Travel grants

Active engagement with other academics is crucial for early career researchers – and often that involves travel to far-away places. Below you will find information on how to request funding for travel expenses and research-related travels. It is important to differentiate between the purpose and the duration of the trip or research stay:
The following criteria must be met for your application for reimbursement of travel expenses by the Graduate Centre to be successful:
- You are an early career researcher of the University of Passau
- The conference you intend to travel to is organised by a recognised academic institution
- You will be making an active contribution to the event (e.g. lecture, poster presentation etc.)
- You submit your application before you start travelling
The application must be submitted before you start your research-related trip.
Via post office:
You should provide the following documents (please note that all forms and documents linked to are in German, unless indicated otherwise):
- the completed and signed travel grant application form (German form: Antrag auf Reisekostenzuschuss)
- the completed and signed first supervisor's supporting form
- an abstract in which you explain the special, independent and new research achievement that makes it attractive to take part in this particular event
- evidence of your participation (i.e. an invitation e-mail)
- fill in the application form and edit all necessary documents : evidence of your participation (i.e. an invitation e-mail), statement of your supervisor (further details in the application form included
Please note that you have to submit an application for research-related travel at Division VIII - Human Ressources if you are employed at the University of Passau.
The following German-language documents provide further information on guidelines for research-related travel, per-diem allowances and other rules on business-related travel:
Richtlinien der Universität über die Gewährung von Reisekostenzuschüssen (guidelines and information on how to apply for a travel grant)
Merkblatt zu Dienst- und Fortbildungsreisen (general information on the University's rules on business travel)
Auslandstage- und Auslandsübernachtungsgelder (country-by-country overview of per-diem allowances and maximum reimbursements for overnight expenses)
As a rule, remember to always retain all receipts, tickets etc., as there is no reimbursement without proof!
As a rule the Graduate Centre reimburses up to two-thirds of your travel expenses. Please note the following points:
- The travel allowance cannot be supplemented by resources from the chair/professorship. If research-related travels are supported by any kind of travel allowance, at least one-third of the expenses must be covered privately
- The remaining third of the expenses can only be financed by third-party funds which have been specifically earmarked for this purpose (e.g. funds from the DAAD programmes). Please note: privately-paid expenses may be tax-deductible
- Funds received from the University's Women's Representative cannot be combined with a travel grant from the Graduate Centre
Please contact the Graduate Centre if you have any questions on co-finance.
Please send your application for reimbursement of the travel expenses (see below) no later than six months after the event directly to Department VIII/4 of the Human Resources Division, Administration building 3rd floor, Innstr. 41, 94032 Passau. The application should include the following:
- the completed and signed application form for reimbursement of travel expenses
- receipts for all expenses you intend to bill (that includes boarding passes for flights and stamped tickets for train rides)
- the grant approval by the Graduate Centre
- an attendance certificate or equivalent evidence from the host institution that proves that you actively took part in the event (i.e. that you gave a lecture or presented a poster)
- if you have extended your research-related trip for private reasons: evidence that doing so did not incur any additional costs for the University
Related events
Are you planning to give a lecture at a conference? Would you like to prepare yourself properly for your presentation?
In the summer semester, we offer an annual workshop on "Academic Presenting at Seminars and Conferences: Delivering Effective and Powerful Talks in English".
The workshop takes place in summer 2022.