ULB and ARES Cooperation Doctoral and Postdoctoral Scholarships 2027–2028

Opportunity Overview

ULB and ARES give researchers from partner countries cotutelle PhD grants with up to about €2,500 a month, plus travel and research costs. Each year the Université libre de Bruxelles runs a joint call with the Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES) to fund research stays in Brussels for permanent residents of ULB and ARES development cooperation partner countries, listed in the call annexes. Doctoral grants fund a new PhD, an ongoing thesis or its completion, under cotutelle or, failing that, co-supervision with the home university; they are renewable up to three times with the supervisory committee's agreement, for at most 24 months in Belgium over four years, or 30 months over five years for completion. Postdoctoral grants fund a stay of up to six months at ULB for researchers who obtained their PhD within the previous ten years. In the 2026 call the monthly doctoral allowance was €1,900 from ARES or €2,511.76 from ULB (2025 rate, to be indexed), and €2,000 for ARES postdocs, with airfare up to €1,250, supervision fees up to €300 and research costs up to €400 a month, and a €350 monthly local research grant for doctoral candidates in their home country; doctoral enrolment fees (€835 in the first year) are paid by the student. A 120-ECTS master's or equivalent is required by the application date, applications are submitted by the ULB supervisor (at most two per supervisor), and women are strongly encouraged to apply. The 2026 call closed on 1 February 2026; the 2027 call has not yet been published and is expected around the end of the year with a similar deadline.