General information on the call
Gen-Q will open a main call for applications for its 51 positions from 01 July to 31 August 2025, 17:00 (Brussels time). Our selection and evaluation procedure follows open, transparent, merit-based principles and is based on international peer review. For further details, see the evaluation process.
Our target group are Doctoral Candidates with a Master’s degree in the STEM fields, of all ages and nationalities. For the eligibility criteria, please see below and check the guide for applicants.
Candidates have the possibility to choose among 69 possible topics for the 51 positions available. They may choose up to two topics per available position and they may also suggest their own topic or modifications to a topic, in addition to one of the predefined topics. The final decision upon the thematic modifications will be made during the selection process.
Candidates have to clearly indicate their priority among the topics (see specifications in the guide for applicants).
Eligibility criteria
Gen-Q has two main eligibility criteria:
- Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation (university) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline of the programme's call. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention will not be taken into account.
- The researchers must be Doctoral Candidates, thus not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the deadline of the programme's call.
Gen-Q project management will check the eligibility of submitted applications.
There are no exceptions to these rules. The call deadline is 31 August 17:00 pm.
Incomplete applications will be disregarded without notice.
Selection process
The selection process will be carried out in two stages:
- A written application, counting for 60% of the ranking.
- An oral interview, counting for 40% of the ranking.
Only candidates having passed a combined threshold of 70% in the first phase (written review) will be invited to the interview stage. For further details on the selection criteria and process, please see the guide for applicants.
Downloads
Find here more information, templates and guidelines for your application.
Guide for Applicants
Templates
MSCA COFUND project
The Gen-Q programme has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement number 101217386.
