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Advanced training and qualification of human resources is a key priority in Portugal’s science and technology policy, one which was reiterated in the government’s Commitment to Science for the Future of Portugal, which aims to speed up convergence of scientific qualification of human resources in Portugal to the level generally seen in other European Union countries, particularly with respect to post-graduate education.

These regulations aim to clarify the terms under which different types of grants are awarded in the context of bolstering public investment in qualification and post-graduate education and to simplify the administrative procedures associated with the application and registration process.

They also introduce grants for scientific initiation designed for university level students in the early years of their training who show good scholastic performance. These grants aim to foster the development of critical reasoning, creativity and autonomy in university level students through the practice of research and research methods. The scope of these regulations also includes grants for integration into research, which will heretofore be awarded preferentially to university students who have completed at least three (3) years of higher education (1^st cycle or equivalent) for the purpose of receiving scientific training in research projects.

The various types of post-doctoral grants are intended to complement actions already underway to promote employment in scientific fields, mainly through a program launched as part of the Ciência 2007 initiative that provides support for hiring persons who hold doctoral degrees under the individual employment contract regime.

Overcoming the country’s competitive disadvantage in relation to science – by advanced training and qualification of human resources, strengthening institutions dedicated to scientific and technological research and increasing scientific production, technological development and innovation – is the great challenge to be met through these regulations governing increased public investment in science and technology.

CHAPTER 1
Scope

Article 1
Object

1. These regulations apply to advanced training and qualification of human resources funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.

CHAPTER II
Scientific research grants

Section II
Application, review and evaluation, award and renewal of grants

Article 17
Applicants

1. Portuguese citizens and individuals holding Portuguese residence permits on the date of the call for applications are eligible to apply for scientific research grants funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology.
2. For invited scientist, scientific career development and post-doctoral grants, foreign nationals or stateless persons who are not residents of Portugal may also apply, as long as their application is sponsored by the Portuguese host institution.

Article 18
Calls for Applications

1. Calls for applications shall be opened for one or more types of grants governed by these regulations.
2. Calls for applications will be published on the Internet on the Foundation for Science and Technology website at http://www.fct.mctes.pt, and through other means of communication or dissemination whenever these are deemed appropriate.
3. Announcements of calls for applications shall indicate the types of grants being offered, who is eligible to apply, the deadline for applications, the selection criteria and the applicable legal standards and regulations, as well as the respective sources of funding.

Article 19
Supporting documents for the grant application process

1. Applications for grants shall be submitted on the appropriate online form, to be designated by the Foundation for Science and Technology.
2. In addition to any required documentation that is specifically mentioned in the announcement of the call for applications or on the online application form, the grant dossier should include the documents listed in the following numbers, according to the type of grant being applied for.
3. For BD and BM grants, the following documents shall be required:
   1. Documents showing that the applicant meets the requirements for the respective grant, namely certified copies of diplomas (hard copies of which must be submitted if the grant is awarded);
   2. The plan of work to be carried out (online submission only);
   3. The applicant’s curriculum vitæ (online submission only);
   4. Name and e-mail address of the advisor or other person responsible for monitoring the applicant’s progress, if there is one, who will assume responsibility for the plan of work, the applicant’s orientation, monitoring and/or supervision, and for the quality of the planned work (a hard copy of the statement of acceptance of this responsibility must be submitted if the grant is awarded);
   5. Brief curriculum vitae of the advisor or other person responsible for the team where the applicant’s work will be carried out if the grant is awarded, including a list of scientific publications and prior experience as an advisor or in orientation of grant recipients, (online submission only);
   6. Document showing that the applicant has been accepted by the institution where the research work or training will take place guaranteeing that the institution possesses the necessary conditions for properly carrying out the work (a hard copy of which must be submitted if the grant is awarded);
   7. Certified transcripts of university level coursework completed showing the grades/marks received in each subject (submitted online);
   8. Document showing that the applicant has been accepted by the institution that will confer the academic degree (a hard copy of which must be submitted if the grant is awarded);
   9. Letters of recommendation (optional, online submission only).
4. For BCC and BSAB grants, the documents mentioned in lines a) through c) and f) of the previous number shall be required.
5. For BDCC grants, the documents mentioned in lines a) through c) of number 3 shall be required.
6. For BPD grants, the documents mentioned in lines a) through g) of number 3 shall be required.
7. In applications for BPD grants, if the applicant is not in possession of a certificate showing he/she holds a doctoral degree, he/she must indicate, on the respective form, the date on which the final version of the doctoral thesis was submitted to the university that conferred the corresponding degree, otherwise the application shall be considered invalid.
8. For BI, BIC, BII. BTI, BGCT or BMOB grants, the documents mentioned in lines a) through f) of number 3 shall be required.
9. If the applicant is unable to obtain the official certified transcripts mentioned in number 3 by the deadline for applications, the applicant must substitute the corresponding content of the transcripts, along with a statement of responsibility for each, submitted online, and shall send the hard copies of the official transcripts as soon as they become available.
10. Without prejudice that set forth in the previous number, applications may in the meantime be reviewed and evaluated, but grants will not be awarded until all official transcripts verifying the information submitted under the provisions of the previous number have been received.
11. Submission of hard copies of supporting documents mentioned in the numbers above can be replaced by online submission of the corresponding documents in digital format, authenticated under the terms of the law.

