For secondments at international research institutes/universities

International experience is a vital ingredient for a successful academic career. To support this, VLAG provides grants which allow VLAG PhD candidates and Postdocs to visit a top research institute/university abroad.

The secondment can be combined with an international course or conference, but it needs to include a research work visit to an international research group for at least 2 weeks (min 10 working days). Applications for fellowships outside Europe are only eligible if they last at least one month (4 full working weeks, not including travel).

The grant covers accommodation costs up to €1000 per month and travel costs of up to €1000 based on actual expenses. For visits of three months or longer, the total grant amounts to a maximum of €4000. The grant covers one return economy-class ticket, including visa costs, and economy-class accommodation. Living expenses, such as food, local transportation, and personal expenses, are not covered.

The chair group is expected to provide the necessary means upfront. The VLAG grant will be transferred upon return to Wageningen, and it will be administered via the chair group.

Conditions:

• For PhD candidates: positive Go/No-Go evaluation (Go-decision)
• Substantiated and clear added value of the secondment to the research project of the candidate
• Expected results in terms of establishing international networks or longer lasting work relations 
• Fieldwork or other activities already covered in the original project are not eligible for this grant
• Consent of the supervisor(s)
• Letter of acceptance by the host institution
• Within 4 weeks after the visit, we expect to receive:
  • A short ‘back to office report’ (one A4),
  • An excel file with an overview of the actual travel and accommodation costs (please enclose all relevant receipts in 1 PDF file),
  • WUR project number to which the grant should be transferred.

Please use the attached application form.

Selection of fellows is done by VLAG Office taking into account all information provided, given the available budget, and the number and quality of all applications. No a priori selection criteria are set, but they might include the fair distribution of funds over VLAG Research Themes and chair groups over time. Also, candidates with limited funds, such as VLAG funded PhD candidates and scholarship PhD candidates, might be prioritized.

Deadline: May 1^st, 2026, for activities in 2026.

A deadline for activities starting in 2027 is anticipated on November 1^st, 2026, only if budget is available.

For more information please contact Vesna Prsic.