Research Stays Abroad: TUM Graduate School Internationalization Support
TUM-GS supports international and intercultural cooperation in research and efforts to build global networks. International research stays and activities are an essential part of doctoral qualification. Such activities enable doctoral candidates to gain valuable personal experience as well as useful career objectives. Therefore, TUM supports international research activities of its doctoral candidates. However, in agreement with their doctoral supervisors, doctoral candidates shall plan their international activities economic efficiently and within the legal framework of the Bavarian Travel Expense Act (Bayerisches Reisekostengesetz).
The TUM Graduate School offers financial support to its members to cover part of the expenses of their international activities. The financial support will be granted within the legal framework of the Bavarian Travel Expense Act, as well as the specific regulations of the TUM-GS and the respective Graduate Center.
Comprehensive information on funding criteria, application procedures and answers to frequently asked questions on internationalization funding can be found in our university-wide TUM-GS Wiki. You can log in with your TUM ID.
In terms of the support provided for internationalization, a distinction is drawn between the following groups of doctoral candidates:
TUM-GS provides support to doctoral candidates who are employed at TUM as research/teaching associates in the form of funding of 1,600 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
- Presentation of the candidate’s own scientific, scholarly or research findings at international conferences, symposia etc. in another country
- Attending international subject-specific summer/winter schools, workshops, etc. in another country
- Inviting international visiting researchers to do joint research on the candidate’s own dissertation project at the TUM
- Travel expenses for examiners (from foreign universities) to participate in the doctoral voce at the TUM
Doctoral candidates who are completing their doctoral research according to the TUM Regulations for the Award of Doctoral Degrees effective January 1, 2014 or newer can apply for an additional 1,400 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes lasting no less than four weeks at a time at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
The following application documents are typically needed:
- Service/continuing education approval (Dienst-/Fortbildungsgenehmigung)
- Disbursement order from the relevant travel expense office (Auszahlungsanordnung der Reisekostenstelle)
- Application for TUM-GS internationalization support, which requires prior approval from the relevant Graduate Center
- All relevant original documents/payment confirmation
- in case of applications before the feedback talk: explanation from the supervisor that the internationalization activity is beneficial to the doctoral project in the early stage of doctorate
The TUM-GS internationalization support will be granted after successful participation in the TUM-GS Kick-off seminar. Please contact your respective Graduate Center for further information about the application. Please note that the individual Graduate Centers may have their own specific rules regarding support for internationalization, e.g. whether application is possible before the feedback talk.
All travel expenses are reiumbursed in accordance with the Bavarian Travel Expense Act (BayRKG). Please note that there are limitations for funding by the TUM-GS international support for (short-term) allocation ("Zuweisung/Abordnung") to another university/location.
Doctoral candidates who have received a scholarship, fellowship or grant (e.g. DAAD, Chinese Scholarship Council, Begabtenförderwerke, etc.) can generally, like research/teaching associates, apply for funding of 1,600 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
- Presentation of the candidate’s own scientific, scholarly or research findings at international conferences, symposia etc. in another country
- Attending international subject-specific summer/winter schools, workshops, etc. in another country
- Inviting international visiting researchers to do joint research on the candidate’s own dissertation project
- Travel expenses for examiners (from foreign universities) to participate in the doctoral voce
Doctoral candidates who are completing their doctoral research according to the TUM Regulations for the Award of Doctoral Degrees effective January 1, 2014 or newer can apply for an additional 1,400 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes lasting no less than four weeks at a time at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
The following application documents are typically needed:
- Application for TUM-GS internationalization support, which requires prior approval from the relevant Graduate Center
- All relevant original documents/payment confirmations
- Written documentation, typically from the provider of the scholarship, fellowship or grant, stating that the funding does not include any travel funds of its own
- in case of applications before the feedback talk: explanation from the supervisor that the internationalization activity is beneficial to the doctoral project in the early stage of doctorate
The TUM-GS internationalization support will be granted after successful participation in the TUM-GS Kick-off seminar. Please contact your respective Graduate Center for further information about the application. Doctoral candidates should also consult the relevant Graduate Center early on for information on whether they can apply for TUM-GS internationalization support with their scholarship, fellowship or grant.
Please note that the individual Graduate Centers may have their own specific rules regarding support for internationalization, e.g. whether application is possible before the feedback talk.
All travel expenses are reiumbursed in accordance with the Bavarian Travel Expense Act (BayRKG).
Self-funded doctoral candidates who are living on their personal savings can generally, like research/teaching associates or scholarship holders, apply for funding of 1,600 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
- Presentation of the candidate’s own scientific, scholarly or research findings at international conferences, symposia etc. in another country
- Attending international subject-specific summer/winter schools, workshops, etc. in another country
- Inviting international visiting researchers to do joint research on the candidate’s own dissertation project
- Travel expenses for examiners (from foreign universities) to participate in the doctoral voce
Doctoral candidates who are completing their doctoral research according to the TUM Regulations for the Award of Doctoral Degrees (effective January 1, 2014) or newer can apply for an additional 1,400 euros for the following:
- Stays for research purposes lasting no less than four weeks at a time at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country
The following application documents are typically needed:
- Application for TUM-GS internationalization support, which requires prior approval from the relevant Graduate Center
- All relevant original documents/payment confirmations
- Written documentation, typically from the provider of the scholarship, fellowship or grant, stating that the funding does not include any travel funds of its own
- in case of applications before the feedback talk: explanation from the supervisor that the internationalization activity is beneficial to the doctoral project in the early stage of doctorate
The TUM-GS internationalization support will be granted after successful participation in the TUM-GS Kick-off seminar. Please contact your respective Graduate Center for further information about the application. Doctoral candidates should also consult the relevant Graduate Center early on for information on whether they can apply for TUM-GS internationalization support.
Please note that the individual Graduate Centers may have their own specific rules regarding support for internationalization, e.g. whether application is possible before the feedback talk.
All travel expenses are reiumbursed in accordance with the Bavarian Travel Expense Act (BayRKG).
Doctoral candidates who are employed by an external company, research institution etc. are not eligible for the standard TUM-GS international funding scheme. Instead, they may apply for the TUM-GS Internationalization Grant of max. 1600 EUR before the respective international activity. The Grant is a special funding scheme for external candidates and will be awarded based on a competitive selection process.
Please note that doctoral candidates with external employment can only apply for the Internationalization Grant if their external employment is entirely independent from their doctoral research. Hence, they will not receive any financial support for the internationalization activity from their employer.
Doctoral candidates who are excellent in their disciplines can apply for this grant for the following:
- A stay for research purposes at a scientific, academic or research institution or within an industrial firm that conducts research in another country, or
- Presentation of the candidate’s own scientific, scholarly or research findings at international conferences, symposia etc. in another country, and
- (in exceptional cases) Attending international subject-specific summer/winter schools, workshops, etc. in another country
The Internationalization Grant will only be granted after successful participation in the TUM-GS Kick-off seminar as well as after the feedback talk. The full application documents must be submitted to the relevant Department Graduate Center.
For further information (deadlines, application documents etc.), please contact the Graduate Centers directly.