University Faculty Training (Formación de Profesorado Universitario, FPU) — Predoctoral Contracts

University Faculty Training (Formación de Profesorado Universitario, FPU) — Predoctoral Contracts

Supports Spanish predoctoral scholars with mentorship in AI, climate, energy, and biomedical fields.

The Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) programme is Spain's core national predoctoral contract scheme, administered by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). It finances doctoral students at Spanish universities to complete their PhD while developing the teaching skills required for an academic career. The 2025 call — the immediate predecessor of the anticipated 2026 cycle — offered 870 four-year contracts at a minimum annual compensation of €25,116 per year, distributed as twelve monthly payments plus two extraordinary payments. Forty-three of the 870 positions were reserved for applicants with certified disabilities of 33% or greater, who receive six-year contracts instead of four.

Eligibility is restricted to individual applicants — institutions do not apply. Candidates must hold a degree and be enrolled in a doctoral programme at a Spanish university during the relevant academic year, or hold a master's degree giving access to doctoral studies in the subsequent year. A hard disqualifier applies: any applicant who previously received an FPU grant is ineligible for a new one. Beyond the doctoral contract itself, the programme funds a post-doctoral orientation period (POP) of up to one year after thesis defence, research stays at foreign institutions, and structured development of university teaching competencies. Selection takes place in a single competitive phase scored by weighted average academic grade within ISCED discipline codes.

The 2025 call accepted applications from 16 January to 27 February 2026 and is now closed. The 2026 FPU call is expected to open in late 2026 on a comparable schedule. Applications are submitted electronically via the MICIU's online platform with supporting documentation including transcripts, thesis-director evaluations, and a doctoral project proposal. Applicants maximise scores by demonstrating strong academic records in the relevant ISCED field.