Grant for a long stay abroad

Schematic overview of measures related to international mobility

The regulations can be consulted here.

Objective

This grant supports researchers who will be staying abroad for a longer period to perform advanced research, to specialize in specific research techniques, to perform archive research and/or fieldwork. In this way, the FWO aims to encourage the mobility of researchers and the international contacts between research groups.

Features

  • Stay abroad of more than 1 month (> 31 days) and at most 12 months, without interruption.
  • The grant covers:
    • travel expenses Brussels – venue of long stay (return trip);
    • a fixed allowance of € 66 per day or € 1,650.00 per month.
  • Submission: online in English no later than 3 months prior to the departure date.
  • Announcement of results: via e-mail.
  • Success rate 2020: 62,50%
  • Flight- or train tickets in the frame of an FWO grant, can onlybe booked through a travel agency authorized by the FWO (Uniglobe South West Travel and Omnia Travel). Bookings through another travel agency will not be reimbursed by FWO.
  • How to book your travel?
  • Be aware: For any travel towards a higher-risk destination, the FWO (travel) grant can only be used in case of a positive advice of the concerned host institution. Please make sure to request this advice at the responsible advisory body of your host institution.

Profile and conditions

  • Throughout the entire period of your stay abroad, you receive a salary or scholarship with a minimum appointment of 50% from a university or university hospital in the Flemish Community or to a federal or Flemish scientific institute (see regulations for more detailed information).
  • Attention: for applications with a departure date from the 1stof October 2016 onwards there is no longer a nationality requirement for predoctoral candidates. Nevertheless, as a PhD student you should have obtained a master degree in one of the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland* (see regulations for more detailed information). There are no degree or nationality requirements for candidates from postdoctoral level onwards.

*You can have your certificate, awarded outside EEA and Switzerland, recognized by NARIC, as being equivalent to a specific Flemish master degree.

  • You have at least one peer-reviewed publication. Remark:in case you cannot comply with this requirement, you should clearly motivate this in the appropriate section in the online application form.
  • Only one Grant for a long stay abroad can be allocated per person and per civil year. The total maximum duration of long stays is one year per term of three years.

Procedure

  • You submit your application in English no later than 3 months prior to the departure date. You will immediately receive a confirmation by e-mail when the application has been submitted successfully. If this is not the case, you need to contact interprog@fwo.be
  • You attach the invitation of the host institution abroad.
  • Your application is submitted to the International Collaboration Committee (CIWC). Consult this time scheduleto see when your application will be evaluated and when the result will be communicated.
  • Advice, selection and evaluation criteria
    Here you can find all advice, selection and evaluation criteria for a ‘Grant for a long stay abroad’ at FWO.
  • If you as a researcher are not part of the senior academic staff (ZAP), your supervisor or the head of your research unit will be asked for a recommendation letter. This recommendation letter of the head of the research unit is also required for researchers affiliated to a Flemish or federal scientific institution who do not hold a permanent statutory appointment. In case of belated submission of this recommendation letter, the application for a travel grant will be declared ineligible.

Please be aware that the International Collaboration Committee (CIWC) has no meeting in August

Regulations and downloads

 The following forms are available: