General information on the call
Gen-Q has opened a second call for applications for 20 positions from 04 February to 18 March 2026, 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 to clearly indicate their priority among the topics (see specifications in the guide for applicants).
The candidate’s application will only be evaluated on the basis of the first choice. The second choice will only be taken into consideration at the end of the evaluation process in case:
- The candidate is not selected for her/his first choice
- And her/his second choice is not filled by another candidate
If both conditions apply, application would then be presented to the selection committee of the second choice.
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 in possession of a Master's degree or any equivalent degree that enables to embark on a doctoral programme and not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the deadline of the programme's call.
- Applicants must have a proof of their master degree at the deadline of the call according to the European Commission requirement (diploma or official certificate, transcripts are NOT sufficient to be eligible).
Gen-Q project management will check the eligibility of submitted applications.
There are no exceptions to these rules. The call deadline is 18 March 2026, 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 considered for an interview. For further details on the selection criteria and process, please see the guide for applicants.
Contact: gen-q@eucor-uni.org
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.
