Who Can Apply?
PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers employed at the Faculty of Humanities may apply for the faculty’s funding of longer research trips. The trip must be approved by the department.
Externally funded candidates will have their operational and travel expenses covered by their employer/project.
Research Council fellows are advised to apply for the RCN's Funding for Reserach Stays Abroad.
Fellows on other externally funded projects (e.g., ERC) typically have funds for research trips in the project budget and are encouraged to utilise these. Faculty funds should only be applied for if project funding is insufficient.
No funding is provided for accompanying family members.
Duration of the Trip
"Longer research trips" refer to trips lasting a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 26 weeks.
What Can You Apply For?
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Travel: Round trips by the most reasonable means possible. Use of a car will be reimbursed at the train fare equivalent.
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Accommodation and subsistence: Actual additional expenses related to accommodation away from your home base, up to NOK 4,500 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks.
Additional expenses are costs that would not have been incurred at home or extra expenses beyond what one would normally have at home. Examples include:
- Travel costs for the round trip between home and field location would not have been incurred if one stayed at home. However, costs for tickets for local public transport would typically also be incurred at home and are therefore rarely considered an additional expense.
- Costs for housing during the research stay are generally considered an additional expense, provided you still have costs associated with your home residence while travelling. If you terminate your tenancy or rent out your flat at home, you cannot simultaneously claim for housing costs during the research trip.
- Food costs are usually not considered an additional expense. However, if the cost of food at the destination is significantly higher than at home, the difference may be classified as an additional cost.
The grant from the faculty is a contribution for covering additional expenses related to the research stay. The faculty’s grant is in addition to the annual operating funds that the fellow already receives from the department. To qualify for support, the travel expenses must exceed the operating funds. This means that if the operating funds alone is insufficient to cover additional expenses related to the research stay, one may apply for faculty funds to cover the shortfall.
Please note that faculty funds are budget-dependent and may not always contribute to fully funding a research stay. Necessary research trips, which are particularly costly, should have been budgeted for by the department in its operating funds for the specific fellowship position.
Award Criteria
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Funding of longer research trips are awarded to research fellows who need to spend time abroad or in other parts of Norway for necessary data collection and source examination (fieldwork).
Fellows who have not previously received such support will be prioritised.
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Funding of longer research trips to research fellows who need to travel to another location to have contact with their supervisor or who are only seeking academic stimulation in a different research environment will only be considered if there are funds remaining after applications in category 1 have been processed.
Application Processing
Funds are distributed twice a year, with application deadlines on 1st December and 1st June. Applications submitted before 1st December will be processed in December, and applicants can expect a response before Christmas. Applications submitted before 1st June will be processed in June, with applicants expecting a response before the summer holiday in July. A trip cannot commence before the application deadline. If travelling in December, one must apply six months in advance by the June deadline, and if travelling in June, one must apply by the December deadline.
The funds are allocated based on the academic justification provided by the applicant regarding the necessity of the trip, the supervisor's statement, any other awards, and a comprehensive assessment of received applications. Allocation of funds is budget-dependent.
What Should the Application Include?
The application must consist of the following:
- Completed and signed application form (rtf)
- An academic justification for the trip and its duration
- The supervisor’s statement regarding the need and choice of destination in relation to the doctoral project, as well as the timing of the trip in relation to the progress of the doctoral work
- If applicable, an invitation from a research institution abroad.
The application should be sent to: postmottak@hf.uio.no
Please note that the trip must be approved by the Head of department. The faculty allocates funds based on the criteria described above but does not grant permission for the trip itself.
After the fund is awarded
Support for travel and accommodation expenses will be transferred to the department and managed there.
After the stay, and no later than one month following the completed trip, the research fellow must apply for reimbursement via the DF? portal. The fellow must attach documentation confirming that the trip took place and receipts for all legitimate expenses. The research fellow may also apply for an advance if the amounts involved are substantial and the fellow cannot cover them from their own pocket.
If the research trip is not carried through as planned, the faculty must be notified. Unused funds must be returned to the faculty.
Insurance
The research fellow must contact NAV International and arrange for insurance (on the research fellow's own initiative and at their own expense).