Hello,
If you are reading these lines, it is because you are considering doing a doctorate. First of all, thank you: that someone like you would consider dedicating a stage of their life to research is wonderful news.
Considering a career linked to the generation of knowledge is one of the most valuable contributions you can make to your community. Each generation receives the accumulated knowledge of previous ones and has the responsibility to return it, enriched, to those who come after. Being part of that collective endeavour is a true source of pride.
The FPU grants are here to support you. They fund predoctoral contracts so you can carry out your doctorate at a university or research centre and, at the same time, gain your first experience in teaching.
You may have many questions swirling around right now: which field to choose, where, who could supervise your thesis. That is why we created this space. My advice is simple: search, browse, explore and reach out. Use our search tool to find teams that interest you and write to them. Researchers are always willing to talk about their work and will be happy to answer your questions.
And one final message, perhaps the most important: do not let anyone hold you back. Pursue what excites you. If you imagine yourself fighting diseases that are incurable today, creating solutions that improve people's lives, or simply asking questions born of curiosity and seeking answers, go for it: join the community that will generate new knowledge.
The great advances that have transformed our civilisation were born of that same human curiosity. If you have made it this far, perhaps it is because that curiosity is still very much alive in you. Do not let it pass: take a step forward. The FPU grants and the AEI are here to be by your side along the way.
Un cordial saludo,
José Manuel Fernández de Labastida
Director de la Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Are you eligible?
Yes, if you meet one of these conditions
- You are enrolled or admitted to a doctoral programme for the 2026/2027 academic year.
- You are not yet, but you will be in a position to do so when the contract is formalised.
A specific completion date for prior studies is no longer required.
You are not eligible if
- You have begun your predoctoral training with a previous predoctoral grant.
- You hold a doctoral degree from any university.
- You have previously held a predoctoral contract for more than 12 months.
Each applicant may only appear in a single application. Appearing in more than one results in exclusion from all of them.
Your thesis supervisor
Your thesis supervisor is a key element of the application. Their CVA and track record carry weight in the assessment (up to 10 points out of 100). Before submitting the application, they must meet several requirements.
Basic requirements
- Hold a doctoral degree.
- Have a civil service, statutory, employment or any other professional link with the applicant institution (or with another institution that expressly authorises it).
- This link must be in place from the closing date of the submission period and maintained throughout the entire grant period.
The following also satisfy the link requirement
- Individuals contracted under the AEI's Ramón y Cajal Programme, part of the State Plan.
- Individuals holding an I3 or R3 certificate under other postdoctoral programmes of the State Plan, regardless of the contract end date.
- The expectation of appointment following successful completion of a competitive public selection process requiring a doctoral degree (Art. 2, Law 40/2015).
One person, one application
Each supervisor may only appear as such in a single application in the call. Appearing in more than one results in exclusion of all affected applications.
What the grant offers
The maximum duration of the action is 4 years from your joining the institution. Within those 4 years, a postdoctoral orientation period (POP) of up to 12 months is included, which begins when you defend your thesis, provided the defence takes place during the execution period.
⚠️ The grant is not your salary. The total grant of €143,350 is awarded to the R&D institution and covers the cost of employment (salary + Social Security paid by the institution), end-of-contract severance pay, research stays and doctoral enrolment fees.
How much you will earn
Your predoctoral contract has a minimum remuneration equivalent to 75% of Professional Group M3 under the single collective agreement for employed staff of the General State Administration (2026 reference: €33,941.46/year). The institution may pay you more; never less than the current national minimum wage.
Indicative figures for 2026. These will be updated when the definitive salary table of the AGE single collective agreement is published.
How the procedure works
The application is submitted by the R&D institution where you will carry out your thesis (you do not submit it directly yourself).
Your part: 3 steps
- Register in the Unified Applicant Registry (RUS).
- Complete your electronic form: personal details, supervisor's ORCID, ISCED code, AEI area and sub-area, summary of the training plan and thesis project, and grade average.
- Validate, submit electronically and sign the documents. Make them available to the institution.
Documents to attach
- CVA of the thesis supervisor.
- Description of the scientific-technical and training context of the group (Annex II, max. 10 pages).
- Academic qualification certificates.
- For foreign qualifications: declaration of grade equivalence (MICIU electronic office).
The legal representative of the institution completes the rest of the application and submits it electronically.
How your application is assessed
| Criterion | Score | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Academic record (weighted grade average) | 0–75 | 60 |
| 2. Quality and scientific-technical track record of the team | 0–25 | — |
| 2.1 Thesis supervisor's track record | 0–10 | — |
| 2.2 Scientific-technical and training context of the group | 0–15 | — |
First, your weighted grade average is calculated using your individual grade, the ISCED average at your university and the ISCED average across all universities. If you score more than 60 points, you proceed to the qualitative assessment of the team.
Timeline
The three dates you need to mark in your calendar.
Application period
Submission period: from 20 October to 20 November 2026. The PhD student and the institution submit the application electronically.
Provisional resolution
Publication of the provisional list. Hearing procedure and, where applicable, objections.
Contract signing and joining
Signing of the predoctoral contract at the R&D institution and taking up the post.
Your teaching obligations
As predoctoral training staff, you must collaborate in university teaching activities:
Where they take place
At the university where you are enrolled for your doctorate. If the beneficiary institution is not that university, an agreement must exist between both.
What you CANNOT do
Be responsible for a subject, supervise final year dissertations (TFG/TFM), sit on assessment panels or sign official records.
Interruptions and extensions
The institution may request interruption and extension of the execution period on the following grounds:
Health grounds
Temporary incapacity related to pregnancy (no minimum duration); other incapacities, minimum 2 consecutive months.
Work-life balance leave
Gestation, pregnancy, risk, birth, maternity/paternity, adoption, guardianship for adoption or fostering purposes, accumulated breastfeeding leave.
Care and other grounds
Work-life balance or care of minors, family members or dependent persons; leave of absence for childcare, family care or gender-based violence.
During the execution period you may also request, with justification, changes of supervisor, team or beneficiary institution, subject to authorisation from the granting body.
Useful links
Research Activity Search
Find groups by speciality and contact the team you want to work with.
Find groupsUnified Applicant Registry
Mandatory prior accreditation to submit the application form.
More informationAwarded Grants Search
Browse previous decisions to identify active groups in each area.
Go to the search tool