboratory doing research activity. Can I apply for this fellowship?

No, these fellowships are for young researchers who do not have more than four years of full-time research experience, counting from the date of completion of the studies that grant access to a doctoral programme.

Can I apply for a fellowship if I am in my final year of studies in a country outside the European Higher Education Area?

Yes, but you will have to make sure that your studies give you access to the doctorate at the destination university.

I plan to finish my studies in July 2025. Can I apply for a fellowship?

Yes, you can apply for a fellowship if you plan to finish your studies in June/July 2025. The most important thing is that you can join as a doctoral student in your host institution between September and November 2025.

Are the doctoral INPhINIT fellowships compatible with other grants or aid?

The doctoral INPhINIT fellowships are incompatible with any other paid work, grant, or financial aid from any other organisation.

Is there any age limit in order to apply for the fellowship?

No. In any case, the years of research experience will be taken into account. At the closing date for applications, candidates must be in the first four years of their research career and they should not have previously obtained any other doctoral degree.

What is the geographic mobility requirement in the doctoral INPhINIT Incoming programme?

To be eligible to apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Incoming fellowship:

Candidates who wish to join a Spanish centre or university cannot have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the deadline for applications.

Candidates who wish to join a Portuguese centre or university cannot have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the deadline for applications.

Short stays, such as holidays, done in a country other than their country of usual residence (where they carried out their main activity), will be considered as time spent in their country of usual residence.

The fulfilment of the geographic mobility requirement will be checked during the eligibility screening phase. It will be checked again and definitively after the publication date of the final list of selected candidates.

Find below two examples:

Example 1:

A Spanish researcher has finished the last year of her bachelor’s degree in a Spanish university. She has taken a master's degree in the Netherlands from 24/09/2022 to 23/08/2024, when she leaves her residence in the Netherlands. Since 24/08/2024 she is on holidays and from 24/09/2024 she joins a Spanish company, where she plans to work for at least one year.

Is the candidate eligible to apply for the doctoral INPhINIT Incoming fellowship to pursue doctoral studies in an accredited research centre?

Start date - End date Country of residence Period Activity

24/01/2022
23/09/2022

Spain

8 months

Studies

24/09/2022
23/08/2024

The Netherlands

23 months

Studies

24/08/2024
23/09/2024

Spain

1 month

Holidays

24/09/2024
23/01/2025

Spain

4 months

Work

 

As she left her residence in the Netherlands on 23/08/2024, starting from 24/08/2024 her familiar residence is in Spain despite she is in holiday abroad. She is not eligible to apply for the fellowship as she will have spent more than 12 months in Spain in the 3 years immediately prior to the closing date for applications.

 

Example 2:

A French student has completed his master’s degree in France. On 24/09/2023 he starts an internship period in a Portuguese company for 5 months, and after finishing it, he moves to Finland for a research stay of 5 months in a research centre. He returns to Portugal by 24/07/2024 and starts working in the same company where he did his internship.

Is the candidate eligible to apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Incoming fellowship in a Portuguese research unit accredited as excellent by the Fundação per a Ciência e a Tecnologia de Portugal?

Start date - End date Country of residence Period Activity

24/01/2023
23/09/2023

France

20 months

Studies

24/09/2023
23/02/2024

Portugal

5 months

Work

24/02/2024
23/07/2024

Finland

5 months

Work

24/07/2024
23/01/2025

Portugal

6 months

Work

 

He is eligible to apply for the fellowship, as at the closing date for applications he will have spent 11 months in Portugal in the 3 years immediately prior to the closing date for applications.

What is the geographic mobility requirement in the doctoral INPhINIT Retaining programme?

To be eligible to apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Retaining Fellowship candidates must fulfil two mobility requirements:

Requirement 1

Candidates who wish to join a Spanish centre or university must have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the deadline for applications.

Candidates who wish to join a Portuguese centre or university must have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the deadline for applications.

