NMBU International travel grant
NMBU's funding scheme for research stays abroad applies to academic staff on sabbatical leave and also PhD candidates and Postdoctoral fellows appointed either in a KD-funded recruitment position or in a Faculty-funded position, and Residents.
To stimulate increased international cooperation, NMBU allocates funds for stays abroad. A prerequisite is that the stay must take place at an internationally recognized university or research institution. The funding stretches to approx. 3.8 million NOK every year, given a budgetary decision by the university board.
Academic staff in a permanent position at a NMBU Faculty may apply for international travel grant.
There is only one application deadline per year; 1 November.
The deadline 1 November 2024 concern applicants who are planning a research stay abroad during the autumn semester 2025 and/or the spring semester 2026.
The criteria for international travel grants for academic staff in a permanent position, are as follows:
- Awarding the grant prerequisites granting a sabbatical leave by the faculty (dean).
Guidelines for sabbatical leave at NMBU may be found at the bottom of this webpage. - A maximum of two stays at different institutions may be granted.
- Applicants must in the application document collaboration with the research community in question.
- A travel grant can be granted for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 10 months.
- The funds can be used for travel and living expenses.
Please see further down for rates to be used when calculating the budget.
- Awarding the grant prerequisites granting a sabbatical leave by the faculty (dean).
PhD candidates and Postdoctoral fellows appointed either in a KD-funded recruitment position or in a Faculty-funded positions, and Residents, may apply for international travel grants to fund stays abroad.
There are two calls and two deadlines per year:
- The call with the deadline 1 May 2024 concerns applicants who are planning a research stay abroad during the spring semester 2025.
- The call with the deadline 1 November 2024 concerns applicants who are planning a research stay abroad during the autumn semester 2025.
The criteria for international travel grants for PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral fellows and Residents, are as follows:
- If you are a PhD or a Postdoctoral fellow, you must be appointed in either a KD-funded recruitment position or in a faculty-funded position to be able to apply for NMBU's funds for stays abroad (see below).
- Awarding the grant prerequisites approval of the international leave by the faculty (dean or department head) and the supervisor.
- A maximum of two stays at different institutions may be granted.
- Applicants must document the collaboration in the application.
- A travel grant can be granted for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 months.
- If there are other alternative sources of funding, application shall be made to that source. If an application for funding for travel and living expenses from sources other than NMBU is accepted, the grant from NMBU will be reduced.
- The funds can be used for travel and living expenses. Please see further down for rates to be used when calculating the budget.
- At the time of submission of the grant application, the applicant must not have lived or worked for more than 12 months over the past three years in the country where the international host institution is located. When applying, you will be asked to attach your CV to document this.
How your position is funded determines whether you can apply or not
If you are employed as a research fellow or postdoctoral fellow and receive a salary from a faculty at NMBU, you are either employed in a so-called KD-funded recruitment position, in a position that the faculty finances with "internal" funds, or in a position that is financed via "external " funds, such as project funds from the Research Council.
If you are a PhD candidate or postdoctoral fellow at NMBU, you must be employed in a KD-funded recruitment position or a faculty funded (internally funded) position in order to apply to NMBU for travel grant.
KD-funded recruitment positions
The Ministry of Education and Research (KD) annually finances a large number of scholarship positions at Norwegian universities. In the university sector, this is called "recruitment positions". NMBU has, as of 1 January 2023, 170 recruitment positions. The positions are divided into three categories and are distributed between NMBU's seven faculties according to their own guidelines, which you can read more about here. If you are employed in such a position, you can apply to NMBU for a travel grant.NMBU also has several PhDs and Postdocs who are employed in so-called externally funded positions, i.e. your salary comes from one or more "external" sources. If this is the case for you, you cannot apply for an NMBU foreign scholarship. It may be that the funding sources have their own schemes that you can apply for. For example, this applies to the Research Council, read more about the Research Council's funding scheme for Research Stays Abroad.
If you don't know the funding source of your position, ask your main supervisor (if you are a PhD candidate) or your academic supervisor/advisor (if you are a postdoctoral fellow), alternatively the head of administration at the faculty!
