# Financing Professional Doctorate-candidates

**Funder:** NWO
**Budget:** Up to €271,400 (max €258,000 labour costs + max €13,400 travel/study costs)
**Consortium:** No
**Frequency:** Annual
**Eligible countries:** NL
**Official call:** https://www.nwo.nl/en/calls/financing-professional-doctorate-candidates-2026
**Last verified:** 29 July 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Open to universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) in the Netherlands. Funds Professional Doctorate (PD) candidates; max €258,000 for labour cost allowance and max €13,400 for travel and study costs per application.

## Summary

NWO's Financing Professional Doctorate-candidates 2026 call provides up to €271,400 per application (€258,000 labour costs + €13,400 travel/study) to Dutch universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) supporting Professional Doctorate candidates. The scheme is tailored to practice-oriented doctoral training in the applied-sciences sector. Calls are annual.

## Who should apply

- Dutch universities of applied sciences (hogescholen)
- Institutions with established Professional Doctorate (PD) programmes
- Applications seeking to fund labour costs and mobility for PD candidates

## Key dates

- Annual call; 2026 round listed as of 2 April 2026
- Up to €271,400 per application (€258,000 labour + €13,400 travel/study maximum)

## Tips for applicants

- This call is institution-wide, not researcher-specific, frame the application around the coherence and relevance of your PD cohort.
- Allocate labour costs strategically across supervision, candidate stipends, and institutional support; the €258,000 cap encourages focused cohorts.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much can a Dutch hogeschool apply for under the NWO Professional Doctorate scheme?

Up to €271,400 per application: a maximum of €258,000 for labour costs and up to €13,400 for travel and study expenses.

### Who is eligible to apply for NWO Professional Doctorate financing?

Dutch universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) with Professional Doctorate programmes are eligible to apply.

### Is the NWO Professional Doctorate call annual?

Yes, this is an annual call; the 2026 round was listed in early April.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/nwo-financing-professional-doctorate-candidates-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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