Short stays, such as holidays, done in a country other than their country of usual residence (where they carried out their main activity), will be considered as time spent in their country of usual residence.

The fulfilment of the geographic mobility requirement will be checked during the eligibility screening phase. It will be checked again and definitively after the publication date of the final list of selected candidates.

Find below two examples:

 

Example 1:

A Portuguese researcher has finished the last year of her bachelor’s degree at a university in Denmark. On 18/06/2023 she leaves her residence in Denmark and goes on holiday until 18/08/2023. From 19/08/2023 to 18/07/2024 she takes a master's degree in a Portuguese university. On 19/07/2024 she stays for 7 months in a Spanish company.

Is the candidate eligible to apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Retaining fellowship to complete her PhD at a Portuguese research center?

Start date - End date Country of residence Period Activity

19/02/2022
18/06/2023

Denmark

16 months

Studies

19/06/2023
18/08/2023

Portugal

2 months

Holidays

19/08/2023
18/07/2024

Portugal

11 months

Studies

19/07/2024
18/02/2025

Spain

7 months

Studies

 

As she left her residence in Denmark on 18/06/2023, during the period 19/06/2023 – 18/08/2023 her familiar residence is in Portugal, despite she is on holiday abroad. She is eligible to apply for a fellowship because she will have spent more than 12 months living in Portugal in the 3 years immediately prior to the closing date for applications.

 

Example 2:

A French student has taken a master's degree at a university in France during the period 19/02/2022 - 18/02/2023. She has done her master’s thesis in a research group of a Spanish university for 6 months. She stays in Spain collaborating with the research group until 18/01/2024. After this period, she moves to Poland to work at a research center.

Is the candidate eligible to apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Retaining fellowship at a Spanish university?

Start date - End date Country of residence Period Activity

19/02/2022
18/02/2023

France

12 months

Studies

19/02/2023
18/08/2023

Spain

6 months

Studies

19/08/2023
18/01/2024

Spain

5 months

Work

19/01/2024
18/02/2025

Poland

13 months

Work

 

She is not eligible to apply for the fellowship, since she will have resided less than 12 months in Spain in the 3 years immediately prior to the closing date for applications.

 

Requirement 2

Candidates who obtain a doctoral INPhINIT Retaining fellowship must enroll in a PhD programme of a university other than the one where they studied the bachelor’s degree.

I have Spanish nationality but I currently reside abroad. Can I apply for the fellowship?

Yes, provided that you fulfil the geographic mobility requirements.

I am a national of a European Union country. Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship?

Yes, provided that you fulfil the geographic mobility requirement.

I am a national of a non-EU country. Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship?

Yes, provided that you fulfil the geographic mobility requirement.

I am currently enrolled in a doctoral programme but I still have not defended my thesis, nor am I in a position to obtain the doctoral degree. Can I submit an application?

If you are already enrolled in a doctoral programme, you are not eligible to apply for this fellowship.

Do I have to state all the professional and academic activity that I have performed?

The CV tab allows you to describe your academic training and your work experience as well. It is especially important that you report everything you have done (type of activity, country and period) at least during the four years prior to the closing date of the call, so that we can check the compliance of both the geographical mobility and research experience requirements.

All the information that you state has to be verifiable through official documents.

Should I be already accepted to the institution where I want to pursue my studies to take part in the selection process?

No.

Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship without duly accrediting the language proficiency level called for in the programme rules?

Yes, you can submit your application without proving your language level, as long as you are in any of the exemption situations described in section 4.3 of the programme rules.

Can my language proficiency level be accredited by a certificate other than those specified in the rules?

No. The language proficiency level should be necessarily accredited by any of the certificates specified in the rules of each programme.

I am one point below the minimum language proficiency level specified in the rules. Can I apply for the fellowship?

No. The language proficiency level should be necessarily accredited by any of the certificates specified in the rules of each programme, and these certificates should have the minimum level required.

Is it necessary to be a CaixaBank customer to apply for a fellowship?

No.

