The ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Exchange Scholarship Program is open to international students from all over the world who are interested in conducting postdoctoral research in Neuroscience and Multiple Sclerosis. The goal of the program is to maximize information sharing and help create a pool of well-trained research scientists focusing on MS-related issues. Initially, several scholarships are expected to be awarded each year.
- The ECTRIMS Research Fellowship is a research-oriented experience. Potential fellows must identify and submit a compelling basic, clinical, or applied research project to be conducted during the fellowship period, in cooperation with the fellowship mentor at the host institution.
- Applicants seeking fellowship experience in any MS-related research topic (basic, applied or clinical, in any appropriate specialty region) will be considered.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of study: postdoc
- Institution(s): ectrimous
- To study in: Europe
- Opportunity Focus Areas:
- neuroscience
- multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Program period:
- There will be scholarships of one or two years duration.
- Scholarships lasting less than one year will be considered only in special circumstances, which must be detailed in the application process.
- Term: December 1, 2022
scholarship coverage
The ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship provides the recipient with the following benefits:
- The scholarship will provide an annual stipend of €55,000 for all fellows.
- ECTRIMS will also provide affordable round-trip transportation from the successful candidate’s place of residence to the training location; Travel expenses of family members cannot be covered.
- The payment of ECTRIMS will be made to the host institution, which will be considered the employer of the scholarship holder. Stipends will be paid by the host institution to the fellow in accordance with the institution’s own policies and payment schedules. Travel expenses for relocation to the training site can be reimbursed directly to the trainee, upon presentation of receipts to ECTRIMS.
- The institution must use the ECTRIMS award to pay the fellow’s stipend (“salary”) at the rate appropriate for the fellow’s stage of training. If there are funds left over, the remainder of the award may be used to support institutional social benefits (health care coverage, pension, other benefits) that the institution may require.
- If the total stipend plus benefits exceeds the amount provided by the ECTRIMS award, it is the responsibility of the institution/mentor to supplement the ECTRIMS award to cover all required costs.
- The host institution must indicate the total expected salary of the scholarship recipient, as well as the total costs of social benefits per year of the expected scholarship recipient.
- If the annual or prorated ECTRIMS award is not sufficient to cover the full required costs of the fellow (salary plus benefits), additional funding sources to be used to cover full costs must be listed.
- The actual research to be carried out at the host institution is expected to be supported by the host/mentor institution.
Additional support for travel, books, magazine subscriptions, etc. will not be provided. - Fellows are expected to attend the annual ECTRIMS Congresses during their fellowship period and make a presentation (in a young investigator section or elsewhere) on their funded research. ECTRIMS will separately support travel and accommodation for congress participation.
Eligibility Criteria for ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
To be eligible for the ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Required languages: According to the requirements of the host institution.
- Eligible countries: All the countries of the world
- Candidates must have received their advanced degree(s) prior to the start of the fellowship.
- At the time of application, fellows should not have more than one year of prior postdoctoral training at the same host/mentor institution. The most senior candidates may not have more than 5 years of postdoctoral experience in total beyond their final degree (PhD, MD, ScD or equivalent) at the time of application.
- Scientists and physicians who hold or are candidates for an MD, PhD, ScD or equivalent professional degree are eligible.
- In general, successful applicants will be under 40 years of age at the time of application; exceptions will be considered under special circumstances.
- Candidates and their mentors must affirm that there will be no language barriers preventing the training experience.
- Citizens of any country are eligible to apply for this program; however, postdoctoral research training must be carried out in a European laboratory or clinic.
- After the fellowship period, it is desirable, but not required, that the fellow return to his or her original home institution to work, to the extent possible. Post-scholarship career plans must be detailed as part of the application process.
How to apply for an ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship?
Follow the steps below to apply for the ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Scholarship Exchange Program:
(1) Press the “apply now” and create an account.
(two) Fill in the application form.
(3) The scholarship application must include the following documents:
- An abbreviated curriculum vitae and bibliography of the applicant, not to exceed 5 pages. You must use the “biographical sketch” form provided by ECTRIMS, available on the online scholarship application system.
- A complete online application, available on the ECTRIMS website (www.ectrims.eu).
- Applicant’s career plans (not to exceed one page).
- A summary of the research project, with a maximum length of 250 words.
- A description of the research project, not to exceed 6 pages, including figures, tables, and references.
- Applicant’s proof (eg certificate) of knowledge of the local language.
(4) The following additional items must be submitted electronically to fellowship@ectrims.eu before December 1. These must be sent as confidential documents and should NOT be sent with the materials requested in Step Two. Be sure to ask the arbitrators to clearly identify the applicant’s NAME on all pages of their letters.
- From the training institution:
1) Letter of support from the department head (or other relevant institutional official) at the proposed host institution accepting the proposed fellow, should a fellowship be awarded.
2) Certification from the training institution accepting the terms of the ECTRIMS scholarship and payments. The necessary form is available in the online application system; the applicant must submit this form to the institution for completion and return to ECTRIMS. - From the proposed mentor: Letter of endorsement from the proposed mentor, with special reference to the interactions they have had with the proposed fellow and the proposed research plan. An abridged current resume and bibliography of the proposed mentor must be included, not to exceed 5 pages. The “biographical summary” form provided in the online scholarship application system must be used. The applicant must submit this form to the mentor.
- From other referees: At least three letters of reference from professionals familiar with the proposed fellow, from their home institution or elsewhere, that address the qualities of the fellow and the likelihood of success in a research and/or clinical career. One of these letters must be sent by the undergraduate mentor to the proposed scholar. If applicable, a letter from the home institution stating that the fellow will be welcomed back to the institution and the nature of the position that will be available, once the fellowship period has concluded.
Website
For more information about the ECTRIMS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, please visit the official website: official website
