Frequently asked questions

A maximum of two applications may be submitted per person irrespective of doctoral or postdoctoral level. First-time applications will be treated preferentially. Only one application may be submitted per person per call.

Short research stays may encompass field research stays, research stays at universities or other research institutions and/or stays for scientific work in libraries, scientific collections, archives, laboratories, etc. The focus is on activities such as collecting and/or analyzing data for which a stay abroad is imperative.

Stays that are centered primarily on exchange, networking and/or purely on writing scientific texts are not supported.

Postdoctoral researchers in the categories of Early Postdoc, Advanced Postdoc and Senior Research Assistant employed at the University of Bern, and early career researchers employed at the University of Bern with a Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Researchers employed in another job category (incl. members of the Scientific Staff Transition as well as Teaching / Research Assistants I (“Assistent:in I”) and Senior Teaching / Research Assistants (“Oberassistent:in”) employed under the old regulations) are not eligible to apply. 

The postdoctoral agreement is an internal document of the University of Bern that regulates the framework conditions of the postdoctoral phase. This agreement must generally be concluded within six months of starting work at the postdoctoral level and must be enclosed with the application.

Please find the English template on the internal page (in German). 

After the application deadline, the evaluation process usually takes about one month. Applicants will be notified of the decision in writing by email.

• The application must be submitted before the start of the stay.
• The length of a research stay shall be at least two weeks and no more than eight weeks (i.e., max. 56 overnight stays).
• It is advisable to schedule the start of the planned research stay no earlier than two months after the respective application deadline. For research stays whose start falls within this two-month period the financial risk lies with the applicant if the application is rejected.
• The stay must be commenced at the latest six months from the date of notification of approval of the application.
• Use the University of Bern’s travel platform to plan your trip.
• Please also note the traffic light system for business trips (train/flight).

According to the Regulations (in German), you are obliged to use the funds in accordance with the decision on the application. This means that the funds allocated for the outward and return journey must be used to travel to and from the immediate destination of the research stay.

If short vacations are taken immediately before or after research stays, the outbound or return travel must be to or from the immediate location of the research stay.

No. The stay must be taken in one block. Multiple stays or splitting are not permitted. Exceptions are only possible in justified cases and must be explained in the application. 

In accordance with the Regulations (in German), you are required to inform the Vice-Rectorate International and Academic Careers (see contact box) of any circumstances that may change or influence the requirements for a UniBE Short Travel Grants for (Post)Docs grant.

The framework conditions for the research stay abroad specified in the application (period, place(s) of stay, and activities in accordance with the submitted schedule and work plan) may only be changed after the grant has been approved if the responsible office in the Vice-Rectorate International and Academic Careers has expressly approved a justified request.

No additional costs can be claimed retrospectively, even if this would not exceed the approved budget.

You and the organizational unit responsible are obliged, in accordance with the Regulations (in German), to use the funds in accordance with the decision on the application.

Unused funds from CHF 200 upwards are to be refunded to the Vice-Rectorate International and Academic Careers.