Article 20
Evaluation of applications

1. Review and evaluation of applications takes into account the intrinsic merit of the applicant, the plan of work and the host conditions, among other criteria to be defined in the announcement of the respective call for applications.
2. In the event that a grant is awarded, any missing documents that do not interfere with evaluation of the application must be submitted as soon as possible thereafter, as the grant contract shall not be sent for signature until the applicant’s file is complete.
3. In the event that the documents referred to in the previous number are not submitted within six months of the date that the applicant is notified of the grant award, the grant shall be cancelled.
4. Grant awards are based on the results of the evaluation and are subject to the budgetary limits set by the Foundation for Science and Technology.

Article 21
Publication of results

1. Written notice of the decision on whether to award a grant shall be sent to the applicant within 90 days after the deadline for submitting applications for evaluation, to be specified in the announcement of the call for applications.
2. If the decision is not favorable, the applicant has a period of 10 working days after receiving notice of the decision referred to in the previous number in which to contest the decision, if he/she so wishes, as provided for in the Administrative Procedures Code.
3. The applicant shall be notified of the final decision under the terms set forth in the Administrative Procedures Code.
4. Any appeal to the decision referred to in the previous number must be filed within 15 working days after the notification.
5. Any comments regarding the decision referred to in no. 2 of this article, as well as any formal protest regarding the decision referred to in no. 4 must be submitted online.

Article 22
The grant award

The grant is awarded in the form of an allowance, under the terms set forth in these Regulations and in the contract to be signed between the Foundation for Science and Technology and the grant recipient.

Article 23
Deadline for signing the contract

The grant recipient shall return the contract, duly signed, within 15 working days from the date he/she receives the research grant contract.

Article 24
Grant renewal

1. Grants can be renewed for additional periods up to their duration limit.
2. The grant recipient shall submit a grant renewal request to the Foundation for Science and Technology at least 60 days prior to the start of the new grant period, accompanied by the following documents:
   1. A detailed report of the work carried out, including the URL addresses of any papers and publications resulting from the work;
   2. A written opinion by the advisor or person responsible for the applicant’s work or orientation regarding the documents mentioned in the previous line and the advisability of renewing the grant.
3. Requests for renewal of post-doctoral grants for the second triennium shall be submitted at least six months prior to the start of the new grant period and shall be accompanied by the documents referred to in lines a) and b) of the previous number, along with a plan of work for the second triennium, for the purpose of scientific review.
4. Grant renewals do not require signing a new contract and the Foundation for Science and Technology will send a written notice of renewal to the grant recipient.

