The PhD application procedure at VITO

How to apply?

• View our PhD topic list and select the subject of your choice to get more information.
• Check the following eligibility criteria:

Degree requirements 

• Persons who comply with one of the following degree requirements may submit their candidature: 

1. holder of a master’s degree from a Flemish university in the study area of sciences, applied sciences, agricultural sciences and applied biological sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, veterinary medical sciences, medicine, dentistry or biomedical sciences; 
2. holder of a master’s degree from a university in the Walloon community in Belgium that is recognised as being equivalent to one of the degrees stated in sub 2a); 
3. holder of a foreign degree that is recognised as being equivalent to one of the degrees stated in sub 2a); 
4. holder of a degree from extended higher education (HOLT) or a final degree from a foreign university or foreign institute of academic education, who has been exempted from the entry conditions to prepare a doctoral thesis in one of the study areas stated in sub 3a); 

• Holders of a foreign degree, a HOLT degree or a university degree from the Walloon community in Belgium must also possess a declaration from the university where the doctorate will be carried out (from at least faculty level), which indicates that the degree requirement has been sufficiently achieved and that s/he has been accepted to the concerned faculty to perform doctoral activities. 
• Final year students in study areas that result in the higher education degrees above, may also submit their candidature under the rescinding condition that the candidate attains the final degree in the year that s/he submits the candidature.

Award conditions

• The doctoral candidates must comply with the following conditions: 
  • Grade requirements 
    The doctoral candidate must have attained the above-mentioned master’s degree with (at least) a "distinction", or equivalent. 
  • Maximum period after attaining the master’s degree 
    A doctoral candidate can submit a grant request at the latest, 5 years after attaining the master’s degree. If a doctoral candidate possesses more than one master’s degrees, this rule only applies to degrees from the study area applicable to the doctoral proposal. In this case, the first master’s degree must (at least) have been attained 10 years prior to the grant application. 
  • The doctoral candidate must have a perfect record of conduct

If you are interested, apply online via the VITO website. (First time? Read and accept the Privacy statement and legal terms. Register yourself and log in to get access to your account.)

If you are selected, then you will have the opportunity to defend your suitability for the PhD topic in front of a selection panel.

If you are accepted by the selection panel, a starting date for your PhD start will be set.