A new fully funded PhD opportunity has just opened in Belgium for researchers passionate about public policy, reproductive justice, gender studies, and social history. Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) is now accepting applications for a four-year PhD scholarship under the 3CoBe project, a nationally funded research initiative examining how contraceptive costs have been covered in Belgium since legalization. If your research interests sit at the crossroads of history, sociology, political science, and health policy, this is a rare doctoral opening worth immediate attention.
What This PhD Scholarship Offers to Selected Researchers?
This opportunity is designed to fully support doctoral researchers while embedding them in a strong interdisciplinary research environment at one of Belgium’s leading universities. The scholarship allows candidates to focus entirely on high-impact research without financial distraction.
The selected PhD researcher will receive:
- A fully funded four-year PhD scholarship (structured as 2 years + 2 years after confirmation)
- Full-time doctoral position based at UCLouvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Monthly remuneration in line with UCLouvain’s official PhD scholarship scale
- Train subscription support for commuting, where applicable
- Academic supervision within an interdisciplinary research team at the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Families and Sexualities (Cirfase)
- Opportunities to publish, present at conferences, and engage in public outreach in both French and English
Who UCLouvain Is Looking For?
This PhD position targets early-career researchers with strong qualitative and historical research foundations who want to contribute to evidence-based policy debates around reproductive health.
To be eligible, applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Hold a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in social sciences such as history, sociology, political science, or a related field, obtained with distinction
- Demonstrate experience with qualitative research methods, including interviews and thematic analysis
- Show the ability to work with historical sources, archives, and institutional documents
- Be orally proficient in French and in either Dutch or English
- Possess strong academic writing skills in both French and English
- Be able to work independently while collaborating effectively in research teams
- Have research exposure to gender studies, reproductive health, or public policy (considered a strong advantage).
How to Apply for the 3CoBe PhD Scholarship?
Applications must be submitted online through UCLouvain’s official recruitment portal. Candidates should prepare a focused and academically strong application aligned with the objectives of the 3CoBe project, particularly its historical work package.
Applicants are required to submit:
- A detailed academic CV
- A motivation letter (maximum two pages)
- Official Master’s degree diploma and transcripts
- A copy of the Master’s thesis, along with a two-page summary
- Contact details of two academic referees.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, scheduled for the week of 23 February 2026, as part of the final selection stage.
Apply: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/398229
Application Deadline and Timeline
The last date to apply for the 3CoBe PhD Scholarship at Université catholique de Louvain is 25 January 2026 at 22:59 (UTC). The selected candidate is expected to start the PhD from April 2026, following completion of the two-stage selection process that includes file review and an academic interview.