Regulations for Grant for a short study visit abroad

The General Regulations apply.

Art. 1. (as amended by decision of the Board of Trustees 20/12/2023)

§1 Candidates for a travel grant for a short study visit abroad must, throughout the entire period of their stay abroad, be affiliated to

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

§2. PhD candidates must have obtained their master's degree in one of the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Candidates with a master's degree awarded from outside the EEA must hold a master's degree and a declaration from the university administration concerned confirming that it will permit the candidate to write a doctoral thesis. If candidates do not meet these criteria, they must have held an appointment of at least 50% at one of the institutes referred to in Art. 1 for a period of at least one year, immediately preceding the start of the grant. §1.

For postdoctoral level candidates Art 1 §2 does not apply.

Art. 2. 

To be eligible for a grant for a short study visit abroad, researchers must have at least one peer-reviewed publication.

Art. 3.

All PhD and postdoctoral FWO Fellows and holders of a Doctoral (PhD) grant strategic basic research (SB) cannot apply for a travel grant for a short study visit in one of the member states of the EEA or Switzerland or the United Kingdom, since they already receive a bench fee that can be used for these purposes.

They are, however, eligible to apply for a grant for a short study visit in countries not specified in the above paragraph.

Art. 4.

Applications for travel grants must be submitted online in English no later than 3 months prior to the departure date. This submission deadline is strictly binding.

Art. 5.

A researcher can be awarded a maximum of two travel grants (for a conference, course, workshop and/or short study visit within or outside Europe per civil year. 

Art. 6.

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.

Art. 7.

Applications from Academic Assistant Staff and Special Academic Staff must be accompanied by the advice of the head of department/supervisor. Late submission of this advice will result in the application being declared ineligible.

Art. 8.

The competent executive board has to be informed about the submitted application. 

Art. 9.

The grants for short study visits abroad are intended to give researchers who are affiliated with an institution as referred to in Art.1. §1, the opportunity to (1) conduct research in a non-Belgian organisation or (2) carry out fieldwork abroad. Professional training abroad, in whole or in part, does not qualify.

This is on the condition that:
- It concerns (strategic) basic research;
- The additional value of a stay on site for the applicant's research is clearly justified in the application.

Art. 10.

These grants can only be allocated for stays of up to 1 month (31 days). They are personal and cannot be transferred.  

Art. 11.

The grant covers the round-trip travel costs from Brussels to the place of the short study visit abroad. For short study visits abroad lasting more than seven days, the grant includes, in addition to the travel costs, a fixed compensation for the accommodation costs in the amount of € 66/day, with a maximum of €1.650. The fixed compensation for the accommodation costs is paid into the beneficiary's account in Belgium. These allowances are personal and cannot be transferred or used to cover travel or accommodation costs incurred by parties other than the applicant.  

Art. 12.

Beneficiaries must send a concise report on their stay to the FWO within three months of their return to Belgium.

Art.13. (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.

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.