PhD scholarships and financial support
PHD FUNDING
Funding your PhD
PhD candidates may be admitted with or without a scholarship, depending on the relevant Call for Applications. Different forms of financial support are available during the doctoral programme, including the PhD scholarship, the individual research budget and support for approved research periods abroad.
SECOND-SESSION CALLS · SPECIFIC FUNDING CONDITIONS
Additional obligations apply to the Regione Marche scholarships
In addition to the ordinary UNICAM PhD rules, recipients of the seven scholarships offered through the two current second-session Calls must comply with the specific conditions of the regional funding programme and with the Call governing their position.
• Full-time commitment: the PhD requires full-time research and training activities.
• Mobility abroad: a research and training period abroad of at least 3 months and no more than 6 months is mandatory.
• No simultaneous university enrolment: recipients may not be simultaneously enrolled in another university programme.
• No incompatible double funding: other public or private funding cannot cover the same period, activities or costs where prohibited by the applicable funding rules.
• Funded research project: the doctoral project must be developed consistently with the Research Topic and the academic supervisors' guidance.
• Annual reporting: a report on the research project must be prepared at the end of each year and countersigned by the academic supervisor.
• Mobility abroad: a research and training period abroad of at least 3 months and no more than 6 months is mandatory.
• No simultaneous university enrolment: recipients may not be simultaneously enrolled in another university programme.
• No incompatible double funding: other public or private funding cannot cover the same period, activities or costs where prohibited by the applicable funding rules.
• Funded research project: the doctoral project must be developed consistently with the Research Topic and the academic supervisors' guidance.
• Annual reporting: a report on the research project must be prepared at the end of each year and countersigned by the academic supervisor.
FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK
What may be available during your PhD
01 · PHD SCHOLARSHIP
Regular financial support
Scholarships are assigned through the admission procedure according to the conditions and ranking criteria established in the relevant Call for Applications. Their amount cannot be lower than the minimum established by national legislation.
02 · WITHOUT SCHOLARSHIP
The same doctoral status
Where a Call offers positions without a scholarship, admitted candidates follow the same doctoral programme and are subject to the same academic requirements. They also have access to the individual research budget provided for doctoral research.
The current Cycle XLII Regione Marche second-session Calls do not offer unfunded positions.
03 · RESEARCH BUDGET
Resources for your research
Every PhD candidate, with or without a scholarship, is provided with an individual budget for research activities in Italy and abroad, in accordance with the applicable regulations and funding conditions. Specific amounts may differ for National PhD Programmes.
04 · MOBILITY SUPPORT
Additional support abroad
For approved research periods abroad, PhD candidates who meet the applicable requirements may receive the additional scholarship support established by national legislation and by the funding source of their position.
SCHOLARSHIP PAYMENTS
How the scholarship is paid
01
Monthly instalments
The scholarship is paid in monthly instalments in arrears for the ordinary duration of the doctoral programme and after enrolment has been fully completed.
02
Personal bank account
A suitable Italian or online bank account in the PhD candidate's name is required for scholarship payments and reimbursements. An Italian Tax Code is also necessary for payment of the scholarship.
03
Annual confirmation
Continuation of the scholarship is linked to successful annual evaluation and admission to the subsequent year of the PhD programme. Additional reporting requirements may apply to specifically funded positions.
AFTER YOUR PHD SCHOLARSHIP
DIS-COLL unemployment benefit
PhD candidates who have received a scholarship may be eligible, after the scholarship has ended, to apply to INPS for the DIS-COLL monthly unemployment benefit, provided that they meet the requirements established by INPS.
DIS-COLL is available, under the applicable conditions, to PhD candidates with a scholarship who are covered by the INPS Gestione Separata. The application must normally be submitted to INPS within 68 days from the end of the PhD scholarship.
UNICAM certification
If INPS requires documentation confirming that you were the recipient of a PhD scholarship and that the scholarship has actually ended, the relevant UNICAM certification may be requested only after the scholarship has definitively ended, at the completion of the three-year PhD scholarship period. It cannot be issued in advance while the scholarship is still active.