Can I submit paper copies of reference letters or send them in PDF format by e-mail?

No. Request and receipt of reference letters can only be done using the online application system for a ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowship.

How does the online reference letter system work?

First you must fill in the required fields in the "Studies to be pursued" section to unblock the sending of the letters. Then, in the "Reference letters" section you must fill in the required fields to be able to send each request for a letter of recommendation. Once you have done this, the system will automatically send an e-mail to the people you have indicated. In this e-mail we will provide them with an internet address where they can fill in and send the letter using an online form.

I have already provided my referee’s information on the online application platform. How long will ”la Caixa” Foundation take to contact them?

Contact is immediate. ”la Caixa” Foundation automatically sends them the e-mail as soon as you have provided the requested information.

My referees do not understand English. Can they receive the request for reference letter in another language?

No, only letters in English will be valid, as evaluation will be done by evaluators from all over the world.

What is the Diploma Supplement?

The Diploma Supplement (DS) is a document issued by the university where you pursued your studies, which grants EU-wide recognition to your academic curriculum. It consists of an annex to the academic qualification, detailing the subjects covered, languages used, credits obtained, competencies acquired, academic results, and professional qualifications of the graduate from the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree programme, with their name(s) and surname(s), among other reliable accreditations all over Europe.

Can I attach, as accreditation of my academic record, the list of grades which I have access to from my university’s intranet?

Yes, provided that, as stated in the programme rules, all subjects and grades, year by year, as well as the total credits of the qualification and the credits awarded, are specified. In addition, your name, the name of the university, and the name of the qualification should clearly appear.

Should you get the fellowship, you must submit the original transcript of academic record issued by your university, or a certified photocopy of it.

With regard to my academic record, what documentation should I attach if I have not yet completed my studies?

You should attach the transcript of academic record up until the present.

There are aspects of my academic or professional curriculum that I cannot accredit with any document. Can I include them in the application all the same?

No. You can only include what you can accredit with original documents in your application. Should you get the fellowship and be unable to accredit any of the achievements mentioned in your application, the fellowship will be withdrawn.

I have a TOEFL or IELTS certificate that accredits a level equal to or greater than that specified in the programme rules, but it has already expired. Do I have to accredit my level with a valid certificate?

Not necessarily. We will accept your language accreditation despite the fact that it has already expired.

Can I attach, as accreditation of my English language proficiency level, a “screenshot” of the webpage showing my qualifications, or should I present the official certificate?

You can attach a “screenshot” showing your qualifications, provided that your name can be clearly seen. Should you get the fellowship, you must submit the original document to us.

Is it possible for me to submit my language certificate after the deadline specified in the programme rules?

No. An additional deadline has already been considered for all programmes, beyond the deadline for applications, to submit this accreditation.

Can I submit my application, and if on the deadline for applications I am still lacking a document, certificate, or letter of recommendation, I commit to sending it a few days later?

No. Each and every one of the requirements and deadlines must be duly complied with. Any incomplete application on the deadline for applications will be disregarded.

Is it possible for me to learn who evaluated my application?

No. According to standard practice in the selection processes using the peer review system, applicants are not informed of the identity of the individuals who will evaluate their application or of the composition of the selection boards who will interview the applicants. Nevertheless, once the selection processes have ended, a list of all the professors and researchers who took part in them will be made public.

What criteria are followed to reject applicants during the interviews?

The applicants who pass the preselection process will be called in for a face-to-face screening interview.

The face-to-face interview seeks to:

  • Delve into the information provided in the application, particularly with regard to the applicant’s academic and personal project.

  • Ask about matters that were not included in the application and which the committee considers particularly relevant to evaluate the suitability of the applicant in pursuing the studies proposed.

  • Evaluate the applicant’s academic and professional potential.

  • Evaluate their all-round training, interests, concerns, and curiosity for the social, scientific, economic, cultural, or artistic context, although this is not directly related to their studies.