Section III
General and financial conditions applicable to grants

Article 25
Exclusivity

1. No grant recipient shall be the beneficiary of any other grant, except when an agreement has been established between the entities funding the grants.
2. The work of the grant recipient falls under the regime of exclusive dedication, under the terms expressly set forth in article 5 of the Scientific Research Grant Recipient Statute, approved by Law 40/2004 of 18 August 2004, under penalty of cancellation of the grant, without prejudice to the following point.
3. Grant recipients who continue to receive remuneration from a permanent employment contract shall have the right to a monthly subsidy in Portugal or abroad as set forth in these regulations, or the difference between the monthly subsidy from the respective grant and the monthly remuneration resulting from the permanent contract, less income tax withheld, depending on which option is more favorable to the grant recipient.
4. The grant recipient shall inform the Foundation for Science and Technology of any other grant or subsidy he/she receives from any Portuguese, foreign or international institution, and of any other paid work undertaken that was not initially provided for in his/her original application.

Article 26
Changes to the plan of work

1. The grant recipient shall not change the objectives outlined in the proposed plan of work without the consent of the advisor and without prior authorization from the Foundation for Science and Technology.
2. The request for change referred to in the previous number must be submitted to the Foundation for Science and Technology by the grant recipient along with a statement from the advisor or person responsible for monitoring the grant recipient’s progress.

Article 27
Components of the grant

1. According to the type of grant and the applicant’s situation, the grant may include the following components, which may be cumulative with each other:
   1. Monthly maintenance allowance, the amount of which is determined by whether the grant recipient carries out his/her work in Portugal or abroad,
   2. b) A set allowance for registration, tuition or fees in the case of BD and BM grants, to be paid to the Portuguese institution that will confer the degree, except when the entire year of the grant takes place abroad.
   3. An allowance for registration, tuition or fees, up to a pre-set limit, to be paid to the foreign institution in the case of BD and BM grants that include periods abroad.
   4. An allowance to defray the cost of printing the thesis and obtaining the certified diploma for the degree. This allowance shall only be disbursed after the Foundation for Science and Technology has received a certified copy of that diploma.
2. For grants awarded to Portuguese nationals that include stays abroad, and for foreign nationals in Portugal, the following components may be also be included:
   1. A predetermined annual travel allowance, if appropriate;
   2. A predetermined one-time moving allowance for stays equal to or greater than six consecutive months.
3. BPD, BD and BM grant recipients may also apply for the following allowances, which will be awarded based on availability of funds:
   1. An allowance for presenting work at scientific meetings, up to an amount that, in each year of the grant, may not exceed the pre-established limit and which if unused in one year, cannot be carried over to another year.
   2. An allowance for supplemental training, excluding degree programs, at another Portuguese or foreign institution, not to exceed three months in duration if the grant is for work in Portugal.
   3. Travel allowance for supplemental training, excluding degree programs, at another Portuguese or foreign institution if the grant is for work abroad.
4. No allowances will be paid, in any case, for food, vacations or Christmas, or any others not expressly mentioned in these regulations.
5. The table of grant amounts is approved by ministerial order of the member of government responsible for the area of Science and Technology, based on a proposal presented by the Foundation for Science and Technology.

Article 28
Payment of registration, tuition or fees

1. The payments for registration, tuition or fees provided for in no. 1, lines b) and c) of the preceding article shall be made as follows:
   1. In the case set forth in no. 1, line b) of the previous article, the amount is paid directly to the Portuguese institution that confers the degree to the grant recipient,
   2. In the case set forth in no.1, line c) of the previous article, the amount is paid to the grant recipient, who is in turn responsible for paying the foreign institution responsible for the training and for submitting the respective proof of payment in the form of a receipt, with only original documents being accepted.

Article 29
Payment of other allowances

Payment shall be made to the grant recipient by bank transfer.

Article 30
Personal accident insurance

All grant recipients shall be beneficiaries of a personal accident insurance policy covering the research activity, to be paid for by the institution that awards the grant.

Article 31
Social security

1. Grant recipients may exercise their right to social security by signing up for the voluntary social security regime under the terms set forth in the Scientific Research Grant Recipient Statute, approved by Law 40/2004 of 18 August 2004; the institution that funds the grant assumes the costs resulting from the contributions set forth in this statute.
2. Any legally provided for interruption during a period of maternity, paternity or adoption is allowed without prejudice to payment of the grant during the corresponding period.
3. Any instances of illness, care to minor children who are ill, care of the disabled, care given to children or to other family members shall be covered by social security benefits; the grant may, however, be interrupted during the corresponding period.