Please note: eligibility for DIS-COLL is assessed by INPS. UNICAM can provide the relevant university documentation but does not determine entitlement to the benefit.
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH BUDGET
Funding dedicated to research activities
The research budget is separate from the PhD scholarship. It is intended to support activities directly connected with the doctoral research project and is available to PhD candidates both with and without a scholarship.
≥ 10%
of the scholarship amount under the University Regulations
Plan expenditure with your supervisor
The budget can support eligible research expenditure in accordance with the applicable guidelines and procedures. Expenditure must be connected with the doctoral project and properly authorised.
Cycle XLII Regione Marche scholarships: the UNICAM Second Call for the six scholarships across the non-associated PhD Programmes provides a research budget of at least €4,872.90 over the three-year programme. The separate TAN Second Call provides a research budget of at least €9,745.80 over the three-year programme.
For National PhD Programmes, specific funding arrangements may apply. Under the UNICAM Regulations, the research-budget provision for National PhD Programmes is increased to 20% through the applicable ministerial co-funding.
MOBILITY ABROAD
Additional funding for approved research periods
+ at least 50%
For PhD candidates entitled to mobility support under the applicable national rules, an approved research period abroad is supported through an increase of at least 50% of the scholarship amount.
The additional funding is not automatic: the research period must be authorised and the required documentation must be submitted according to the established procedure and the conditions of the relevant funding source.
Regione Marche scholarships: for all seven positions offered through the current second-session Calls, a period abroad lasting between 3 and 6 months is mandatory. It must be planned consistently with the funded Research Topic and the regional programme requirements.
SCHOLARSHIP COMPATIBILITY
Other scholarships, income and working activities
Other scholarships and funding
A PhD scholarship cannot normally be combined with other scholarships, except for funding specifically intended to support research periods abroad and any other cases permitted by the applicable legislation or funding rules.
Regione Marche scholarships: the prohibition of incompatible double funding also applies to the same period, activities or costs covered by the doctoral scholarship.
Working activities
The PhD is a full-time commitment. Compatible external working activities may be authorised only under the conditions and procedures established by the UNICAM Regulations and, where applicable, by the specific funding programme.
For the Regione Marche scholarships, only limited activities consistent with the training objectives may be considered, subject to approval by the PhD Scientific Board and authorisation by the SAS Board, and without prejudice to the regional eligibility and funding conditions.
ANNUAL INCOME AND SCHOLARSHIP
Check the income limit applicable to scholarship recipients
Under the current Cycle XLII Regione Marche second-session Calls, PhD scholarship recipients may generally retain the scholarship provided that their annual employment-related emoluments do not exceed the annual scholarship amount, currently indicated as €16,243. The year in which the Call is issued is excluded from the specific forfeiture provision described in the Calls.
The required annual self-certification must be submitted to the Advanced Studies Office by 31 July. The applicable legislation, UNICAM Regulations and specific funding conditions remain authoritative.
CHANGES DURING YOUR PHD
Suspension, withdrawal and scholarship renunciation
Suspension of the doctoral career normally also suspends the scholarship for the corresponding period. Withdrawal from the PhD or renunciation of the scholarship has financial and administrative consequences and must therefore be formally communicated. Positions funded under specific programmes may also be subject to additional reporting or funding consequences.
Suspension, leave and extension → Withdrawal and scholarship renunciation →
RULES AND FUNDING CONDITIONS
Always consider the source of your scholarship
In addition to the general UNICAM Regulations, individual scholarships may be subject to specific requirements linked to their funding source, Research Topic, partner institution or funding programme. The conditions stated in the relevant admission Call and funding documents therefore also apply.
Cycle XLII Regione Marche scholarships: applicants and recipients must comply with the conditions established by the Second Call governing their position, the relevant Annex 1 and the PR Marche FSE+ funding framework.
Consult UNICAM Regulations → Current Regione Marche Second Calls →
NEED SUPPORT?
Advanced Studies Office
For questions concerning your scholarship, research budget, mobility funding, compatibility with other income or funding, or the administrative consequences of changes during your doctoral career, contact the Advanced Studies Office.