Admission

The PTNMR PhD program is funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia with a total of 20 studentships for a period of 3 years.

Admission of candidates is competitive and based on the educational background, academic qualification, research experience, motivation and scientific ability (see criteria bellow). Candidates should be fluent in English as this is the Program official language.


Criteria for Admission

Who can apply to these scholarships:

  • National citizens or citizens of other member states of the European Union;
  • Citizens of third States;
  • Stateless persons;
  • Citizens enjoying political refugee status.


To apply for the PhD Research Grant, it is necessary to:

  • Be licensed or master in the areas of chemistry, biological sciences, life sciences, materials sciences, physics, or interface with chemistry or physics or in areas considered similar, with a (weighted) average equal to or higher than 14 values ​​( in the Portuguese education system or equivalent, in the case of foreign candidates);
  • Reside in Portugal permanently and habitually, if the work plan associated with the scholarship is partially carried out by foreign institutions (mixed scholarships), a requirement applicable to both nationals and foreigners.
  • Have not benefited from a previous doctoral scholarship or doctoral scholarship in companies directly funded by FCT, regardless of its duration.


Educational background: Candidates that have a strong background in chemistry, biological sciences, life sciences, material sciences, physics or areas of interface are encouraged to apply to this PhD Program.

Academic qualification: The candidates must have a strong academic record and meet the minimum following requirements:

  • Holding a Masters degree or legal equivalent, or a Bachelor’s degree with a total number of academic credits equal or above 240 (pre-Bologna degrees);
  • Exceptionally, students with a Bachelor’s degree but an outstanding academic or scientific curriculum may be accepted. This is evaluated by the Directive Board of the PhD Program.
  • A minimum grade-point average of 14/20 (Portuguese Scale or equivalent by conversion in case of foreign candidates) is legally mandatory for admission in a PhD course in Portuguese Universities

 

Admission criteria will be verified by means of a written application that should include the following documents:

 

  1. Elements of the identity card / citizen card / passport;
  2. Detailed Curriculum vitae of the candidate;
  3. Certificates of qualification of the academic degrees held, specifying the final classification and, if possible, the classifications obtained in all subjects taken, or, alternatively, the candidate's declaration of honor on how he / she completed the bachelor's or master's degree by the end the application deadline;
  4. Registration of recognition of academic degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions and registration of the conversion of the respective final classification to the Portuguese classification scale, or, alternatively, the candidate's declaration of honor on how he obtained the recognition of the foreign degree equivalent to that of graduate or master until the end of the application term;
  5. Letter of motivation (maximum 2 A4 pages) should include a description of your academic and scientific interests, professional goals, and a summary of your professional experience, including laboratory work. The letter must mention specific research topics in which the candidate is interested in developing studies and the reasons that justify the adequacy of the PTNMRPhD to the intended scientific research area;
  6. Indication of the name and contact details of two people who will be asked to send a closed reference letter;
  7. Declaration, under honor, of proficiency in the domain of the English language understood (minimum B2), spoken (minimum B1) and written (minimum B2), considering for this purpose the self-assessment of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​( available at https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/sites/default/files/cefr-pt.pdf);
  8. Write the application and all documents associated with it, including letters of motivation and recommendation, in English, with the exception of qualification certificates that can be delivered in Portuguese.


Regarding the above mentioned admissibility requirements, the following should be noted:

  1. In the case of academic degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, and in order to guarantee the application of the principle of equal treatment to candidates who hold foreign and national academic degrees, the recognition of these degrees and the conversion of the respective final classification is mandatory for the Portuguese classification scale.
  2. The recognition of foreign academic degrees and diplomas as well as the conversion of the final classification to the Portuguese classification scale can be required in any public higher education institution, or in the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES, only in the case of automatic recognition ). Regarding this matter, it is suggested to consult the DGES portal through the following address: http://www.dges.gov.pt.
  3. Applicants will only be admitted who have completed the cycle of studies leading to the degree of bachelor or master by the end of the application period. If they do not yet have the certificate of completion of the course, a declaration of honor from the candidates will be accepted as they have completed the necessary qualifications for the purposes of the competition by the end of the application period. The design of the scholarship is always dependent on the presentation of proof of ownership of the academic qualifications required to grant the scholarship.