#ScienceForUkraine Micro Travel Grant Programme

MTG 2026 – Key Information

The MTG 2026 programme has been reopened since February 2, 2026 and renewed with a focus on supporting early-career scholars based in Ukraine.

‼️ Eligibility rules updated as of February 5, 2026

Rules and application

📄 Rules and Procedures

Please read the official Rules and Procedures carefully before applying.
The full text of the Rules is also provided below on this page for reference.

📝 Application form

Once you have read the Rules and prepared all required documents, submit your application via the official online form:

👉 Apply for MTG 2026

Useful documents

📅 Timeline – 1st round 2026
Download timeline (PNG)

✅ Eligibility checklist
Download eligibility checklist (PDF)

📌 MTG 2026 Programme Poster
View poster (PNG)

Stay informed

Follow updates and announcements on our social media channels:

For any questions or further information, please contact us at:
📧 info@scienceforukraine.eu

Rules and Procedures

1. Goals and Scope

The Micro Travel Grant programme (MTG) of NGO Science for Ukraine supports the integration of early-career Ukrainian scholars into the international research community through in-person participation in international academic conferences, symposia, or workshops.

MTG reimburses eligible costs up to EUR 500.

2. Eligibility of Applicants and Applications

2.1 Who can apply (mandatory criteria)

Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

be a young scholar, defined as:
- a currently enrolled PhD student, or
- a researcher with a PhD or Doctor of Science degree, who is 35 years old or younger;
be actively involved in research;
be affiliated (paid or unpaid) with an eligible Ukrainian organisation, including:
- Ukrainian universities,
- research institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
- scientific archives, museums, or libraries;
have an oral presentation or poster accepted for an in-person international conference, symposium, or workshop;
personally present in person, regardless of author order;
apply for their own participation only;
have a bank account not affected by EU restrictive measures;
be able to cover costs upfront and request reimbursement afterwards;
provide a valid ORCID iD.

2.2 Additional eligibility rules

Applicants holding paid academic positions outside Ukraine are not eligible.
Each person may receive only one MTG within a 12-month period.
MTGs cannot be awarded retrospectively.

3. Activities Not Covered

MTG does not cover:

research or teaching visits;
events organised by the applicant’s employer or host institution;
meetings organised by projects or consortia the applicant works for;
events that already provide travel or participation funding in the full amount;
events that already provide dedicated travel grants for Ukrainian researchers;
online-only events.

4. Application, Evaluation, and Selection Process

4.1 Submission

Applications must be submitted via the online form.

Applications are eligible only for events that take place no earlier than 30 days after the submission deadline.

Applicants must provide:

a brief CV (maximum 1 page, PDF);
ORCID iD;
proof of conference acceptance;
a motivation statement in English (maximum 1,000 characters), completed directly in the online form;
proof of Ukrainian affiliation.

4.2 Evaluation and selection

The evaluation process consists of two stages:

Stage 1 – Formal eligibility check

Each application is reviewed by two independent reviewers.
Reviewers verify:
- compliance with eligibility rules,
- completeness of documentation,
- adequacy of the motivation statement.
No scoring or ranking is applied.

Stage 2 – Allocation of grants

All eligible applications enter a random selection process.
Grants are awarded by random assignment, subject to:
- available MTG budget,
- monthly allocation limits.
Non-selected eligible applications may be carried forward to subsequent months.
Applicants are informed of results by email by the end of the following month.

5. Acceptance of the Grant

Awardees must confirm acceptance within 7 days.
A reminder is sent on day 5.
Failure to confirm leads to cancellation and reallocation of funds.

6. Participation and Acknowledgement

Awardees must attend the event in person and acknowledge Science for Ukraine support.

Required wording for presentations:

“With the support of #ScienceForUkraine, through the Micro Travel Grants Call 2026.”

For social media:

Use #ScienceForUkraine
Tag official accounts:
- @ScienceForUkraine (LinkedIn)
- @ScienceForUkraine (Facebook)
- @Sci_for_Ukraine (Twitter/X)

7. Reimbursement Procedures

7.1 Eligible costs

Travel (economy class)
Accommodation
Conference registration fee

7.2 Required documents

Travel tickets and boarding passes
Accommodation invoice
Registration invoice
Proof of payment (e.g., bank confirmation or transaction record)
Official confirmation of attendance from organisers (no self-declarations)
Short news item (max. 500 words) + two photos (optional)

7.3 Submission and payment

Reimbursement form must be submitted within 30 days after the event.
Payments are made within 20–30 days after validation.
Original receipts must be kept for 1 year.

8. Important Financial Rules

Reimbursement is based on actual documented costs, up to the awarded amount.
No reimbursement if the event is not attended, regardless of the reason.
Science for Ukraine provides no insurance coverage.
Bank and exchange fees are deducted from the reimbursed amount.
Non-EUR costs are converted using the European Commission exchange rate.

9. If an Awardee Cannot Use the MTG

Awardees must inform Science for Ukraine as soon as possible and before the event.
Failure to do so results in:
- loss of the MTG;
- permanent ineligibility for future MTG calls.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Is authorship order important?
No. Any author may apply, provided they personally present the paper in person.
How are applications selected?
All formally eligible applications are selected by random assignment, without scoring.
Who is considered a “young scholar”?
A currently enrolled doctoral student, or a researcher within 5 years of obtaining their PhD (or equivalent).
Can postdoctoral researchers apply?
Yes, if they are within 5 years after their PhD.
Can master’s students apply?
No.
Do I need to be the first author?
No.
Can I apply if I have an academic position abroad?
No.
Are online or hybrid events eligible?
No.
Can I use the MTG for a research stay or teaching visit?
No.
Can I apply for an event organised by my university or project?
No, unless your institution participates but you are not directly involved.
What does a “sufficiently good motivation statement” mean?
It must clearly explain relevance and expected academic or career benefit.
Why is random selection used?
To ensure fairness when demand exceeds available funding.
Can my application be reconsidered if not selected?
Yes, eligible applications may be carried forward to the next month.

Personal Data Protection

Science for Ukraine processes personal data solely for administering, evaluating, awarding, and reimbursing MTGs, and for reporting and auditing purposes.

What data do we process

Identification and contact details
Academic and professional information (career stage, ORCID iD, motivation letter, conference participation)
Financial data necessary for reimbursement
Reporting materials (news item and photos)

No sensitive personal data (GDPR Article 9) is intentionally collected.

Data access and storage

Access restricted to authorised Science for Ukraine members and reviewers.
Data stored securely and only as long as required by programme and legal obligations.

Personal data is not shared with third parties, except where required by law.

Data subjects’ rights

Applicants and awardees may request access, correction, deletion (when legally possible), or withdraw before reimbursement.

Contact: info@scienceforukraine.eu

Data controller

NGO Science for Ukraine
Reg. No. 40008327275 (Latvia) scienceforukraine.eu