General information about
Postdoctoral Research Program Admission
General conditions
Within IOSUD-UVT, advanced postdoctoral research programs are conducted on UVT premises (onsite), under the guidance of a UVT mentor. These are intensive research programs, carried out on a full-time basis (equivalent to 40 hours/week), funded either from UVT’s own revenues or from external funding sources, as applicable.
The duration of postdoctoral studies is 24 months, subject to the fulfillment of minimum result indicators in an interim evaluation conducted after the first 12 months of the contract.
The postdoctoral research internship can be conducted entirely in Romanian or in English, and is open to both Romanian and international applicants who demonstrate research potential.
The postdoctoral scholarship program is primarily aimed at PhD graduates from other universities in Romania or abroad. Exceptionally, UVT doctoral graduates may also apply, provided that they did not have, at the time of application submission and for at least six months prior, a full-time, part-time, or hourly-paid employment contract with UVT.
Why choose UVT?
Facilities and fundings
The postdoctoral research internship program offers scholarships for candidates who have obtained their PhD in the past 5 years, either in Romania or abroad, as follows:
15 postdoctoral grants with scholarships funded from UVT’s own income,
10 postdoctoral grants without secured funding or with funding from other sources, as applicable.
The value of a postdoctoral grant funded by UVT’s own income is 150.000 lei (approximately 30.000 euros) for the two-year period.
The funding provides postdoctoral researchers with:
A monthly scholarship (net income) ranging from 4500 to 6000 lei (equivalent to 900 – 1200 euros);
Free single-room accommodation on university premises (if requested);
Coverage of other eligible expenses (mobility, consumables, subscription services, etc.) within the remaining balance between the total funded amount (150.000 lei) and the scholarship level (e.g., 120.000 lei for 24 months, based on a monthly scholarship of 5000 lei).
In the case of postdoctoral grants without a scholarship, postdoctoral researchers will benefit from mentorship and access to UVT’s research infrastructure and logistical facilities. However, a monthly scholarship may be granted only if external UVT funds become available to support such positions.
Admission
Admission to the postdoctoral research program is organized annually, in two separate admission sessions: September and March.
Who can be a postdoctoral researcher at UVT?
Admission
Postdoctoral programs are open to Romanian and foreign citizens, as follows: ethnic Romanians from EU and non-EU countries, citizens of EU member states, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation, as well as citizens from outside these areas, under the specific conditions applicable to each category, according to the law.
There are three categories of eligible candidates:
- those who obtained their doctoral degree no more than five years prior to the date of admission to the postdoctoral research program;
- those who obtained a certificate of excellence in “Marie Sklodowska Curie” competitions organized by the European Commission, regardless of the year in which they completed their doctoral studies;
- those who successfully defended their thesis in a public session before the doctoral committee, provided that the postdoctoral internship begins only after official confirmation of the PhD title.
The recognition of documents for foreign citizens is carried out according to the regulations in force at the time of application.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for a funded postdoctoral grant, the following documents are required:
A publication portfolio as first author* from the doctoral period or after obtaining the PhD, including at least:
One Web of Science article published in a red-zone journal, or two Web of Science articles published in impact factor journals (SCIE, SSCI, ESCI sau AHCI) for fields in exact sciences, natural sciences, or social sciences;
One Web of Science article in impact factor journals (SSCI, SCIE, AHCI sau ESCI) or two Scopus-indexed articles for humanities, vocational fields, or law.
* The term “first author” will be interpreted according to the specific rules of each field, based on the definition used by UEFISCDI in the most recent “Young Teams” grant competition.
A written agreement from a doctoral supervisor eligible to act as a mentor for postdoctoral supervision;
A research project outlining the action plan and estimated results following the postdoctoral research program;
A sworn statement that the applicant did not hold, at the time of application submission and for at least six months prior, any full-time or part-time employment contract or hourly-paid agreement with UVT.
Who are the mentors?
Conditions Required from Mentors
- Must be PhD supervisors and tenured members of UVT, with a permanent employment contract.
- May supervise a maximum of two postdoctoral researchers simultaneously within this program.
- In well-justified cases, in addition to the main mentor, a co-mentor may also be appointed under the same eligibility conditions.
Additional Obligations
- Must not have been the PhD supervisor of the candidate proposed for mentoring.
- Must be classified as competitive researchers, based on the visibility and impact of their research results in the Web of Science.
The competitive researchers category includes two types of researchers: established researchers and researchers with high potential for recognition (Annex 1).
The list of eligible mentors for the September 2025 Admission is available here.
As an exception, for candidates selected based on professional competence criteria, mentors must belong to the competitive artists category, in terms of international visibility and impact of artistic creation — that is, established artists or artists with high potential for recognition (Annex 1).
What does the admission file include?
The postdoctoral admission file for Romanian, EU, and EEA citizens must be uploaded to the platform provided by the West University of Timișoara and must include the following documents:
- Candidate’s CV, including a list of works demonstrating the applicant’s eligibility;
- Doctoral diploma in a scientific field, accompanied, if applicable, by a "Marie Skłodowska Curie" Certificate of Excellence or, alternatively, by a certificate confirming the successful public defense of the thesis before the doctoral committee;
- Motivation letter (maximum 1 page), indicating compatibility with the research interests and expertise of the nominated mentor;
- Mentor’s prior written agreement;
- Scientific research project / artistic creation proposal;
- Recommendation from the applicant’s former PhD supervisor;
- Declaration of absence of employment with UVT in the last six months (consult the Admission Methodology on the CSUD / Legal Basis page)
- Other documents considered relevant by the Doctoral Schools, depending on the specific research field, as follows:
for scientific fields: two full-text publications authored by the candidate, indexed in Web of Science (preferably) or Scopus, at the candidate’s choice;
for visual arts: a portfolio including at least 5 works exhibited at international juried events, with supporting documentation (event catalog images or links), or 5 articles published in journals recognized in the field;
for music: a portfolio including at least 5 significant concerts performed at major events, with programs/posters or links confirming participation as conductor, performer, or composer, or 5 articles published in recognized journals in the field
for theatre and performing arts: a portfolio including at least 5 significant performances, with posters that clearly identify the candidate’s role as director, screenwriter, actor, set designer, playwright, or choreographer.
The application file must be submitted online, to the address doctorat@e-uvt.ro, during the period specified for each admission session, according to the session calendar.
Note:
Candidates (Romanian citizens and EU citizens) who have completed their studies abroad must provide an equivalence certificate issued by the National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas (CNRED), under the Ministry of Education. More details about the recognition process and the required documents can be found on the CNRED website: www.cnred.edu.ro. Those who do not yet have study recognition at the time of application must submit a signed statement committing to provide the equivalence certificate within no more than one year from the time of admission.
Admitted candidates must obtain recognition of their studies starting with the high school diploma, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree (if applicable), and doctoral diploma.
Additionally, foreign citizens who will carry out the postdoctoral research program in Romanian must also submit a Romanian language proficiency certificate (minimum level B2).
Admission files for international candidates from non-EU countries, as well as for Romanian citizens residing abroad, are similar to those of Romanian and EU candidates. They must also include, where applicable, translations / legalized translations of personal documents and study certificates, and a copy of the passport (valid for at least six months from the date of enrollment).
For more details, please consult the Admission Methodology for Postdoctoral Research Programs, available on the CSUD / Legal Basis page.