INPhINIT Deadlines: The 2026 Timeline and What to Expect for 2027
Confirmed 2026 dates for both calls, a clearly labelled estimate for 2027, and a month-by-month plan that works backwards from a late-January deadline.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
On 6 October 2026 the Foundation’s pages list the 2026 Incoming and Retaining calls as closed, and no 2027 doctoral rules have appeared. Below: the confirmed 2026 dates, what they suggest for 2027, and how to plan backwards.
The 2026 cycle (confirmed)
From the Incoming and Retaining call pages and their rules. All times are mainland Spain time.
| Stage | Incoming 2026 | Retaining 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Application deadline | 28 Jan 2026, 14:00 | 18 Feb 2026, 14:00 |
| Late English certificate | 11 Feb 2026, 23:59 | 4 Mar 2026, 23:59 |
| Shortlist results / interview invitations | 27 Apr 2026 | 20 May 2026 |
| Remote interviews | 20, 21 and 22 May 2026 | 11 and 12 Jun 2026 |
| Final results published | 29 May 2026 | 23 Jun 2026 |
| Start at host | Sep–Nov 2026, no later than 30 Nov; justified delays to 31 Jan 2027 | |
The Incoming rules PDF gave 17 April 2026 for shortlisting results; the call page shows 27 April 2026. The rules warn that interview and result dates may change for organisational reasons.
What to expect for 2027
Nothing below is published yet. It projects the 2026 pattern forward. Replace it with the official dates as soon as the 2027 rules appear.
| Stage | Expected, based on 2026 |
|---|---|
| Calls open | Late 2026. The 2026 calls were announced in Spain’s official gazette (BOE) in December 2025; the 2025 calls in December 2024. |
| Incoming deadline | Late January 2027 |
| Retaining deadline | February 2027 |
| Interviews | May (Incoming) and June (Retaining) 2027 |
| Start | September–November 2027 |
In both 2025 and 2026, Incoming closed a few weeks before Retaining. Whichever you target, the window between the rules appearing and the deadline is short — roughly two to three months — so the slow parts of the file need to start now.
A backwards plan from a late-January deadline
- 1October 2026Settle eligibility and call
Count residence months to the expected deadline. Book an accepted English test if you are not exempt.
- 2October–November 2026Shortlist hosts
Read the current lists of accredited centres (Incoming) or programmes (Retaining). Contact two or three groups.
- 3November 2026Brief your referees
Ask three to five people. Send them your CV, draft statement and the expected deadline.
- 4As soon as the call opensRegister and fill “Studies to be pursued”
That unlocks reference requests. Send them the same day.
- 5Two weeks before the deadlineChase missing letters
Letters arriving after the deadline do not count.
- 6A few days earlySubmit
Avoid the final afternoon; 14:00 Spanish time is early morning in the Americas.
Starting dates are fixed
You cannot start early or pick your own month. The FAQ says the start must match the rules: September to November of the call year, with a justified delay only up to 31 January of the following year. After that date, the fellowship lapses. Factor visa processing into this if you need one; the rules do not cover immigration, so ask your host’s international office as soon as you are selected.
Related “la Caixa” deadlines
The Foundation’s other calls run on different clocks. The 2027 Postdoctoral Junior Leader calls already closed on 23 September 2026, and the 2026 Postgraduate fellowships abroad closed on 19 January 2026. See Alternatives.