Career stages

In the University of Twente, a lot of PhD-positions become available though regular job openings. For instance, this is made possible because a researcher at the UT will start a large project and has funding to hire PhD-students to complete the project.

The are multiple options to pursue funding for your PhD-project through networks or initiatives.

The Dutch Research Council (Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - NWO) has opened a new Mosaic programme that will allow MSc-students at a Dutch university to apply for funding for their PhD-project in the Netherlands. 

One of the most important criteria for personal grants is your CV, even more so in the personal grants for young researchers. Funders would like to determine whether you hold potential for becoming an excellent researcher with vision for your research field. This will be reflected through your output, but also in actions with elements such as visibility, passion, recognition and independence. This means not only your publications or awards are important, but also activities such as communication, collaboration, teaching & supervision, dissemination & organisation and mobility play a role in this assessment.

Some elements are small things which can be easily undertaken and added to your CV. However, most actions require a longer trajectory to accomplish and need the support of someone in close surroundings in the university to help you accomplish this.

Reach out to your supervisor about your ambitions in a timely manner. He/she will be able to help you in actions and output that will boost your CV. In addition, the UT Grants Office (grants-office@utwente.nl) can discuss with you or provide tools to explore which actions will help you to create a competitive CV for personal grants.

Join the information session aimed at young PhD-graudates or last-year PhD-students "Getting ready for your first personal grant" provided by the UT Center for Training & Development. This information session will discuss all personal grants for your stage of career and the most important elements in their applications. UT-SBD Grants Office provides tailor-made support for each of the funding schemes. 

UT-SBD Grants Office provides tailor-made support for each of the funding schemes. 

• Funder: NWO (NL) 
• Aim: This mobility grant aims to encourage talented researchers at Dutch universities to dedicate themselves to a career in postdoctoral research in a prestigious foreign research institution.
• General eligibility criteria: Researchers can apply up to 12 months after obtaining their PhD. Rubicon is open for all scientific disciplines and each candidate may only submit an application for a Rubicon grant once. There are 3 submission rounds per year.  
• Resources: Postdoc funding for 12 to 24 months. The eligible costs are your salary, including fringe benefits, travel costs and a limited amount for research costs. 
• Website Rubicon

• Funder: European Commission - Horizon Europe (EU)
• Aim: This individual postdoctoral fellowship is primarily aimed at promising early-stage researchers or can be used to restart a career. It is for all research areas, to strengthen the researchers profile through a tailor-made training program at a foreign institute or university. 
• General eligibility criteria: A maximum of 8 years of research experience from you PhD defense date. You have to comply with the mobility rule. 
• Mobility: The European fellowship supports mobility to the Netherlands from any other country, or from the Netherlands to a European country. The Global fellowship supports mobility to a non-EU country with a mandatory return phase. 
• Resources: Funding for allowance, training and research costs. European fellowship: duration of 12 to 24 months. Global fellowship: duration of 12 to 24 months abroad, followed by 12 months return to an organization in the EU.
• Website MSCA-PF

• Funder: NWO Talent Programme (NL)
• Aim: This personal grant allows young researchers in all research areas to conduct independent research and develop their ideas.
• General eligibility criteria: Applicants must have obtained their PhD within the last three years before the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. Researchers can only submit applications with the support of the Dutch institution where they intend to conduct their research via an embedding guarantee. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may apply. Candidates can apply for a Veni on two occasions. 
• Resources: The maximum grant is €320.000,- for a maximum period of three years. 
• Website Talent Programme

• Funder: European Research Council (EU).
• Aim: This personal grant aims at excellent researchers at start of their career who have a groundbreaking fundamental research idea.
• General eligibility criteria: Candidates can apply max. 10 years after obtaining their PhD, measured to the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. At least 50% time involvement of principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply which are based on the evaluation result.
• Resources: €1.500.000,- for a five-year project.
• Website ERC-Starting Grant

• Funder: NWO, Talent Programme (NL)
• Aim: This personal grant allows experienced researchers to develop their innovative line of research. In this previous research period, you have come up with innovative ideas that you have been able to independently and successfully develop further.
• General eligibility criteria: Researchers can submit a Vidi up to 8 years after obtaining their PhD before the benchmark date (October 1). Extensions may apply. Researchers can only submit applications for Vidi funding with the support of the Dutch institution where they intend to conduct their research via an embedding guarantee. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may apply. Candidates can apply for a Vidi on two occasions. 
• Resources: The maximum grant is €850.000,- for a maximum period of five years, which can also be used to appoint researchers.
• Website Talent Programme

• Funder: European Research Council (EU).
• Aim: This personal grant aims at excellent researchers who wish to consolidate their career with a groundbreaking fundamental research idea.
• General eligibility criteria: Candidates can apply 5-15 years after obtaining their PhD, measured to the benchmark date (January 1). Extensions may apply. At least 40% time involvement of the principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply, which are based on the evaluation result.
• Resources: €2.000.000,- for a five year project.
• Website ERC-Consolidator Grant

• Funder: NWO, Talent Programme (NL)
• Aim: This personal grant gives senior researchers the opportunity to build up their own research group, often in anticipation of a tenured professorship. This research group must become structurally embedded in the research institution. Vici is targeted at outstanding senior researchers who have successfully demonstrated the ability to develop their own innovative lines of research, proved their abilities in their field of research and act as coaches for young researchers.
• General eligibility criteria:  General eligibility criteria: Researchers can submit a Vici up to 15 years after obtaining their PhD before the benchmark date (March 1). 
• Resources: The maximum grant is €1.500.000,- for a maximum period of five years, which can be used to appoint researchers as well.
• Website Talent Programme

• Funder: European Research Council (EU).
• Aim: This personal grant is for established excellent researchers, with a fundamental ground-breaking, high-risk research idea that represents a next-level step in the field and their own career.
• General eligibility criteria: Candidates are active researchers who have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. At least 30% time involvement of the principal investigator is required. Resubmission restrictions apply, which are based on the evaluation result.
• Resources: €2.500.000,- for a five year project.
• Website ERC-Advanced Grant