DN: Can costs incurred by beneficiaries during the recruitment stage be covered?

If this concerns institutional costs, they can be used before the PhD contracts start (but only after the project starts).  The eligibility of institutional costs is conditioned by the eligibility of the researchers’ costs, and not by real expenses. As far as the researchers’ costs are eligible, and provided the institutional costs are used for the project’s needs, the beneficiary is free to use them, including for covering expenses incurred before the start of PhD contracts.

Each individual beneficiary should be careful and avoid engaging large amounts.

However, it is possible to organise a consortium meeting at the beginning of the project and to fund it with Management costs even if the Doctoral Candidates are not recruited yet.

DN: Does the employment of a researcher in a Doctoral Network have to be from the date of enrolment in a doctoral programme? Are costs incurred by a beneficiary (living, mobility and family allowances) prior to the researcher’s enrolment in the doctoral programme eligible under Doctoral Networks?

Doctoral Candidates are usually recruited during the first year of the project. REA is aware that the process and requirements for enrolling in a PhD program can vary significantly depending on the institution and each enrolment has its own timeline. Therefore, enrolment should be done as soon as possible and in line with the timeline and requirements of the institution awarding the PhD.