PhD theses
Graduate students in biology, bio-engineering, chemistry, pharmacy, medical and biomedical sciences, can join a laboratory of the de Duve Institute to perform the experimental work of their PhD thesis. On average the de Duve Institute hosts some 70 graduate students at any one time.
PhD programs are run within the framework of the Health Sciences Sector (Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry) of the UCLouvain. Doctoral training can be acquired through interuniversity graduate schools in connection with the Belgian FNRS.
Students willing to perform a PhD thesis in the Institute are encouraged to browse our RESEARCH pages for information on the research topics of our various laboratories. Contact should then be taken with the group leaders of the selected laboratories.
Rules and administrative information about admission to a PhD program can be found on the "research" section of the web site of the Faculty of Medicine of the UCLouvain.
PhD fellowships
Several funding sources support PhD theses, depending on the research topic and the host laboratory. Contact should be taken first with the group leader of the selected laboratory to assess work and funding opportunities.
The main PhD fellowships are:
- F.R.S.-FNRS Research Fellowship (deadline: February)
Four-year fellowship (two years, renewable once). Very well-ranked candidates that did not obtain the fellowship may apply for a FSR fellowship.
- FRIA Fellowship (deadline: early September)
Four-year fellowship (two years, renewable once). Both Belgians and foreigners may apply (equivalence from the Communauté française de Belgique is required for those who obtained a foreign degree). Practical work may start from October 1st, although funding decision is only available in December.
- Marie Curie Fellowship
The Marie Curie programme of the commission of the EU provides fellowships for graduate students. Applications can be introduced several times per year. For more information, please consult CORDIS website.
- FSR Fellowship
These fellowships are available from the UCLouvain and are intended for well-ranked candidates that did not obtain a F.R.S.-FNRS fellowship. They are valid for one or two years maximum. Applications should be introduced every year by the thesis supervisor.
- Health Sciences Sector (deadline: May)
"Bourses du Patrimoine" and other fundings. These fellowships are given by the Health Sciences Sector to students, often in order to finish their thesis work.
Other funding sources exist, that support PhD theses, depending on the research topic and on the host laboratory. Some de Duve Institute laboratories may award the student the equivalent of a fellowship from their own financial sources, which is then paid via the university.
