The aim of the grant is that the research period abroad should have a positive effect on the applicant’s research, academic career and network building.
The applicant must be employed as a PhD student, postdoc or researcher at the MN faculty.
Requirements
The travel stipend presumes one or more research stays abroad with a minimum duration of 1 month per stay, and a maximum of 6 months in total. The first stay must start in 2025.
The stay must be relevant for the applicant’s academic and scientific development. The grant does not cover participation in international conferences and courses.
What does the travel stipend cover?
The grant covers documented costs of settling in abroad and associated extra costs incurred in connection with the research stay, based on fixed amounts. It is also possible to apply for funding to cover travel costs. It does not cover tuition fees, laboratory expenses, field work, and the like. The grant is disbursed as a travel advance and is exempt from tax to the extent that expenses are documented, but any excess amount will be liable to tax.
Please see Grant guidelines for details.
Rates
The value of the grant is 39 000 NOK maximum per month (family) and follows the RCN rates.
Applicant: 23 000 NOK
Spouse/partner: 8 000 NOK
Children younger than 18: 4 000 NOK (maximum 8 000 NOK)
You can also apply for funding of one return trip per stay.
Application deadline
The application should be sent to your own department, please contact your department regarding the internal deadline. The department forwards the applications and priority lists to Bjørg Mikalsen at the Faculty Administration no later than 1 July 2024.
You can find the application form here (docx).
Internal deadlines at the departments:
Astrophysics: 21 June (send to Head of Department)
Chemistry: 19 June 12 pm
Geo: tbd
IBV: tbd
IFI: tbd
ITS: tbd
Mathematics: tbd
Physics: 19 June
Pharmacy: 15 June
Decision
Applications will be reviewed by a committee at the faculty and the award decision will be made by the Deans. All applicants will be notified by email in October about the outcome.
How do I apply?
Fill in the application form (docx).
Read guidelines regarding travel stipends (pdf).
Attachments:
In addition to the information in the application form, the following documents should be attached:
- Plan for the stay (1-2 pages). Please describe the research you plan to do, and how the stay abroad will benefit your research project and future career.
- CV (max. 4 pages), including information about previous research stays. We suggest that you use RCN's CV template.
- Letter of recommendation from your supervisor or immediate superior indicating the positive effects a research period abroad will have for your academic career.
- Letter of invitation from the university or research institution you plan to visit.
Please send the application to your department. The department will forward the application to the faculty.
Eligibility and assessment criteria
PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers employed at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences are eligible to apply.
Assessment criteria include:
1. Employment
- Priority will be given to postdocs and researchers
- Employment period
- The applicant must be employed at the faculty during the stay abroad
- PhD students and postdocs employed at a Centre of Excellence (SFF) are expected to have their research stay covered by the SFF.
2. Plan for the stay
Applicants must describe how the stay abroad will strengthen their research project and academic career. Visits to previous employers or place of studies will not be supported.
3. Funding sources
Researchers eligible to apply for overseas research grants from other sources (e.g. RCN) must document rejection of the proposal in order to receive a travel stipend from the faculty.
Partial financing of the same stay abroad from other sources (e.g. Fulbright stipend), must be accounted for in the application form.
4. Other factors
All required attachments must be included in the application.
Practical issues
Before departure
Candidates should in due time prior to departure (3-4 months) familiarize themselves with relevant rules and regulations pertaining to research stays abroad. Relevant regulations include taxation, the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden) and health care rights. More information can be found on the UiO webpage regarding stays abroad.
Candidates should inform the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) of their stay abroad.
How to do this:
- Go to NAV’s website
- Choose the form Application for membership in the National Insurance Scheme
- A copy of NAV's decision must be submitted to your local personnel officer prior to departure.
If you have any questions in connection with taxation, the national insurance scheme or health care rights, please contact HR at personalgruppen(at)mn.uio.no.
Payment of travel funds
An application for a travel advance should be registered in the Self-Service Portal or the DFØ app and a cost estimate (budget plan) must be attached to the application. The travel advance can be disbursed at the earliest one month prior to your departure. You can apply for the full amount granted (90% is paid as an advance, the remaining 10% is paid at the settlement after the research stay).
Please use the "Register travel requests and advances" form.
In step 1 Itinerary, please select "Standard" under Cost allocation (the financial officer will correct the information upon delivery of the travel invoice). In step 4 Attachments, you should upload the grant letter and budget plan.
After the stay abroad
Notify the tax authorities (skatteetaten.no) and your local NAV office of your return to Norway.
At the latest one month after your return, you must fill in a travel expense claim form showing the actual costs of the stay abroad. You can do this by converting the travel advance application to a travel expense claim in the Self-Service Portal or the DFØ app. Click on "Register travel requests and advances" and select the correct travel advance. Then click "Convert to travel expense claim".
Please note that a research stay is not considered a business trip and you can therefore not apply for reimbursements (step 2). Expenses and documentation of the expenses are registered in step 4.
Who was Kristine Bonnevie?
Kristine Bonnevie (1872-1948) was Norway’s first female professor, and she worked at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. She defended her doctoral thesis in 1906 and was appointed professor of zoology in 1912.
Professor Bonnevie was a pioneer in the field of genetics and cell biology. She conducted research into hereditary tendencies in fingerprint patterns; how they are formed and the relationship between gene and trait.
The Kristine Bonnevie stipend was established in honour of Kristine Bonnevie and is awarded annually to excellent candidates at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.