Grants for the recruitment of predoctoral researchers within the fields of STEP technologies (FI-STEP)

 

 

OPEN CALL: applications can be submitted from 15 March 2025 until 9 April 2025 at 14:00 (Barcelona local time).

 

Purpose

This programme provides funding for the recruitment of pre-doctoral researchers to carry out a doctoral thesis in the fields covered by the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The STEP fields and technologies are the following:

Sector 1. Digital technologies and deep tech innovation

Sector 2. Clean and resource efficient technologies

Sector 3. Biotechnologies

Grant general information

  • Duration: three years.
  • Funding: beneficiaries will receive a first and second annual payment of 23.673,75€ per year and a third annual payment of 25.090,76€.
  • Contracts must start on the first day of the month and no later than 1 November 2025.
  • Recipients will have additional funding (up to €12,000) for the entire duration of the grant to cover research stays and training activities.

Who can apply?

Eligible candidates must comply with the following requirements:

a) Hold the nationality of a member state of the European Union.

b) Have completed an undergraduate degree or equivalent with an average grade of at least 6.50 (on a scale of 0 to 10).

c) In the case of studies completed abroad, the average grade of the academic record will be calculated according to the regulations of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

d) Have completed their studies for admission to a PhD programme between 1 January 2022 and the date on which the contract begins (no later than 1 November 2025). Candidates who completed their studies leading to the doctorate between 1 January 2019 and the starting date of the contract may also be eligible if, after completing them, they have found themselves in one of the exceptional situations described in the rules for participation of the call (point 3.1.c).

e) Be enrolled or accepted in a UPF doctoral programme.

f) Submit only one application.

g) Do not hold a doctoral degree.

h) Have not enjoyed a predoctoral contract for more than six months.

 

Requirements for thesis supervisors:

a) Must have a statutory or employment relationship with the UPF.*

*Part-time researchers, researchers on leave, visiting professors and emeritus professors do not fulfil this requirement.

b) Be a member of a research group that has been recognised in the context of the call for grants to support the scientific activity of research groups in Catalonia (SGR-Cat 2021).

c) Each thesis supervisor can only support one application.

Candidates must submit their applications using the online form (Formulari de sol·licitud FI-STEP 2025) available on the AGAUR website. The following documents must also be uploaded to the form:

1. The following document: Document annex normalitzat FI-STEP 2025 (in PDF).

2. Academic records of your undergraduate and master's studies*. Both documents must indicate the date of completion and the average grade of the degree.

*If you have not completed your Master's degree by the deadline, you must provide the provisional academic record. If you have more than one undergraduate or master's degree, you must provide the academic information for the one most relevant to your doctoral programme.

3. Declarations of academic average grade according to the regulations of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (for those who have completed their studies abroad).

4. Additional documentation in the case of exceptional situations covered by the Rules for Participation.