Travel Grants for European students travelling to the South

travel grantsEuropean students intending to do part of their study programme (thesis research, practical training) in a developing country, may apply for travel grants of 1,000 euro. Travel grants provide an excellent opportunity for young people to experience life in the South.
As a K.U.Leuven travel grant student, your assignment in the South should take at least 6 weeks. One of the local organisations will welcome you and guide you during your stay. This could be a university, an NGO, a government institution or a hospital. In addition, your K.U.Leuven promoter or supervisor will support your project abroad.

TRAVEL GRANTS INFO MARKET ON 23 FEBRUARY 2012

Requirements

Who can apply for a travel grant?

Are you enrolled as a student at K.U.Leuven? If so, you can apply for a 2012 travel grant if you meet the following requirements:
  • You are a student in one of the following programmes:
    • a Bachelor’s programme
    • a Master’s programme
    • a doctoral programme
  • You are a citizen of one of the member states of the European Union or of a member state of the European Free Trade Association (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland).
  • Your assignment is related to one of the parts of your K.U.Leuven study programme for which you will obtain credits, such as thesis research or practical training. Just following courses in a developing country, is not enough.
  • You will be staying in one of the 54 eligible countries (see below).
  • Your stay in the South will take at least six weeks (during academic year or holiday period).
  • At least one month of the total period abroad will be sheduled in 2012. Departure is 2011 is possible as well as returning in 2013. In case your travel is planned after 1 december 2012, you will have to use the next edition of the travel grant programme.
  • The travel grant application should be submitted before departure to the South and before the final deadline of 15 March 2012.
  • The application procedure for travel grants 2012 has been observed.
  • You have never received a VLIR-UOS/IRO travel grant before
  • You do not receive any other kind of grant to finance your study travelling period.

To which country in the South?

Destinations in developing countries that qualify for a VLIR-UOS travel grant are countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Consult the list of VLIR-UOS Travel Grant countries:

VLIR-UOS Travel Grant Countries
1 Bangladesh 15 Ethiopia 29 Malawi 43 South-Africa
2 Benin 16 Gambia 30 Mali 44 Sri Lanka
3 Bolivia 17 Ghana 31 Mexico 45 Suriname
4 Brazil 18 Guatemala 32 Morocco 46 Tanzania
5 Burkina Faso 19 Guinea 33 Mozambique 47 Thailand
6 Burundi 20 Guyana 34 Nepal 48 Togo
7 Cambodia 21 Haiti 35 Nicaragua 49 Tunisia
8 Cameroon 22 Honduras 36 Nigaria 50 Uganda
9 Colombia 23 India 37 Palestine 51 Uruguay
10 Congo DR 24 Indonesia 38 Paraquay 52 Viet Nam
11 Côte d'Ivoire 25 Jordan 39 Peru 53 Zambia
12 Ciba 26 Kenya 40 Philippines 54 Zimbabwe
13 Dominican Rep 27 Laos 41 Rwanda    
14 Ecuador 28 Madagascar 42 Senegal    

Each year, more than 150 K.U.Leuven students spend some time in the South on a travel grant.

High-risk countries

In order to check whether it is safe to travel to a specific country or region, you can consult the official travel advise of several national authorities:

In case of a negative travel advise K.U.Leuven students will not receive the permission to undertake the travel. The K.U.Leuven Arbitration Commission on Outgoing Mobility will judge the risk that goes with a specifice destination. The decision of this commission has an obligatory effect, no matter whether a travel grant was awarded or not.
We therefore advise students wishing to travel to high-risk countries to anticipate and provide an alternative destination, in consultation with their supervisor, thus enabling the travel grant selection committee to judge the  alternative destination too.

Who is the partner in the South?

When applying for a travel grant, it is essential that you have already established a good contact with your supervisor in the country of your destination. After all, one of the local institutions will be your host institution for the entire period of your stay in the South. The institution could be a university, an NGO, a local government institutions or a hospital.

You should discuss your stay abroad well in advance with her host institution and ideally also with the European partner organisation that may be involved. Clear arrangements should be made concerning the local supervision and guidance related to your assignment. A solid local support is therefore considered to be essential.

The K.U.Leuven professor who will supervise your thesis research or your practical training will also be your first source of information on existing co-operation projects with partners in the South.

Important criteria for students applying for a travel grant

The evaluation of the travel grant application will focus on the quality of the application. Several aspects will be taken into account on the level of the student, the proposal and the support and supervision in the North and the South.

