Certificado R3 — Investigador/a Establecido/a

The Certificado R3 is AEI's national recognition for postdoctoral researchers who have already crossed into established status. It is not a cash award; it is a certification that carries weight in recruitment processes at universities, public research organisations, and related public science bodies across Spain. The 2026 call opens from 19 May to 9 June and is assessed by AEI under the rules of Law 14/2011 as amended by Law 17/2022. The route is for individual applicants who hold a doctorate before 1 January 2021 and can document the required postdoctoral trajectory, including qualifying contract periods and research stays away from the training institution. Applicants must also avoid categories that are already statutorily settled, such as career civil servants in university teaching corps, career researchers in state research bodies, or permanent university professors. The evaluation requires at least 80 total points and at least 30 points on criterion 2. Because the certificate is a hiring signal rather than funding, success depends less on project packaging than on a clear research record and the right employment history. That makes R3 useful for researchers who want their track record recognised in Spanish selection processes. The application itself remains relatively narrow: CVA, research trajectory, and compliance with the eligibility conditions are the centre of gravity.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.