Travel grants

 

The next round of travel grants will be announced in early 2025. Applications for 2024 are closed.

The Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE) promotes the international mobility of highly qualified PhD fellows. The VDSEE research funds aim to enhance scientific reputation, career development and networking of PhD candidates, particularly those with no or insufficient financial support from the university or third-party funds.

VDSEE offers research fellowships to fund attendance at international conferences or summer/winter schools. Please note that VDSEE funds are limited, so travel and conference participation can only be supported if no other sources of funding are available. Therefore, please first talk to your supervisor(s) whether other financial resources are available, particularly if you are employed via a third-party funded project (e.g. FWF-projects) or the global budget. Travel support is usually planned into such budgets. Also, note that other funding sources support travel, including (at least in part) research stays abroad, such as short-term grants for research abroad (KWA) and Marietta Blau-Grant, OeAD.

 

Requirements

  • Applicants must be active PhD students and members of the VDSEE, and their supervisor must be a VDSEE PI member. Both student and PI need to have signed the Code of Good Practice for Doctoral Schools.
  • Applicants must have passed the public presentation (FÖP) within the first year of admission, submitted the doctoral thesis agreement and submitted the annual progress reports (from WS2020 onwards: annual report including TAC-minutes). 

 What is funded?

  • Travel expenses and accommodation
  • Fees for conferences, workshops, summer/winter schools
  • Max. 1.500 € in total
  • Students are eligible to maximum one grant during active PhD studies

Please note that the travel regulations of the University apply. This also includes sustainability criteria i.e. traveling by train for shorter distances. 

 What is NOT funded?

  • For conferences within Europe, maximum one day before and one day after the conference can be covered in addition
  • Food and drinks 
  • Traveling to/from another location than your working place needs to be discussed in advance

When and how to apply

  • On a regular basis, but at least two months before the planned trip.

Please note that it is not possible to apply for reimbursement in retrospect.

Please submit the following documents

  • Completed and signed application form: includes a short paragraph on the motivation, benefits and added value for the PhD project, a cost estimate and a statement of support by your supervisor
  • Abstract of your contribution i.e. poster or oral presentation (if applicable) or a letter of invitation

Please use the online application form to apply for the VDSEE travel grants!

Decision

  • Made by nominated Steering Committee members within one month after submission.
  • Students who are not employed via third-party funded projects will be selected preferentially

Upon return