Eligibility

Applicants hold a Master’s degree and meet the admission requirements of the doctorate degree program of the corresponding university of this position.

Applicants must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting partner (Host institution) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their date of recruitment.

Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account. Date of Recruitment means the first day of the employment of the researcher for the purposes of the action (i.e. the starting date indicated in the employment contract or equivalent direct contract).

Example:

• Recruitment Date: 1st October 2025
• Host Country: Germany
  

Scenario 1
The candidate lived in Germany from 1st October 2023 to 30th September 2024 (12 months). The candidate will also visit Germany for a 3-month project in early 2025.

In this scenario, the candidate would be ineligible because they spent a total of 15 months in Germany during the 36-month period.
 

Scenario 2
The candidate lived in France for most of the period but spent 6 months in Germany in 2023 and another 5 months for a project in 2024.

In this scenario, the candidate would be eligible because they only spent a total of 11 months in Germany during the 36-month period.