The Training of University Professors (FPU) grants are intended for research training in doctoral programs for the achievement of the Doctor’s degree and the acquisition of university teaching skills, in any area of scientific knowledge, that facilitate the future incorporation of these people into the Spanish system of higher education, and scientific research.
Therefore, they fund a predoctoral contract between a doctoral student and a university or research center for a period of 4 years. The objectives of this predoctoral training are:
- The realization of a doctoral thesis.
- Training in teaching skills and collaboration in teaching tasks with a minimum of 90 and a maximum of 180 hours.
In order to receive an UPF aid it is necessary to meet these three requirements:
- Enrolling in a full-time doctoral program at a Spanish university, or failing that, taking an official university master’s degree that gives access to a doctoral program.
- Minimum average mark of academic record and date of completion of studies, which will be established in each call for applications.
- Not to be in possession or in a position to obtain a doctor’s degree.
Those who have obtained the title of doctor, prior to the start of the last annuity of the FPU aid, will be able to access a postdoctoral orientation period (POP) for a maximum of one year.
Temporary absences
The regulations of the FPU program distinguish between different absences from the center where the predoctoral training is carried out:
1. Short-term absences:
- Duration equal to or less than 15 days.
- There is no obligation to communicate this aid to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
2. Long-term absences (more than 15 days):
- They must be authorized by the center and communicated to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
- They can not add more than 12 months throughout the aid, or 9 months for calls prior to 2021.
- They cannot be carried out during the last 6 months of the aid, except in duly justified exceptional circumstances.
- They can be financed by public or private entities and this financing, both for travel and for accommodation and maintenance during the stay, is considered compatible with UPF assistance.
- They can be funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through additional assistance for a stay at another center. The applications for the stays will be presented, through the adscription center, at the General Secretariat of Universities between September 1 and 15 of the annuity prior to its realization.
- In the case of people benefiting from calls prior to 2022, they can be financed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the complementary call for short stays and temporary transfers. To this end, an annual call will be held on a competitive competition basis.
