Training & Networking Grants

(Formerly GSGS Travel Grants)

Until further notice, there is no fixed deadline to apply for a Training & Networking Grant up to 400€. You can apply at any time.

Deadlines for applications over 400€ are:

    Call 2024 B: 31 Oct 2024
    Call 2025 A: 30 Apr 2025

 ... annual fixed dates are 30 Apr & 31 Oct

Applications can be made for conferences, workshops, training courses, summer/fall/winter schools, and online events where registration fees are due. Please plan ahead. It is better to apply earlier than later. Still, you can apply if you attended any such event since January of the current year and paid the fees privately, especially for events that could not be planned far ahead.

Applicants should not book any tickets or accommodation before having a travel authorization. Contact the GSGS if you need to book before having a response to your application.

In spring, 2023, GSGS points were abandoned and thus they are no longer relevant for your eligibility for a Training & Networking Grant. Instead, it is your reporting status that counts. This means being up to date with your TAC meetings and regularly submitting feedback forms to the GSGS / uploading signed copies of your TAC Status Report to your Docfile G-folder.

Please use the application form available in our download section. It should be signed digitally and should be submitted by e-mail to <gradschool-geosciuni-koeln.de> only.

Applications can be made

• for events/training taking place in the 9 months following the submission deadline or
• for events/training for which a compulsory step (i.e. a binding registration or abstract submission) is to take place during said period.
• for events/training you attended since January of the same year and for which you paid fees privately.

Guidelines for applications for GSGS Training & Networking Grants

The Graduate School on Geosciences (GSGS) offers Training & Networking grants to its doctoral candidate members. Their aim is to help early-career researchers to expand their professional network and enable them to
•    attend useful training courses or summer/winter schools, including online events;
•    present their work at national and international conferences (oral or poster presentation).

Prerequisites

• Only complete applications are accepted.
• The applicant should be a registered member of the GSGS.
• Applicants must have signed a supervision agreement with their Thesis Advisory Committee and be up to date with their reporting. The Steering Committee decides on any exceptions.
• Applicants must have accrued a minimum of 5 GSGS points per semester (on average) or since the start of their GSGS membership. If you haven’t handed in an “activities form” (see download section on the GSGS website) to the GSGS office yet, please do so with your current application.
• Applications can be made for events for which a compulsory step (i.e. a binding registration or abstract submission) is to take place in the 9 months following the submission deadline. Please state the date and the action needed in your motivation.
• Previous GSGS Travel Grants or Training & Networking Grants awarded to the doctoral candidate will be taken into consideration in
  the selection procedure.
• The acceptance notification from the organiser (for conferences, also the accepted abstract) should be handed in as soon as possible.
• For conferences: in principle, only active participation (oral or poster presentation) is funded; exceptions should be justified by the advisor.
• For conferences: for multiple-author contributions, only the main presenter can apply.
• Successful applicants must submit a short report of their activities for the GSGS website to the GSGS manager within two weeks after the event, or a.s.a.p. for past trips, preferably by e-mail to gradschool-geosciuni-koeln.de. Please consult the online guidelines.
• The event can take place up to 6 months after the candidate's thesis defence.

Funding

We cannot guarantee that all funds applied for will be granted. Everyone is asked to keep costs down so that we can support as many people as possible. Advisors are explicitly asked to check and support the funds applied for. In principle, reimbursement of any travel expenses will be based on UoC rules (cf. Landesreisekostengesetz) and direct costs for flights / train travel will likely be capped according to the flat rates as defined in the regulations of the DAAD.

Application procedure

To apply for a GSGS Training & Networking Grant, a full written application should be submitted to the GSGS office by e-mail to <gradschool-geosci@uni-koeln.de> using the application form available in our download section; please use typescript and sign the form digitally. Provide evidence for stated amounts wherever possible (e.g. screenshot). The applicant’s advisor needs to provide a support statement (please note any special justifications needed) and sign the application digitally. 

You will receive a confirmation of receipt of your application within two working days.

The selection process

After an initial assessment of their completeness by the GSGS manager, all applications of an institute are forwarded to the respective institute representatives on the Steering Committee of the GSGS. They rank all applications of their institute, whenever feasible in consultation with the institute.
The selection criteria are: the motivation and relevance of the event to the candidate’s project or professional development; your application for funding from other sources (this supports your application with the GSGS).
The final decision on the distribution of funds, and of the funding awarded to each successful applicant, lies with the Steering Committee and is subject to the availability of funds. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection procedure within a month of the application deadline.

After approval

Successful  applicants should not book any tickets or accommodation for “in person” events until they have received any necessary travel authorization. They will need to apply for reimbursement through the normal channels of the university (usually Travel Reimbursement Department, Reisekostenstelle). The GSGS coordinator should be contacted to arrange the administrative details before handing in any documents. It is the recipient’s responsibility to provide all necessary information in a timely manner to allow smooth processes during application and reimbursement.

After returning home, you are supposed to hand in a Grant report, please use the template in the downloads section and send it to gsgs-adminuni-koeln.de