Overseas grant for PhD candidates at LUI

Who can apply? 

PhD candidates enrolled in the doctoral programme at LUI, OsloMet.  

Applicants must ensure there are no other funding opportunities for the stay and that the overseas stay is not double-funded. Funds from these sources will be deducted.  

You cannot apply for the overseas grant if:  

• You have received the grant previously.  
• You are eligible to apply for an overseas grant from the Research Council of Norway. In such cases, applicants must use their programme.  

Application deadline 

The application deadline is 31 August for those planning an overseas stay starting in the period January–December of the following year.  

Purpose of the overseas grant 

The purpose of the overseas grant is to support activities abroad that are critical to completing the doctoral project. It aims to establish and further develop collaboration with international research environments, which will be valuable for the candidate’s dissertation work.  

The overseas stay is expected to involve one or more of the following activities: supervision, participation in research groups, work on individual publications, collaborative publishing, courses, seminars, and other academic activities at the host institution relevant to the applicant’s ongoing doctoral work.  

Choice of host institution 

The host institution and the relevant research environment should be chosen in consultation with the supervisor. Applicants are also encouraged to involve the faculty administration early in the process to explore potential collaboration agreements between OsloMet and the host institution. In many cases, tuition fees may be waived if an exchange agreement is in place.  

Duration of the stay

The overseas stay must be between minimum 1 month and maximum 3 months.  

The overseas stay must conclude at least 6 months before the PhD period ends. Overseas grants will not be awarded for stays during any potential extension period funded by a completion grant.  

Grant amount and covered expenses  

The programme currently has an annual fund of NOK 250,000 for distribution. Each candidate can only receive funding for one stay through this programme.  

The grant is intended to cover:  

• Travel expenses.
• Establishment and additional expenses per the Research Council of Norway’s rates for research stays abroad (forskningsradet.no).  
• The candidate’s living expenses (no additional support is provided for accompanying family members).  

The grant is meant to cover the additional costs of the overseas stay, i.e., costs incurred by traveling that would not normally exist. It is intended to cover expenses paid directly by the applicant and invoices sent directly to OsloMet (e.g., invoices from travel agencies). For living expenses, the applicable rates from the Norwegian Tax Administration will be used, which are designed to cover only additional expenses. Please note that no extra funds are provided for living costs if family members accompany the candidate.  

It is also possible to apply for coverage of visa costs and documented tuition fees. If applying for tuition fee coverage, the amount must be clearly stated in the invitation letter from the host institution.  

Expenses do not need to be specified in the application but must be documented in the travel reimbursement process afterward.  

Examples of expenses and activities not covered: 

• Teaching activities conducted by the grant recipient. 
• Mandatory participation in doctoral training.
• Activities related to data collection.
• Support for activities such as courses/conferences, etc., outside of the host institution.
• Academic activities not directly related to the applicant’s ongoing research project.  
• The programme cannot be used as co-funding for projects where faculties and centers have taken on financial commitments.

How to apply

Applicants must contact the PhD administration for assistance in submitting their application. This should be done at least 14 days before the application deadline.  

Application content

The application must be a maximum of three pages and include:  

• Name.
• Period of stay (from–to, dd.mm–dd.mm).
• Host institution and country, with justification for the choice of host institution. Briefly describe the research environment you will be affiliated with. 
• Academic purpose and planned activities. Describe the academic purpose and planned activities and explain how these activities will strengthen your dissertation work.  
• Requested amount, with specifications: 
  • Travel expenses for flights (amount in NOK).
  • Transport to/from the airport (amount in NOK).
  • Living expenses based on the Research Council’s rates for overseas grants (amount in NOK).
  • Additional support for tuition.
  • The total amount. 

In addition, the following documents must be attached to the application:

• Invitation letter from the host institution (an email confirmation is sufficient). However, please note that when awarded the grant, a detailed invitation letter from the host institution must be submitted within four weeks. This letter should include information about resources made available, any requirements/conditions such as tuition fees, and the academic plan.  
• Recommendation letter from the applicant’s main supervisor (this may also include plans for further collaboration with the host institution).  

Application processing

Applications will be processed administratively as quickly as possible after the application deadline, and we aim to provide responses within three weeks of the deadline. If the total amount applied for exceeds the available funds, applications that meet all formal requirements (i.e., all points in the template are clearly and satisfactorily addressed, and all attachments are included) will be prioritized based on academic quality and relevance to the PhD project.

The Doctoral Committee (DGU-LUI) is responsible for reviewing applications for overseas grants.  

The PhD administration will inform applicants of the outcome.