Eurolife PhD & Postdoc Mobility and Knowledge Exchange Grants 2026 – 11th Call
Eurolife announces the 11th call for Eurolife PhD&Postdoc Mobility and Knowledge Exchange grants – the initiative previously known as Eurolife Short-Term Research Exchange. The Network offers 10 grants to junior scientists from the Eurolife member institutions with the goal to facilitate further research collaboration. The grants will support travel and living expenses for junior scientist to travel to another Eurolife institution and perform research for a period equal to or longer than 2 weeks*.
APPLICATION FORM
1. WHO CAN APPLY?
Researchers enrolled/employed in any of the 9 institutions of Eurolife and the University of British Columbia (UBC pending confirmation) at the time of application and exchange, can apply. These researchers must be in their last years of the Doctorate degree or hold a PhD degree (completed within the last 8 years, considering the application’s submission deadline as the reference). Also senior technicians, who are crucial to the analytical work in their research group are encouraged to apply.
Exception for Postdoc applicants: 18-month extension of the above mentioned eligibility for Postdoc researchers, who are mothers (per child), i.e. for a mother with one child, the researcher must hold a PhD degree completed within the last 8 years and 18 months*.
The staff exchange should be focused on research, innovation or knowledge transfer in biomedicine or medicine. The exchange should be undertaken in any of the 9 institutions of Eurolife or the University of British Columbia (UBC pending confirmation).
*considering the application’s submission deadline as the reference.
2. DURATION AND AMOUNT OF THE GRANT
The grant should be used towards travel, accommodation and subsistence costs (during the research exchange) for a period equal to or longer than 2 weeks* (10 working days). Proposals can be made for exchanges taking place during the funding period 1 February – 31 December 2026. The amount of the grant is 2.000€ (the number of grants is limited to 10).
The Eurolife coordinating institution (University Medical Center Göttingen) will reimburse the grants to the home university of the researcher. After the grant period ends, unspent funds should be returned to University Medical Center Göttingen.
Supporting documents should be sent to the local Eurolife Administrator1 (Network Liaison Officers) within one month following the completion of the research exchange. For more details, see Section 7.
*Please note that the University Medical Center Göttingen is unable to host researchers for a period shorter than a month.
3. APPLICATIONS
Submissions must include the completed application form as well as information about the research project, CV, a copy of the certificate of the PhD degree and invitation letter / letter of acceptance from the Eurolife hosting research group, attached as an annex:
3.1. Annex 1: Summary of the Project – Proposal outlining the research to be performed and the benefits of the exchange (not exceeding 1 page in length). This document must include a clearly recognizable working title and an indication of keywords.
3.2. Annex 2: For Postdoc applicants, a copy of the certificate of the PhD degree. The date of completion must appear on the document.
3.3. Annex 3: Curriculum vitae of the applicant, including a publications list.
3.4. Annex 4: Invitation letter / letter of acceptance from the Eurolife hosting research group. This letter must detail why the institution is particularly suitable for the execution of the research project, the support to be provided and the name(s) of the mentor/scientific host.
Applications should be sent by email to the local Eurolife Administrator1 (Network Liaison Officers). Documents should be signed and sent in a pdf format.
4. CALL / DEADLINES
4.1. Deadline for submission of the application form for the grants: 30 November 2025.
4.2. Announcement of selection results: 12 December 2025.
4.3. Exchange period: from 1 February 2026 to 31 December 2026.
4.4. Deadline for delivering a supporting report of the funded costs: one month following the completion of the exchange.
5. EVALUATION & SELECTIONS
Each Eurolife institution conducts its own selection procedure and provides a list of ranked candidates in order of merit to the Eurolife coordinator institution (University Medical Center Göttingen). The first-ranked candidate from each institution is automatically accepted. Second places (and any further places, should they be available) are decided in consultation with the Eurolife Steering Committee after consideration of all applications, with the aim to achieve a balanced representation with regard to topics, gender and university affiliation with due consideration of rank order and merit.
The following criteria will be prioritised:
5.1. The achievements of the applicant to date (scientific and other qualifications, and particular conditions which have influenced the academic progress).
5.2. The quality of the proposed research to be carried out.
5.3. The benefits of the short term exchange for the applicant, host institution and sending institution.
All points will be judged separately and all scores will contribute to the final rating.
The final decision will be communicated via e-mail to all applicants.
6. SUPPORTING REPORT
Within the maximum period specified in the Section 4.4., the grant holder must deliver:
6.1. A supporting report (not exceeding 1 page in length) outlining the research performed and the key outcome of the exchange.
6.2. A duly signed (by the host supervisor) declaration which clearly states the dates of arrival and departure of the foreign researcher to and from the host institution where the research has taken place.
6.3. Supporting travel documents (transport and accommodation invoices).
This documentation must be sent to the local Eurolife Administrator (Network Liaison Officers) in order to determine if some funds should be returned to the Eurolife coordinator institution.
The granted researchers are also required to submit the supporting report (document 6.1.) to the Eurolife Coordinator (Eurolife@med.uni-goettingen.de).
7. PUBLICATION AND PUBLICITY
The grant holder must acknowledge the support of the Eurolife network in reports or other published materials that arise from the research performed during the exchange. The Eurolife Coordinator (Eurolife@med.uni-goettingen.de) should be notified when research papers associated with the grant are published.
1NETWORK LIAISON OFFICERS
Universitat de Barcelona Amanda Fillat (eurolife@ub.edu)
Trinity College Dublin Bridget Gavin (research.medicine@tcd.ie)
University of Edinburgh Ellen McRae (ellen.macrae@ed.ac.uk)
University Medical Center Göttingen Agnieszka Buelens (Eurolife@med.uni-goettingen.de)
Medical University of Innsbruck Sabine de Haan (Sabine.de-Haan@i-med.ac.at)
Leiden University Medical Center Pieter de Koning (P.J.A.de_Koning@lumc.nl)
Karolinska Institutet Anna Dahlerus (Anna.Dahlerus@ki.se)
University of Strasbourg Camille Dieudonné (cdieudonne@unistra.fr)
Semmelweis University Csaba Bödör (bodor.csaba1@semmelweis-univ.hu)
University of British Columbia To be confirmed