Networking Internationally

Santander International Exchange Grants

Santander International Exchange Grants aim to support doctoral students in building international networks and raising their academic profile. Research stays by Bonn doctoral students at a strategic university partner or in a priority country as well as stays by doctoral students from the above-mentioned regions at the University of Bonn are funded.

Application Deadlines 2024

April 15 and July 15

Funding Conditions

The Santander International Exchange Grants are funded by the Santander Consumer Bank AG as part of  the 'Santander Universities' .

Funding is awarded for research stays with a duration of 1 to 3 months at a foreign partner university or in a priority country as well as for stays of doctoral students from the mentioned regions at the University of Bonn.

Please note: The research stay must commence within one year upon call deadline. Funding cannot be approved retrospectively, this means the start of the research stay applied for cannot be prior to the call deadline.

The funding includes the following services:

  • Travel allowance depending on the country of destination or country of origin (according to DAAD-rates[available in German only]
  • Subsistence allowance depending on the host country and the applicable DAAD rates4 (the current rates can be determined via the "Scholarship Calculator" on this page [available in German only]) or 1,300 €/month for stays in Bonn
  • Research grant of € 300 per month (e.g. for conference costs, language courses, consumables)
  • Family benefits for accompanying spouses or partners and children

The support follows the lump sum determined for the target country / country of origin and not the actual costs.

Doctoral students from all disciplines are eligible to apply, provided they have not yet completed their doctorate with their thesis defense.

  • Quality of the research project and relevance of the stay for the realization of the project
  • Relevance for international networking and raising of the academic profile of the applicant
  • Involvement of the applicant in the host institution (e.g. participation in teaching and research activities as well as knowledge transfer)
  • Academic CV of the applicant

The grants are awarded by an interdisciplinary selection committee of young researchers. The Bonn Graduate Center supports the committee members in an advisory capacity. Committee members are:

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Alessandro Bismuto, Prof. Dr. Sabine Feist, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Lorenzen and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Michael Schindelegger

An application includes the following documents:

  • Brief description of the relevance of the stay for the applicant’s research project as well as networking and profile building
  • Outline of the research project (max. 2 pages)
  • Work plan for the duration of the research stay (max. 1 page)
  • Letter of invitation from the host institution (e.g. receiving institute)
  • Academic CV of the applicant1
  • Letter of recommendation from the main supervisor (see template)

Please note that applications are assessed by an interdisciplinary committee and should therefore also be understandable for non-specialists.

Applications can only be submitted using the application form linked above.

Family obligations, parental leave, illnesses and other well-founded time-outs are taken into account. Please explain possible interruptions in your application.

Please note

When planning trips in connection with this measure, please note the current travel advice from the Federal Foreign Office (in German).


Contact

Avatar Heidary

Dr. Nina Heidary

Bonner Graduiertenzentrum (BGZ)

Poppelsdorfer Allee 47

53115 Bonn


About the Grants

By entering a framework agreement in 2018, the University of Bonn joined the network of “Santander Universities”. The Santander Bank supports various projects at 1,295 partner universities worldwide, including scholarships and mobility measures. The funded projects focus on internationalization, increasing employability, innovation, sustainability and digitization. Since 2021, Santander funds the Santander International Exchange Grants managed by the Bonn Graduate Center as part of its cooperation with the University of Bonn.

Also see

Qualification Program Doctorate plus

Expand your skills with our training program Doctorate plus.

External Funding Opportunities

Find out about subject-specific and interdisciplinary funding opportunities.

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