PhD students as Ghent University staff
Your employment situation at Ghent University varies according to the way your PhD research is financed. The Personnel Department takes care of the files of assisting academic staff, researchers who are Ghent University scholarship recipients (in Dutch: 'bursalen'), or scientific staff working within the framework of a promoter's project, development cooperation or a Special Research Fund mandate ('BOF').
Ghent University PhD scholarship recipients
A Ghent University PhD scholarship allows you to perform research solely in preparation of your doctoral thesis. You are asked to sign a Ghent University PhD scholarship agreement and turn in some documents essential for a personnel file. Because this agreement is not an employment contract in strictu sensu, some specific rules apply.
As a Ghent University PhD scholarship recipient you are expected to perform research under the guidance of a PhD supervisor and are part of his/her faculty department. You are enrolled as a doctoral student and must comply with doctoral regulations.
A Ghent University PhD scholarship is fiscally exempted. Also, for Ghent University or your supervisor the employment costs for a scholarship recipient are lower than for a scientific employee.
ABC for Ghent University PhD scholarship recipients
Ghent University employee
Assisting academic staff
An appointment as assisting academic staff usually runs for two years, with the possibility of a extension to six or seven years. In case you are employed full-time, you are expected to spend 50% of your time at research. The remaining 50% can be used for teaching and/or lab assignments, administrative tasks, etc. in your department.
Scientific employee
If you do not meet the Ghent University PhD scholarship requirements, an appointment as scientific employee is also an option. This means Ghent University becomes your employer. Such an appointment is contractual (i.e. for a fixed period of time), either full-time or part-time. There is also a specific career progression.
Not a Ghent University employee
You can of course perform PhD research at Ghent University with personal funding, e.g. PhD scholarship from an external funding organisation. Usually this is a fiscally exempted scholarship for a maximum period (2 to 4 years).
If you receive a scholarship from FWO or IWT, or funding via IMEC, VIB or IBBT, you are not a Ghent University employee.
This website contains information for full PhD students at Ghent University and who will be funded by their home university or an external organization or their local government or who will study on their own financial means.