CLIC is happy to offer up to 5 short (1-2 months) paid Grant Writing Residencies in the period August-November 2026. Candidates will spend the Residency preparing postdoctoral fellowship applications for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO).
Are you an early-career postdoctoral researcher (max. 6 years post-PhD) with a background in literary studies, theatre studies, journalism studies, translation studies, practice-based (artistic) or related disciplines? Are you eager to start the next step of your academic career in the coming year? Then consider applying for a Grant Writing Residency to prepare your next postdoc project with CLIC!
Application deadline: 31 May 2026 (see more info below).
The complete call can be found here.
Support Provided:
If selected, you will:
- receive a 2000-Euro grant writing fee from CLIC per month (for max. 2 months);
- get access to CLIC’s Grant Writing Academy, including CLIC screening sessions and individual consultations with CLIC’s research policy officer;
- receive a tailored calendar for the Residency and the call deadlines, with achievable milestones, support sessions, and tasks;
- receive guidance in how to apply for MSCA first, and FWO second, with the same project;
- get a dedicated (flex) office space, access to VUB facilities (library, campus restaurant, etc.), and invitations to all CLIC’s activities during the stay;
- find ample opportunities for professional development and networking in an urban, out-of-the-box thinking, comprehensive research university at the heart of Brussels.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must hold a relevant doctoral degree—or have received their doctoral degree by the time defined in the FWO/MSCA call regulations.
- Applicants can have max. 6 years of research experience after their PhD.
- Applicants who aim to apply for an MSCA-PF must comply with the mobility rules: they may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the MSCA-PF call deadline.
- One of the Residencies is earmarked for artistic research. If you qualify for this Residency, please mark it clearly in your motivation letter and in your email message.
Application Process:
Please submit the following documents (PDFs) via email to gry.ulstein@vub.be, with your envisioned CLIC supervisor in CC, by 31 May 2026:
- A detailed CV, including a list of publications and, if applying for the Residency in artistic research, an artistic portfolio.
- A short application that includes a summary of your research proposal (max. 2 pages) and a motivation (max. 1 page) in which you also motivate your selection of a CLIC supervisor.
- NB: please make sure you contact and gain the support of your envisioned supervisor before you submit the application.
- For an overview of CLIC's available expertise, please see our members page.
- If you aim to submit a MSCA-PF application, you should mention whether you would apply for a European or a Global Postdoctoral Fellowship. In the latter case, you should also mention which Global host organization and supervisor with whom you will apply.
- Note on the research proposals:
- Given the limited duration of the Residencies, we expect applicants to arrive with a well-developed project. The required two-page research proposal should therefore be treated as a concise but mature outline: it should clearly articulate the research question, objectives, methodology, originality, and fit with CLIC at a level that could realistically underpin a competitive MSCA/FWO application.
- Participation in CLIC' Grant Writing Residency implies a commitment to continue developing the proposal beyond the Residency period. In particular, selected candidates are expected to work on their applications independently before/after the Residency in order to meet the MSCA submission deadline (September) and, subsequently, the FWO deadline (November).
- Research projects that read as early-stage ideas rather than developed project plans are unlikely to be competitive.
Decision:
- Applications will be reviewed by CLIC’s steering team and 1-2 other senior CLIC (advisory board) members, and shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview.
- You can expect a response within two weeks after the deadline (by 14 June 2026).
- The online interviews will be held in the second half of June.
VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.
Do you have questions about the Grant Writing Residency? Contact Gry Ulstein at gry.ulstein@vub.be.