1. The student
  • Preference is given to Bachelor and Master students above doctoral students.
  • The application should show the positive motivation of the student (taking into account the specific context of a developing country, carefully completed forms)
  • A good language knowledge is required (English, French, Spanish/local language, depending on the destination).
  • The student should refer to an adequate preparation as to intercultural abilities and practical matters.
  • Preference is given to students who already made an extra effort to prepare themselves for the research or practical training abroad (course on developmental issues, participate in relevant debates, learn basics of local language, start contacting persons or institutions involved).
  • In case of equal files preference is given to students with excellent study results.
  • In case of equel files preference is given to students wh received last year a study scholarship from the Flemish Government.
  • In case of equal files preference is given to students from faculties with a small number of travel grant applications.  
2. The proposal
  • The subject of the research or practical training should be described very clearly.
  • The subject of the research or the practical training should be feasible.
  • The subject of the research or the practical training should fit in with the priorities of the local institution and/or with the local culture, reality or needs.
  • The subject of the research or practical training should clearly be supported by the promotor in Leuven and the local partner.
  • The proposed research or practical training should offer opportunities for for the student to get in touch with with the local population.
  • Preference is given to individual applications or to an interdisciplinary duo, rather than similar applications from a number of student following the same study programme and travelling to the same destination. In the case of several students travelling together, the travel grant applications shouldinclude an individual work plan and a personal motivation.  
3. Supervision and support in the North and the South
  • A solid support of the student before, during and after the sojourn in the South, by the K.U.Leuven supervisor (and staff), should be guaranteed.  
  • The scientific and/or professional support of the student should be guaranteed in the South.
  • The practical support of the student should be guaranteed in the South.
  • Co-financing by the Leuven Faculty or by the local institution is a plus. This could be realised through offering material, a translator, technical help, transport,…
  • Preference is given to projects being part of
    • Existing VLIR-UOS-projects;
    • Interuniversitary cooperation activities;
    • Projects or programmes of NGO’s or bilateral/multilateral cooperation activities.

Application procedure for 2012 travel grants

How to apply for a 2012 travel grant?

As a student, you need to draw up your application in consultation with your professor or promoter, or with the supervisor of the part of your K.U.Leuven study programme that is related to your assignment abroad. Furthermore, you have to consult the partner in the South. The application should be drawn up in an international language - English or French, depending on your destination.

Application forms for 2012 travel grants
Please use the right form, depending on your country of destination.

An electronic copy of the application form (word document) is to be submitted by email and should be named as follows: “KUL 2012 surname first name aanvraag” (e.g. “KUL 2012 Jones Peter aanvraag”).

One copy of the original, printed and signed application form is to be submitted, along with the following annexes:
  • A motivation letter (max. 2 pages). Why do you intend to travel to the South for thesis research, practical training? Why do you wish to apply for a travel grant?
  • A signed recommendation letter, written in Dutch, English or French by your promoter (max. 2 pages). Letters that are submitted electronically (scanned) are also acceptable. Your promoter must support your project abroad. If necessary, he/she should be able and willing to provide extra information on the assignment and on the existing co-operation with the partner in the South.  
  • A signed invitation letter, written in English or French by the supervisor at the host institution in the South (max. 2 pages). A letter in Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch will only be accepted if this is the official language in your country of destination. Letters sent by fax or electronically (scanned) are also acceptable. The local supervisor supports both your trip to the South and the assignment you will work on. If necessary, he/she should be able and willing to provide extra information on the assignment, or on local professional and practical support.
  • If necessary, a summary of the invitation letter in English or in French (max. 1 page).

Your travel grant application should be submitted to the International Office, Development Cooperation Unit, Naamsestraat 63, att. Hilde Nijs.

Deadline for travel grant applications

Early deadline, only for students who will be leaving for the South before 1 June 2012 (departure in January, February, March, April, May 2012):
  • Thursday 1 December 2011 at 4 pm.
  • The travel grant selection will take place before the Christmas holidays.
  • If one’s travel grant application is rejected, one cannot resubmit the application in March (second deadline).
Deadline for students staying in the South in 2012:
  • Thursday 15 March 2012 at 4 pm.
  • The travel grant selection will take place before 1 May 2012. The travel grant student will be leaving for the South on 1 December 2012 at the latest.

No travel grant applications will be accepted after 15 March 2012. Students travelling after 1 December 2012 should make use of the next edition of the travel grant programme.

Travel grant report (upon return from the South)

Travel Report

Within three months after returning from the South, travel grant students should report on their stay abroad.

Assessment

At the end of the stay, the assessment form should be completed in an international language and signed by the local supervisor.

Payment of Travel Grants

Within three months after returning from the South, travel grant students should submit a travel grant file:   
  • a travel report, completed and signed by the student;
  • an assessment form, completed and signed by the local supervisor;
  • a proof of payment for an aeroplane ticket;
  • a proof of travel insurance;
  • a travel grant payment form, completed and signed by the student Travel Grant payment form.

Students should also send an electronic copy (word document) of their travel grant report to Hilde Nijs.
As soon as all the administrative requirements have been settled, the travel grant amount of 1000 euros will be transferred to the student’s bank account.

Communication on your stay abroad

As a travel grant student, you should mention in your practical training report and in your thesis that your period abroad was partially financed by a VLIR-UOS travel grant.

Additional information is available at the International Office - Hilde Nijs.