Section IV
Conclusion and cancellation of grants

Article 32
Final Grant Report

The grant recipient shall present, preferably within 60 days after the conclusion of the grant period, a final report of his/her activities, which should include the URL addresses of any presentations and publications that resulted from the work carried out, along with a statement from the advisor or person responsible for following the applicant or for his/her orientation. In the case of Master’s or doctoral grants, the certified diploma for the degree must be must also be turned in as soon as possible.

Article 33
False declarations

Without prejudice to the provisions set forth in the penal law, any false statements made by the grant recipient on matters relevant to the grant award process or to evaluation of his/her progress shall imply cancellation of the respective grant.

Article 34
Early completion of objectives

When the objectives of the grant are achieved before the time limit originally planned, payment shall cease to be owed within 30 days after completion of the work, and any payments received by the grant recipient after that date must be returned.

Article 35
Non-completion of objectives

1. A grant recipient who does not achieve the primary objectives set forth in the approved plan of work, or one whose grant is cancelled due to a serious breach of duties for reasons imputable to him/her, may, depending on the circumstances of each specific case, be obliged to repay all or part of the allowances that he/she has received.
2. The decision as regards the consequences referred to in the preceding number shall be duly founded.

Article 36
Cancellation of the grant

1. The grant may be cancelled as a result of an inspection sponsored by the Foundation for Science and Technology after analysis of the information provided by the grant recipient, the advisor or the person responsible for the applicant’s work or by the academic institution in which the grant recipient is enrolled, if applicable.
2. In addition to the reasons expressly set forth in these regulations, any serious or repeated breach of the duties listed in these regulations and in the Scientific Research Grant Recipient Statute, approved by Law 40/2004 of 18 August 2004, on the part of the grant recipient shall lead to cancellation of the grant, and the grant recipient may be obliged to repay all or part of the allowances that were received.
3. The decision as regards the consequences referred to in the preceding number shall be duly founded.

Chapter III
Incentives for scientific retraining

Article 37
Tuition subsidies

1. The Foundation for Science and Technology may also award subsidies, to be used solely for payment of tuition, to doctoral students who do not have research grants.
2. Only students enrolled in Portuguese universities and whose degree will be conferred by them are eligible for these subsidies.
3. The subsidy is requested by filling out the appropriate form, which is available from the Foundation for Science and Technology, and the pre-established maximum amount of the subsidy is indicated in the attached table.

Chapter IV
Final provisions

Article 38
Grant recipients with special needs

The provisions of these regulations may be adapted, within reason, for grant recipients with special needs, namely with respect to the amounts of the different allowances that make up the grants, the duration of these and the establishment of special rules for monitoring the grant recipient’s progress. Any adaptation shall follow from an analysis of the specific situation of each grant recipient with special needs. These conditions must be thoroughly justified to the Foundation for Science and Technology.

Article 39
Mention of support

The financial support provided by the Foundation for Science and Technology must be expressly mentioned in all advanced training and qualification of human resources programs funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, as well as in all publications and theses undertaken with the support provided for in these Regulations.

Article 40
Monitoring and control

1. Monitoring of the grants shall be done by the advisor or the person responsible for following the grant recipient’s progress.
2. Control is accomplished by reviewing requests for renewal, requests for changes to plans of work and final reports.

Article 41
Grants obtained under the auspices of programs managed by the Foundation for Science and Technology

Applicants for Master’s or doctoral grants who have received the same type of grant through a program that is the responsibility of the Foundation for Science and Technology shall have the time of the first grant count toward the maximum duration of the grant.

Article 42
Grant recipient centre

In each host entity there shall be a grant recipient center responsible for providing recipients with all information regarding their status.

Article 43
Cases not covered

Any cases that are not covered by these regulations shall be resolved by the Foundation for Science and Technology, taking into consideration the principles and standards set forth in the applicable Portuguese and community legislation.

Article 44
Entry into force

1. These regulations shall come into force immediately.
2. Grants currently underway that were approved under the auspices of programs managed by the Foundation for Science and Technology shall heretofore be governed by these regulations, without prejudice to any acquired rights.

Article 45
Transition regime

These regulations may be subject to change in order to bring them into line with the regulations that come out of the Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN – National Strategic Reference Framework) and with the regulations of the respective operational programs.

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