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Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Aarhus University, 12/05-2015
Quick guide to GSST screening grants and
visiting grants
General information
Based on funding from Aarhus University Research Foundation (AUFF) and own resources, the
Graduate School of Science and Technology (GSST), Aarhus University provides funding for
internationalisation of the PhD programmes at Science and Technology, Aarhus University. The
purpose of both types of grants is to strengthen the internationalisation of the PhD study programmes.
Please note that only members of the academic staff (supervisors) at the Faculty of Science and
Technology, Aarhus University, can apply for these two types of grants.
Both types of grants can only be given to persons with no prior affiliation to AU and with residence
outside of Denmark before the time of arrival.
Both grant types have a period has a maximum of 90 days including arrival and departure dates.
This is partly because 90 days is how long international guest researchers can stay in Denmark
without applying for a work- and residence permit. If the guest is from a non-EU/EEA country,
he/she has to travel from a country outside the Schengen region on arrival, as this agreement
covers the whole of the Schengen region.
The grant covers living expenses, travel expenses, running costs and processing fee for visa if
required.
The following two kinds of funding for internationalisation can be applied for:
A) Recruitment of foreign research talents for PhD studies at GSST (screening grant)
B) A stay at GSST for PhD students enrolled at a foreign university (visiting grant)
If supervisor has a qualified candidate for a grant, the supervisor fills in the application form for
the relevant grant located at GSSTs webpage.
The 6 annual application deadlines are 15 February, 15 April, 15 June, 15 August, 15 October and
15 December. For further information on application forms and access to application forms, please
see here:
http://phd.au.dk/gradschools/scienceandtechnology/for-supervisors/grants/
Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Aarhus University, 12/05-2015
Taxation
GSST guest researchers who are here for a maximum of 90 days are normally exempt from paying
Danish tax.
For further information on taxation, please see here: http://ias.au.dk/international-academicstaff-ias/
GSST will apply for tax exemption on behalf of the guest researcher when relevant.
Visa
GSST guest researchers from non EU/EEA countries are required to obtain a visa (even if they will
be staying in Denmark for less than 90 days).
Due to the processing time for the required visa, GSST guest researchers with a non EU/EEA
citizenship can expect to start 7-8 weeks at the earliest after the grant has been approved.
The International Centre at Aarhus University will help the guest researcher apply for a visa when
relevant.
For further information on work and residence permits, please see here:
http://ias.au.dk/international-academic-staff-ias/
Timeframe
Please note that it may take 7-8 weeks from approval of the GSST screening or visiting grant to the
actual starting day of the screening or visiting stay. If the grant receiver is from a non EU/EEA
country and has to obtain visa prior to arrival, this can prolong the process even further.

Approval of application: Approx. 2 weeks after application deadline

The guest must submit application for accommodation as soon as possible

If guest is from a non-EU/EEA country, the guest, with help from International Centre (AU), must submit
application for visa no later than 2 months before screening or visiting stay starting date

1½ - 3 months after application deadline: Screening or visiting stay starting date depending on
citizenship (please see above regarding visa)

For screening grant recipients: 1-3 months after the screening stay starting date: Screening grant
recipient submits application for admission to the PhD programme at GSST
Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Aarhus University, 12/05-2015
Screening grants
The aim of the screening grant is to provide a qualitative assessment of the person in question
with a view to a potential PhD study at GSST. While here, the grant recipient can attend courses,
summer schools or workshops, do laboratory work, all at Aarhus University, and also prepare a
PhD application.
GSST only approves a screening grant to applicants in connection with an actual screening of the
guest. It is not intended as an extension of an already planned PhD project. Thus, an application
from a supervisor who knows in advance that he/she wants the guest as a potential PhD student
at GSST, will be rejected. It also means that a guest who has already applied for a PhD study at
GSST will be rejected as a potential screening grant recipient unless there are special reasons for a
screening grant.
For further information on applying for a GSST screening grant and access to application form,
please see here: http://phd.au.dk/gradschools/scienceandtechnology/for-supervisors/grants/
Application to a PhD programme following a GSST screening grant
The grant period has a maximum of 90 days. This is partly because 90 days is how long
international guest researchers can stay in Denmark without applying for a work- and residence
permit. If the screening period runs successfully, and the supervisor supports the guest
researcher’s wish to apply to the PhD programme at GSST, it is expected that the guest
researcher submits an application for admission to GSST during or immediately after the end of
the 90 days screening period. PhD applications from screening grant recipients are not given
preference relative to other applications. It is important that the supervisor makes the student
aware of this and that supervisors only apply for screening grants if they are reasonably sure that
they will be able to fund a prospectful PhD-study afterwards.
A direct transition from the 90 days screening period to the start of the PhD study at GSST cannot
be expected. This is due to the fact that the period from the PhD study application deadline to the
actual PhD study starting date is typically between 3-5 months depending on the applicant’s
nationality (if a work and residence permit is needed, the starting date will often be 4-5 months
after the PhD study application deadline).
For further information on applying for admission to the PhD programme at GSST, please see here:
http://talent.au.dk/phd/scienceandtechnology/opencalls/)
Visiting grants
The aim of the visiting grant is to strengthen the internationalisation of the PhD study
programmes at GSST, by providing foreign PhD students with the opportunity of taking a part of
their PhD study at GSST, Aarhus University. The PhD student can take part in research
Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Aarhus University, 12/05-2015
collaboration, PhD courses, summer schools, workshops and laboratory work, all at Aarhus
University and/or work on her/his PhD thesis.
It will be of vital importance to the assessment of the application how the PhD student can
contribute to the already existing PhD environment within the given research field, e.g. in the form
of specific method transfer. It is therefore important that the project description includes both
clear arguments on how the stay can contribute to the PhD environment at Aarhus University, and
a description of the stay’s intended activities and objectives.
For further information on applying for a GSST visiting grant, please see here:
http://phd.au.dk/gradschools/scienceandtechnology/for-supervisors/grants/