Regulations for Grants for a long stay at an ERC Grantee abroad

GENERAL REGULATIONS 

The General Regulations apply.

Detailed information, full regulations and forms are available online.

Any additional information can be obtained from the secretariat of the Research Foundation - Flanders, Leuvenseweg 38, 1000 BRUSSELS, tel. 02 512 91 10.

GENERAL PROVISION

Art. 1.

§1 The 'Grant for a long stay at an ERC Grantee abroad' is designed to offer future ERC candidates the opportunity to gain (additional) international research experience by staying with former or current ERC Grantees abroad.

The purpose of such a stay abroad is to sharpen the skills of future ERC applicants by enabling to work in an excellent research environment for the purpose of optimising their researcher profile and vision before actually applying for an ERC grant.

§2 Beneficiaries undertake to submit an effective application for an ERC grant (starting, consolidator, or advanced) to the European Research Council within two ERC calls following the completion of their long stay at an ERC Grantee abroad. Beneficiaries must notify the FWO of their ERC application by email (interprog@fwo.be). If not, they may be required to refund the travel grant.

Art. 2.

§1 When submitting their application, candidates must hold a PhD by thesis or a degree or certificate recognised as equivalent by law or in accordance with European Union directives or a bilateral agreement, in compliance with the provisions of Article V 20 of the Flemish Higher Education Code of 1 October 2013.

§2 Candidates for such a travel grant(*) must, throughout their stay abroad, receive a salary or scholarship and hold an appointment of at least 50% at:

  • a university in the Flemish Community (including the academic programmes within the corresponding association), or
  • a federal or Flemish scientific institute, as member of the scientific staff of the Dutch-speaking community, or
  • a university hospital in the Flemish Community, as scientific staff, or
  • a hospital with an academic character recognised as research center in the Flemish Community, as scientific staff.

(*)      French nomenclature: Bourse de voyage du Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique - Flandre (FWO).

German nomenclature: Reisestipendium des Fonds für Wissenschaftliche Forschung - Flandern (FWO).

Dutch nomenclature: Reiskrediet van het Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen (FWO).

Art. 3.

§1 Applications for a 'Grant for a long stay at an ERC Grantee abroad' must be submitted online (via interprog@fwo.be) in English at least 3 months before the date of departure. This submission deadline is strictly binding.

§2 The application must be accompanied by a Recommendation Letter from the foreign host researcher as well as a Letter of Intent from the foreign host institution and an outline of the future ERC application.

Art. 4.

§1 Only one 'Grant for a long stay abroad' (including a long stay with an ERC Grantee) can be allocated per person and per calendar year. The grants are personal and cannot be transferred.

§2 The total maximum duration of long stays abroad (including a long stay with an ERC Grantee) is one year per period of three years, to be counted from the start date of the first allocated stay.

Art. 5.

The competent institutional board must be notified of the submitted application. 

Art. 6. (as amended by decision of the Board of Trustees of 22 May 2019)

§1 The 'Grant for a long stay with an ERC Grantee abroad' can only be allocated for stays of more than 1 month and maximum 6 months and is not renewable.

§2 In principle, the allocated period should be spent in one uninterrupted period, but exceptions can be requested in the case of duly justified social or family reasons.

Art. 7.

If the application is approved, the FWO pays the return-trip from Belgium to the place of destination, and a fixed accommodation allowance (*) may be granted. The aforementioned allowances are intended exclusively for the beneficiary. 

(**) The fixed accommodation allowance is €66.00 per day or €1,650.00 per month.

Art. 8.

§1 Applicants must indicate any grants obtained from or applied for with other Belgian or foreign authorities for the same purpose. Applicants must notify the FWO of the outcome of grant applications submitted to other authorities for the same purpose.

§2 When allocating the 'Grant for a long stay with an ERC Grantee abroad', any amounts allocated by other financial sources (other grants, scholarships, etc.) shall be taken into account.

Art. 9.

The allowance is paid into the beneficiary's account in Belgium. 

Art. 10.

Beneficiaries undertake to return to Belgium at the end of the long stay with the ERC Grantee abroad for which they were allocated a FWO grant.

Art. 11.

§1 Beneficiaries must submit a detailed scientific report on their stay to the FWO within three months after their return to Belgium.

§2 They must also send to the FWO a financial justification of the total financing envelope regarding the use of both the FWO grant and of any additional grants obtained from other authorities. The FWO can cover any costs incurred only on the basis of original supporting documents.

RULES OF APPLICATION

Art. 12. (as amended by decision of the Board of Trustees 28/09/2022)

Travel costs

Upon allocation of the grant, the beneficiary books the trip at the FWO authorised travel agent, presenting the official original allocation letter.

  • By plane: economy class
  • By train: cheapest fare

The invoice is sent directly to the FWO.

If the applicant stays at several locations, only the first trip (outward journey) and the last trip (inward journey) will be compensated.

When travelling by car, the beneficiary receives a mileage allowance of maximum €800.00.

All beneficiaries are automatically covered by a travel accident insurance with AIG. FWO fellows must fill in the form ‘notification stay abroad’ via the FWO e-portal and submit before departure.

Note: the English version of the regulations are only a translation and have no legal force.