Santander International Exchange Grants

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

Eligible countries are:

Australia
France
Ghana
Great Britain
Iceland
Israel
Japan
The Netherlands
Romania
Sweden
Spain
Turkey
USA

Please note: The research stay may begin no earlier than three months after the deadline. The latest possible start date is 12 months after the 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.

• 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 applicant¹

The grants are awarded by an interdisciplinary selection committee of 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, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Marie-Christine Simon  , Prof. Dr. Andreas Forstner and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Luna Rösinger.

¹ Family responsibilities, parental leave, illness and other well-founded time-outs are taken into account. Please explain possible interruptions in your application.

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 Santander platform linked above. Please register early to avoid late submissions.

¹ Family obligations, parental leave, illnesses and other well-founded time-outs are taken into account. Please explain possible interruptions in your application.

Inbound & Outgoing

What exactly is meant by a host institution and how do I obtain a letter of invitation from the host institution? 

Before submitting your application, please contact the institution where you would like to conduct your research. A host institution is generally understood to be an institute, department, or division where you would like to conduct your research. The letter of invitation should be issued by the person who will be your host during your research stay.

In which countries can I plan my research stay?

Research stays in the following countries are eligible for funding: Australia, France, Ghana, Great Britain, Iceland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and the USA.

Who can apply for a research stay at the University of Bonn?

Applications for a research stay at the University of Bonn can be submitted by doctoral students who are currently affiliated with one of the University of Bonn's strategic partners or who work at a research institution in one of the University of Bonn's priority countries or in the countries of the NeurotechEU Alliance. This includes the countries Australia, France, Ghana, Great Britain, Iceland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and the USA.

When can I expect a decision on my application?

The decision on your application will be sent to you by email approximately six weeks after the deadline for applications. The deadline for applications applies, not the date on which you submitted your application. Please refrain from making any inquiries during this period.

What do I need to know about receiving my grant?

Once you have submitted your payment details, it will take approximately six weeks for your grant to be paid out. You will receive the lump sums for travel and accommodation costs regardless of the actual costs incurred. This means that you do not need to submit any receipts to prove the actual costs. Please note that advance payments are not possible.