Academic staff in permanent position
Deadline for applications: 1 November yearly. There is only one application deadline per calendar year.
PhDs, PostDocs and Residents
Deadline 1 May 2024: If you are planning a reserach stay abroad during the spring semester 2025.
Deadline 1 November 2024: If you are planning a research stay abroad during the autumn semester 2025.
Please fill in this e-application form.
When applying you must provide some information about yourself and about your plans. When and where do you plan to travel (name of host institution and country)?. You must briefly describe the objectives of the stay, what you plan to do and what benefits the collaboration with the host institution will give you / your research and your professional environment at NMBU.
The budget part of the application consists of:
- Living expenses based on the number of months you are planning to go abroad and the monthly rate (which you will find below and also in the application form).
- Stipulated travel costs (cheapest mode of travel) for one round trip Norway-host institution. The grant scheme allows stays at a maximum of two host institutions, so you can apply to have travel costs covered to a maximum of two places.
If interrupted while filling in the form, you may save the application and continue later.
Applications from permanent employed academic staff must contain the following attachments:
- Confirmation from the faculty (dean) that the sabbatical leave is granted.
- Formal invitation from the host institution(s) with description of existing / planned collaboration.
Applications from PhD candidates, Postdoctoral fellows and Residents, must contain the following attachments:
- Confirmation from the faculty (dean) and the main supervisor that the international leave is approved.
- CV with the publication list, mobility, clinical work (residents only) and institutional duties.
- Formal invitation from the host institution(s) with description of existing / planned collaboration.
The rates to be used in the application, are identical with the rates set by the Norwegian Research Council.
To cover costs of settling in/ accomodation and other extra costs in connection with the research stay, the 2024 rates are:
- NOK 23 000 per month when traveling alone.
- NOK 39 000 per month when traveling with partner/ family.
Travel expenses:
Present the approx. travel expenses (cheapest mode of travel) - flight/bus/train tickets - in a table.
The travel grant is intended to cover "extra expenses and costs" incurred in connection with the stay abroad, for example travel costs and accomodation.
The travel grant is not meant to cover clothing and food expenses, i.e. expenses you would have had also "when at home/ in Norway". Daily expenses must as usual be covered by your NMBU salary.
Funding will not be allocated for course fees, conferences, “bench fees” or operating expenses.
The NMBU Research Committee has decided that if there are alternative sources of funding, application shall be made to that source. If an applicant receives approval for an application for funds for travel and accomodation from sources other than NMBU, the grant from NMBU will be reduced accordingly. Reference is made to the Guidelines you will find at the bottom of this webpage.
As an employee at NMBU you should also check out Staff mobility through Erasmus+. The Research Council Fellow base EURAXESS provides a good overview of other sources of funding for research stays abroad.
Applications submitted within the deadline will be processed by the NMBU Research Department within 4-6 weeks.
Basic principles - applications from PhD candidates, Postdoctoral fellows and residents:
If the received applications amount to a sum larger than the budget, grants will be reduced and the principle that "as many as possible applications should be granted" will be used.
The number of months covered may be reduced to divide the funds between the applicants.
Applications from permanent employed academic staff will be prioritised based on the following criteria, in given order:
1. Researchers on a sabbatical leave applying for an international travel grant for a first time will be prioritised for funding allocation. Researchers who have not applied for an international travel grant during the last two qualifying periods are considered as a first-time applicant.
2. Principle "as many as possible applications should begranted" will be used. If there are more applications than thebudget covers, travel grants can be shortened beyond the maximum stay of 10 months.
3. Under otherwise equal conditions, female applicants are given priority for award.
The allocation of funds are to be approved by the NMBU Director of Research ahead of the response you receive on your application.
80% of the grant is paid in advance ahead of the stay abroad. This payment enables you to order and pay e.g. tickets and accommodation, without having to use your private bank account savings.
You may receive the travel advance as soon as the exact date for your departure from Norway, and your return to Norway, is decided.