  • Evaluate their personal and academic maturity, their motivation to complete the proposed studies and project, and their capacity to clearly express their ideas and firmly defend them.

During the interview, the members of the selection committee may ask for clarifications and pose the academic, personal, or professional questions that they deem appropriate with the aim of selecting—among all the individuals interviewed—those who, in their opinion, are deserving of the fellowship.

During the selection processes, is there any kind of quota system in place for disadvantaged individuals?

No, the selection and preselection processes are exclusively governed by the criteria of academic excellence, and no quotas that take any other factors into account are in place.

How long is the interview?

Approximately twenty minutes.

Can I submit audiovisual documentation during the interview?

No. The online form through which the application was made already provides for the possibility of attaching audiovisual files and links to online content; therefore, documentation of this type should only be submitted using the online form.

Can I submit any additional documentation during the interview?

No, under no circumstances.

I have just registered on the online application platform but the access codes are not working. How can I resolve this?

To activate the account as an applicant, it is necessary to click on the link that you receive in the registration e-mail. If your e-mail account disables the links (e.g. Hotmail accounts tend to do this), you should copy the link to your browser’s address bar. You access codes will not be activated until you have completed this step.

I cannot register on the online application platform because I made a mistake when I provided my username (e-mail address). What should I do?

Send a scanned copy of your National Identity Card to [email protected] so that we can verify your information and make the necessary corrections.

I would like to include more information than what the online application platform allows in my curriculum. How can I do this?

The online application platform only allows a limited number of sections. You should select the aspects of your curriculum which you consider to best support your application. In the online form, you have a text field at the end where you can add additional information that you consider worthy of mention.

The online application platform does not allow me to attach digital documents to my application. What should I do?

Los documentos tienen un límite de tamaño, más allá del cual el sistema los rechaza e impide que sean adjuntados a la solicitud. El formulario electrónico indica, en cada caso, estos límites. A menudo el tamaño de los archivos puede reducirse considerablemente si se crea un documento PDF optimizando las opciones de compresión:

  • Una resolución entre 90 y 120 ppp

  • Impresión en blanco y negro o escala de grises

I have attached a new file as a replacement of another one that I uploaded previously. I cannot seem to see the new file. Why?

Most likely, you don't see the updated file because of your computer’s cache. You can clear your browser’s cache or delete all temporary files to see the right document.

One of my referees say that they he has already sent the letter, but it doesn't appear as received in my application. What could have happened?

It is possible that the letter has been finished but its submission is still pending. The referee has to submit it, so that the system can include it in your application.

Can I do a doctoral thesis under co-direction?

Yes.

Should I receive the fellowship, what type of contract will I sign with the Research Centre?

The Research Centre will draw up an employment contract in accordance with the regulations in force for research personnel in training.

When should I start the fellowship?

The fellowship, and therefore, the contract, should start between September and November 2025. On an exceptional basis, it is possible to start later, until January 2026, provided that it is duly justified.

Should I be accepted to a host institution beforehand?

No.

Do I have to contact the principal investigators of the host institutions where I want to do my PhD?

It is recommended that shortlisted candidates contact the host institutions where they are interested in pursuing their doctoral studies.

I am already working at the institution where I would like to pursue doctoral studies. Can I apply for a Doctoral INPhINIT fellowship?

Yes, provided that you fulfil the geographic mobility requirement and you have not started a doctorate prior to the start of the fellowship.

I would like to apply for a Doctoral INPhINIT Incoming fellowship to do my doctorate at a research centre, but this centre is not accredited by Severo Ochoa, María de Maetzu, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Carlos III, or the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia of Portugal. Can I apply for the fellowship?

No, doctoral INPhINIT Incoming fellows can only join accredited centres.

I have done my bachelor’s degree in a Spanish university and I want to do a doctorate in a research center. Can I apply for a doctoral INPhINIT Retaining fellowship to pursue doctoral studies at the research center?

Yes. However, you must enrol in a PhD programme of a university other than the one where you did your bachelor’s degree.