FWO - Travel Grant for a long stay abroad

What you get

You will receive a lump-sum grant of 66 EUR per day, which works out to 1,650 EUR per month for a research stay abroad lasting more than 31 days and up to 6 months. The grant also covers your return journey from Brussels to your place of stay: an economy-class flight, the cheapest train ticket, or up to 800 EUR if you are travelling by car. The funding comes from the Flanders Research Foundation (FWO), which finances research stays to enable researchers to work abroad and establish links between research groups. You may only claim the grant for one stay per calendar year. Over a two-year period, the total duration of the funded stay must not exceed 6 months. If you receive further funding for the same stay, the FWO will grant you a subsidy of no more than 500 EUR per month and reduce its own payment by the same amount.

Who can apply

• Your job: For the whole stay, you hold a paid post of at least 50% at a university, university hospital or a federal or Flemish scientific institute in the Flemish Community of Belgium.
• What you do abroad: You are carrying out basic research, archival work or fieldwork at a non-Belgian institution. Vocational training courses do not count towards this.
• Your degree (PhD level): You hold a Master’s degree from a country within the European Economic Area or from Switzerland. If your degree is from another country, your university must confirm in writing that you are permitted to write a doctoral thesis. If you have already obtained a doctorate, there is no requirement for prior study.
• Your track record: You must have at least one peer-reviewed publication. Papers that are ‘in press’ or ‘accepted’ count; those that are ‘submitted’, ‘in preparation’ or ‘accepted, subject to revisions’ do not count.
• Field of study: Open to all fields of research.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality may apply, provided they hold the relevant post in Flanders.
• Not eligible: Staff of a university of applied sciences ("hogeschool"), unless you are in an academic programme at a Flemish School of Arts. Retired professors (emeriti) can apply for up to three years after gaining emeritus status.

How to apply

You must apply online in English via the FWO E-Loket at least 3 months before your departure. There is no fixed deadline, so you can apply at any time, but the three-month rule is strictly enforced. You will need a letter of invitation from your host institution abroad. PhD students and applicants who are not seeking a professorship also require a recommendation from their supervisor. The Committee for International Cooperation will review your application and notify you of the outcome by email.