In order to have the advance transferred to your private bank account, you have to issue and send the "In advance payment form", found at the bottom of this webpage, by e-mail to Janne E. Pedersen (the NMBU Finance Department). You will also find a guide on how to fill in the form. To state the country, and the exact travel period is essential. You do not have to sign the form, or collect any attestation/approval from anyone.
NMBU is required to link an advance payment to the exact period of staying abroad. This is why you will not be eligible of the in advance payment as long as the period of your stay abroad is approximate.
The remaining 20% will be paid on return after the final report and final disbursement form is delivered and has been approved (see below).
It is of greatest importance that you keep all relevant receipts concerning "extra" running costs (i.e. travel and accomodation) while you are abroad.
All relevant receipts must be sent to the NMBU Finance Department's Janne Pedersen, together with the final disbursement form within one month after your return to Norway. When a) the final report is delivered and approved (by the Research Department), and b) the disbursement form is delivered and reviewed (by the Finance Department), the remaining 20% of your grant will be paid.
To be eligible of receiiving the remaining 20%, and keeping the 80% you have been paid in advance, you must, when the stay abroad is over, hand in a final report and a final settlement form. You must do this no later than one month after returning to Norway.
1. Final report
In the final report, you must briefly describe what you achieved academically during your stay abroad, and you can also describe problems or changes that you would like to bring to the attention of the Research Department or the Finance Department prior to the final settlement.
You will find a link to the final report under the heading "Forms" at the bottom of this web page.
2. Final settlement
The final financial settlement can take place when you have delivered the final report. Send the final settlement form together with the receipts you got for all "extra" expenses, to Janne E. Pedersen, Economics Department. Send original paper receipts physically by the NMBU internal mail, or deliver them directly to Janne "by hand".
The final settlement form can be found under the heading "Forms" at the bottom of this web page.
Applicants who are promised funds can, if the stay abroad cannot be carried out at the planned time, and given the Faculty approves the postponement, keep the promise of funds for up to
- - one year (PhDs, Postdocs, Residents)
- - two years (academic staff on sabbatical leave)
counted from the departure time stated in the application.
Please notify the NMBU Research Support Office of any changes of plans.
In case you have received advance payment you might have to repay all, or a part, of the amount received.
Available funds will be transferred to persons on the waiting list.
Is a grant taxable income?
Research stay grants are in principle taxable. However, if the expense documentation for the grant is attached, e.g. original receipts (whenever possible) for payments/ costs, it will be reported as non-deductible. Relevant expenses are roughly speaking all additional costs incurred in connection with the stay, with the exception of food and clothing.
Reporting to the Norwegian Tax Administration - who, what and when?
It is the NMBU Finance department who reports both travel grants and salaries, earned during the period(s) you have been outside Norway, to the Norwegian Tax Administration. You yourself as a receiver of a travel grant, must not report anything directly to the Norwegian Tax Administration.
The travel grant will be reported as non-deductible or taxable grants after your return to Norway.
Salary and tax deducted from salary, are reported monthly to the Norwegian Tax Administration (the same month as the salary is paid). Salary you receive during a research stay abroad (as part of a sabbatical leave) is reported as "Salary and other remuneration for work carried out abroad". The salary is reported as gross amount together with a country code.
To ensure correct reporting to the Tax Administration, it is important that you enter the both the name of the country and the research stay period into the advance payment form. You should also continuously notify kari.moxnes@nmbu.no of changes to your plans, and state the "facts" in the "final report" and the "final settlement".
Tax agreement between Norway and USA
There is a 'Tax Convention' between Norway and USA allowing the possibility of being exempted, both in Norway and in the US, from paying tax on your income including any travel grants you receive while abroad.
You must teach or perform research to be exempted from paying tax. In advance of your stay abroad, you must yourself apply for a preliminary exemption from paying tax / a change of your tax deduction card, with reference to the Tax Convention. An invitation letter from the research organisation or the university you will visit is mandatory documentation, along with a letter from the NMBU Faculty your employed at, stating that you will be receiving salary (monthly sum) of NOK… while on research stay".
