PhD Grants

Are you a PhD student at the University of Groningen conducting research on sustainable development? Rudolf Agricola PhD Grants could give your work the extra boost it needs!

About the Grants 

The Rudolf Agricola PhD Grants support PhD students in advancing their research on sustainable development. The goal is to provide financial support for young researchers to strengthen the societal impact of their projects and/or foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Whether you need funding for fieldwork, workshops or materials, this grant is here to help you overcome financial obstacles and enhance the impact of your work! 

For this round there are two types of grants available:

Societal impact grant
This grant supports activities that strengthen the societal relevance of your research. It can be used to collaborate with stakeholders, engage with the public or develop strategies to communicate your findings. For this grant, each applicant must submit an individual proposal and clearly show the impact of the project on society.

Interdisciplinary collaboration grant
This grant is for bringing together PhD candidates from different faculties. It can be used to carry out (research) projects, workshops or activities that require interdisciplinary collaborations. For this grant, PhD candidates must apply as a team and clearly show how the different disciplines are combined to produce an innovative (knowledge) output.

Requirements

Societal Impact Grant:

• Collaboration with societal stakeholders and/or involvement with the public

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Grant:

• Application from at least two PhD candidates from different faculties

General requirements:

• The applicant's research must be related to sustainable development.

• The candidate must be pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Groningen and the doctoral degree must not be obtained before the funded activity takes place.

• Applicants must have a promoter affiliated with the University of Groningen.

• Approval from the promoter is required before submitting an application.

• Travel costs may be covered if conducted sustainably; accommodation is eligible for funding, but food and beverages are not.

• Each candidate can receive the grant only once per year but may reapply if not selected.

Application Process

To apply for the grant, candidates must complete and submit the designated application form found at the bottom of this page. Proposals will be reviewed by a jury composed of members from the Scientific Council of the Rudolf Agricola School.
For the grants, applicants can apply for a grant worth either €500, €1000 or €2000.
Once the selection committee decides on the winners, PhD candidates are expected to prepare a pitch to present their research at the PhD Grant Ceremony. Grant applicants will be automatically enrolled in the PhD Community of the Rudolf Agricola School and their supervisors are asked to apply as a fellow. The selection of grant winners is final and not subject to appeal. Grant funds must be spent before the end of the PhD student’s contract.

Assessment Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following aspects:

• For Societal Impact Grant: Engagement with societal stakeholders or the public

• For Interdisciplinary Collaboration Grant: Collaboration between faculties for creating an interdisciplinary (knowledge) output 

General Criteria:

• Contribution to sustainable development challenges

• Added value of the grant for the PhD candidate’s research line

• Project feasibility

• Quality and originality 

Timeline

• April 1: Applications open

• May 1: Application deadline

• June 10: PhD Ceremony

After the summer a new round of PhD grants will be announced for in the fall.

For further questions please contact our student assistant at l.i.tucker rug.nl.