Description

The Applied PhD program funds doctoral research projects carried out in close collaboration between a research organisation and a non-academic partner entity (company, public institution, non-profit, etc.) based in the Brussels-Capital Region. The program promotes knowledge co-creation that is academically rigorous and practically useful, ensuring mutual benefit.

Funding Amount

• 100% of eligible costs covered for the research organisation:
  • Researcher salary
  • Operating costs (within the research organisation)
  • Equipment (depreciation)
  • Subcontracting
  • Overheads (max. 10%)
• No funding is given to the partner entity, which bears its own internal costs.

Submission deadline

• Submission deadline: November 17, 2025 (12:00 CET)

Eligible Applicants

• Beneficiaries (receive the subsidy):
  • Research organisations in Brussels (universities, higher education institutions, collective research centres, others).
  • Must be legally defined under the EU's State aid framework for RDI (2014/C 198/01).
  • The researcher must spend at least 50% of the time at the partner entity’s Brussels site.
• Partner Entities (do not receive funding):
  • Must be non-academic, independent of the research organisation, and located in the Brussels-Capital Region.
  • Can be companies, non-profits, or public institutions.
  • Must be operational for at least 3 years and have a team of at least 3 FTEs relevant to the project.
  • Must provide appropriate infrastructure and supervision (2 supervisors).