You must apply through the AltInn webpage. As soon as the Norwegian Tax Administration has accepted your application, you will receive a tax deduction card showing a lower tax rate. The tax rate will not equal 0%, because while beeing in the US, you still have to pay the Norwegian Social Security Tax (8,2%). Your tax deduction card (the tax rate) will also be adjusted to the fact that it counts for one whole calendar year.
Please be aware that what you get is a preliminary approval. To be eligible of tax exemption, you have to apply for a final approval in connection with filling in your income tax form. The Norwegian Tax Administration's electronic form RF-1150, should be used for this purpose.
You must claim tax exemption yourself according to the tax agreement by applying for prior approval of tax exemption / change of tax withholding from the Norwegian Tax Agency before departure. The tax agreement gives you the opportunity to apply for a tax card where only the social security tax is included. You apply for preliminary pre-approval of tax exemption via altinn.no. You must log in, and there is no separate form for this, so you must use "Contact form RF-1306". You write the application itself in the free text field in the contact form. You must attach 1) the signed letter of invitation from the host institution in the USA and 2) a confirmation from the employer (faculty) that you are employed and will receive a salary (gross monthly salary NOK...) while you are abroad. For more details, please see the guide posted at the bottom of this web page.
If the exemption is granted, you will receive a new tax card with a lower rate. The tax rate is not zero because you still have to pay 8.2% in social security tax. The tax card must also be valid for an entire calendar year, so that the tax rate is set in relation to how much of the income is tax-free.
Note that the exemption granted is a prior approval. You must claim the final tax exemption when you deliver the tax return (electronically) to the Tax Authority. In the tax return under the heading "Salary and corresponding benefits", you must distinguish between salary earned in the USA and salary earned in Norway. For income earned in the USA, select "Tax reduction according to tax treaty" in the Method for double taxation field.
When staying in countries other than the USA - Norway has tax conventions with several countries
There are tax agreements with a number of countries, see the Ministry of Finance's overview of Tax coventions between Norway and other states. You must check for yourself whether a tax treaty exists for the country in which you will reside, and what opportunities it provides for tax exemption. If you wish to make use of a tax agreement, you must apply in advance for tax exemption, as described in the section above.
Tax deduction card
If you have applied for tax exemption (on the basis of a tax agreement) and had reduced tax during your stay, or by other means have changed your tax deduction card before your stay, you must order a new and corrected tax deduction card when you return home.
Contact the Norwegian Tax Authority if you have any questions
NMBU does not offer tax advice for those who are going to stay abroad. However, a general piece of advice is that the shorter the stay, the less reason there is to spend time finding out if and how you can avoid paying tax on the salary you receive from NMBU during your stay abroad. However, the travel grant will be reported to the Tax Authorities by NMBU as tax-free. This will be done after your return to Norway,and given that the "extra costs" covered by the allocated grant can be documented with physical or digital receipts.
Questions about taxation during a research stay abroad should be directed to the Norwegian Tax Agency, preferably via their chat or Facebook service. You may also call NTA (but be pepared to wait, and the time differences are challenging if calling from abroad). It is not possible to send e-mails to the NTA, or in person to visit any local office.
NMBU is a state-owned enterprise and is therefore a "self-insurer", which means that NMBU is not allowed to take out insurance on behalf of its employees or students. Government enterprises are nevertheless allowed to take out travel insurance for individual trips abroad if the trip is defined as "business trip". Research stays are not defined as a business trip. To be the best possible insured during travel / stay abroad, you must therefore have a private travel and personal injury insurance.
The insurance should at least cover:
- Accident, house(hold) contents and travel
- Expenses for hospital stays if you travel outside the EEA area / USA
- Expenses for home transport in the event of serious injury / death
When traveling to other EEA countries (+ Switzerland), you should keep a valid European Health Insurance Card with you at all times. As the name suggests, the European Health Insurance Card cannot be used outside the EEA or Switzerland. It can also not be used on Svalbard. The health rights you have under the EEA agreement are limited. It is therefore important, no matter where you are going to travel, to have a private travel insurance (in addition to the health insurance card).