Here we address the most important points regarding eligibility, funding scope, application process, assessment, and reporting. This overview is designed to provide quick orientation and a compact explanation of the funding details.
The UA Ruhr Mobility Grants provide funding for four- to twelve-week stays abroad for postdoctoral researchers from the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr). The aim of the program is to provide postdocs with the opportunity to acquire international research experience, establish and expand research networks, and initiate or advance independent research projects in collaboration with international partners.
Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to apply if they
To apply, you must either have a valid employment contract with one of the UA Ruhr universities for the entire duration of your planned stay abroad or be affiliated with one of these universities as part of a scholarship program.
Yes, you can apply. However, you must have your (provisional) doctoral degree certificate by the start of your stay abroad at the latest. You must also demonstrate convincingly that, at the time of departure, you will either have an employment contract with one of the UA Ruhr universities or be affiliated with one of these universities as part of a scholarship program.
We fund stays abroad lasting four to twelve weeks at research institutions worldwide. Funded postdoctoral researchers are responsible for organizing their visits independently and complete them by the end of 2026.
The funded stays abroad must be completed by the end of 2026 at the latest. Funding decisions are expected to be made at the end of April 2026.
We support stays lasting between four and twelve weeks. They must be completed by the end of 2026.
No, only stays of at least four weeks at a time are eligible for funding.
This funding program is specifically designed to enable longer stays. However, in cases where there are clear reasons for doing so, it is possible to split the stay into several periods. However, no single period may be shorter than four weeks.
No, funding is only available for research stays of at least four weeks.
Yes, visiting multiple institutions or destinations is generally possible. The prerequisite is that the necessity of doing so is convincingly and comprehensibly justified in your application.
Yes, funded postdoctoral researchers must organize their accommodation and travel arrangements independently.
Postponements are possible to a certain extent, as long as the purpose of the stay is not jeopardized and the approved funding amount is not exceeded. If necessary, please coordinate this in advance with your university's graduate school.
Important: You must complete all travel in 2026.
The grant amounts to up to €6,000 per person, depending on the length of stay and the travel and accommodation costs.
You should submit your cost calculation with your application; the calculation forms the basis for determining the grant amount.
We cover:
• Travel expenses
• Accommodation costs
• Visa costs
Important: We cannot cover daily allowances or meal expenses.
Billing is based on the State Travel Expenses Act (LRKG NRW) and is handled by your university's graduate institution.
We reimburse the actual accommodation costs incurred, up to a maximum of the amount approved in advance. Please research suitable accommodation options in advance and calculate your trip carefully.
You can generally claim costs for public transport between your accommodation and the research institution, especially if you choose accommodation that is slightly further away but cheaper.
Renting a car is also not generally excluded, provided that you can justify the need in a comprehensible and plausible manner (e.g., in the case of very remote research locations).
In any case, the total amount of funding requested must not exceed €6,000, and the necessity of the expenses must be convincingly demonstrated.
Yes, co-financing (e.g., via university chairs or third-party funding) is possible in principle.
It is also possible to apply for funding from several funding lines at the same time, but parallel funding is only possible in exceptional cases and after consultation with both funding bodies.
Scholarship holders must obtain the consent of their funding body before applying.
No. The funding amount corresponds to the amount specified in the approval letter and cannot be increased retrospectively.
However, co-financing, e.g., through your own chair, is possible.
The next application deadline for stays abroad in 2026 is 20 March 2026.
You must submit the following documents with your application:
1. Application form
The application form can be found here:
https://eveeno.com/175401472
2. One PDF file with a maximum of 8 pages consisting of:
• Curriculum vitae according to DFG criteria: https://www.dfg.de/de/formulare-53-200-elan-246806)
• Informal letter of invitation from an international host
• Tabular work plan
• Tabular financial plan with detailed information on all costs incurred, including those exceeding the maximum funding amount
Please use the following naming convention for the file: Last name_First name
Upload the PDF file via the following Sciebo link: https://ruhr-uni-bochum.sciebo.de/s/Dn2SkK9A3sDkKza
Important: Your application will only be considered complete once the PDF file has been uploaded by the deadline.
First, fill out the application form: https://eveeno.com/175401472
Upload the additional required documents (see above: Which documents do I need to submit?) in one PDF file consisting of a maximum of 8 pages via the following Sciebo link: https://ruhr-uni-bochum.sciebo.de/s/Dn2SkK9A3sDkKza
Please use the following naming convention for the PDF file: Last name_First name
Important: Your application will only be considered complete once the PDF file has been uploaded via Sciebo by the deadline.
Sciebo is a German, non-commercial cloud storage service provided by universities for universities and operates in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
After submitting the application form, you will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt from eveeno. However, your application is only complete once you have uploaded the PDF file via Sciebo. If a confirmation such as “Files uploaded: [...]” or “Files uploaded to the Mobility Grants 2026 application documents” appears on your screen, the upload was successful and we have received your documents. The success of the upload will not be confirmed separately by email, but we will follow up if no documents have been submitted.
Application documents must be submitted in German or English.
The ECR Board of the UA-Ruhr is responsible for the evaluation. The evaluation criteria are:
Funding decisions are expected to be made at the end of April 2026. We will then inform the applicants.
No, we are not planning a traditional report on your experiences. Instead, we will ask you to participate in an evaluation after your stay.
In addition, we would like to share inspiring insights into your time abroad on our LinkedIn channel – under the motto “Greetings from ...”. We need your support for this.
Ideally, before the end of your stay abroad, we ask you to provide:
We will provide the funded postdocs with more details in good time.
Still have questions about the UA Ruhr Mobility Grants? Please contact:
Dr. Kirstin Schreiber
research-academy@uaruhr.de
Phone: +49 (0)234 32 29239
Research Academy is the cross-university platform of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen for promoting early career researchers in the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr).
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