Post-Doctoral Research Grants: Ramón y Cajal and Juan de la Cierva Calls Now Open

The Spanish State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, AEI) has announced the 2025 calls for the Ramón y Cajal and Juan de la Cierva post-doctoral research grants, under the State Programme for the Promotion of Talent and Its Employability in R&D&I of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2024–2027.

These two highly competitive funding schemes aim to support the professional development of outstanding researchers in Spain:

• Ramón y Cajal grants seek to promote the incorporation of both Spanish and foreign researchers with an outstanding research record, helping them acquire the experience and competencies necessary to obtain a stable position in research institutions. This call also encourages the return of researchers currently working abroad.
  A total of 494 fellowships are available (477 general and 10 reserved for researchers with a disability of at least 33%). Among the general fellowships, 80 are specifically reserved for the attraction of international talent.
  The grant duration is divided into two phases: an initial three-year period to consolidate postdoctoral experience, followed by a second two-year phase, accessible after a positive evaluation of the researcher’s scientific and technical progress.
  Each fellowship also includes €50.000 of additional funding to support research activities, with an extra €50.000 for researchers awarded an “attraction of talent” grant.

• Juan de la Cierva grants aim to promote the recruitment of young PhD holders for a period of three years to complete their post-doctoral training in Spanish R&D institutions.
  Up to 500 fellowships will be awarded (including 9 reserved for researchers with a disability of at least 33%), each accompanied by €15.000 of additional funding to support research activities.

Key application periods

• Ramón y Cajal: from 19 November 2025 to 11 December 2025 (14:00 CET)

• Juan de la Cierva: from 25 November 2025 to 10 December 2025 (14:00 CET)

Eligibility requirements

• Ramón y Cajal (general call): PhD degree obtained between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2023.

• Ramón y Cajal (disability call): between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2023.

• Juan de la Cierva (general call): PhD degree obtained between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025.

• Juan de la Cierva (disability call): between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025.

Extensions may apply for maternity, paternity, caregiving, or similar justified circumstances.

Applicants for the Ramón y Cajal “attraction of talent” fellowships must demonstrate continuous postdoctoral activity in foreign research institutions since at least 1 January 2023, allowing for a gap of no more than 90 days.

More information

Detailed instructions, templates, and supporting documents are available on the official AEI pages:

• Ramón y Cajal 2025 Call

• Juan de la Cierva 2025 Call

The AEI will also host a webinar on the Ramón y Cajal 2025 call on November 12, 2025, with further details available here.

Both programs are co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

If you are interested in applying to any of these schemes with the support of the Aerospace Engineering Department of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, please contact Professor Óscar Flores oflores@ing.uc3m.es, Head of Department, for expressions of interest.