Greek IKY confirms 610 PhD fellowships will be fully funded

The Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) responded to a recent government notice that appeared to halve the number of PhD fellowships for 2021‑2024, reducing the advertised slots from 610 to 310 and the associated budget from €26.352 billion to €13.392 billion. IKY clarified that the total programme of 610 fellowships, funded under the EU Social Fund Plus (ESF+) for the 2021‑2027 period, remains unchanged. The adjustment concerns only the timing of award calls: 310 fellowships will be granted in the 2021‑2024 window, while the remaining 300 will be distributed in three annual calls for 2025, 2026 and 2027, with the full budget retained for the entire period. The foundation called the government publication misleading, emphasizing that no reduction in positions or funding has occurred.