Guidelines
Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and
Internationalization, Faculty of Science, MU
PROCEDURES AND RULES FOR GRANTING SCHOLARSHIPS WITHIN
THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME IN SUPPORT OF THE DOCTORAL
STUDENTS MOBILITIES
(in the version effective from 1 January 2024)
Section 1
Introductory Provisions
(1) The PhD Student Mobility Scholarship Programme (hereinafter referred to as the
"Scholarship Programme") is announced by the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Masaryk
University (hereinafter referred to as "FSci MU") in accordance with the provision of
Section 3(1)(b) of the Masaryk University Scholarship and Bursary Regulations.
(2) The main purpose of the Scholarship Programme is to support the long-term international
mobility of FSci MU doctoral students, such as study stays and internships.
(3) The guidelines shall be valid since the effective date of the Dean's Measure No. 7/2019 for
an indefinite period
(4) The source of funding is primarily the Masaryk University Strategic Plan, or, as the case
may be, the Operating Resource Fund, contribution for educational activities, or long-term
conceptual development of a research organisation.
Section 2
Purpose of the Scholarship Programme and Eligibility Requirements
(1) There is no statutory entitlement to the scholarship, and the application may not be fully
granted.
(2) With regard to doctoral students' obligations and the Faculty's strategy, primarily foreign
stays abroad as follows are supported:
(a) with a duration of 1 month (30 days) or longer,
b) which have received relevant co-financing from other sources,
c) which take place at a university ranked in THE or QS rankings 1 to 500 at the time of
application.
(3) The prerequisite referred to in Section 2(2)(a) is also met, in justified cases, by stays of
a minimum duration of 14 days, as long as the student provides evidence of a plan for fulfilling
the placement obligation abroad so that he or she stays abroad for a total of at least 30 days over
the period of study. In justified cases, it is not necessary to fulfil the condition set out in Section
2(2)(b) and stays without co-financing may also be supported. Stays which do not qualify for
the subsidy provided for in Section 6(8) do not need to fulfil the condition set out in Section
2(2)(c).
(4) Exceptionally, a one-off call subject to individual rules may be announced to support
the participation of doctoral students in international conferences.
Section 3
Conditions for Awarding the Scholarship
(1) The scholarship is intended for students of full-time and combined studies of doctoral
degree programmes at FSci MU.
(2) Students must be enrolled in the standard duration of study or the standard duration of
study increased by 1 year.
(3) A condition for granting the scholarship is submitting a study agreement (e.g., a
Learning/Training Agreement), a letter of invitation or a similar document (e.g., an Acceptance
Letter) issued by the relevant workplace abroad for the student concerned.
(4) Students must participate in the stay abroad on predefined dates and must maintain the
planned period. The stay abroad shall be duly recorded in the IS MU.
(5) Students going abroad within the Erasmus+ Programme and outside the Programme
may apply for the scholarship. Stays abroad in the applicant's country of origin are not
recommended and can only be supported after a successful application for an exemption.
(6) Students whose mobility is funded from another source may be granted the scholarship
to cover the difference between their funding and the maximum amount admissible under this
Scholarship Programme. This amount does not include a bonus under Section 6(7). If the
student has received other funding for mobility, the reduction under Section 6(6) does not apply.
(7) In case a student has more stays abroad, their respective durations shall be considered
separately for the purpose of the scholarship.
Section 4
Form of Application
(1) The application is filed in electronic form through the IS MU Document Office to the vicedean
for doctoral studies (Application for scholarship in support of the Doctoral Student
Mobilities).
(2) The application shall contain the following requisites:
a. A study agreement (Learning/Training Agreement) with all relevant signatures; in other
cases, a letter of invitation or an Acceptance Letter etc.
b. Financial plan of costs for the entire stay abroad, including travel and living expenses.
(3) The application shall be checked by the person in charge at the Dean's Office of the FSci
MU and approved by the supervisor and vice-dean for doctoral studies.
(4) After arrival at the destination, the confirmation of the host institution must be obtained
(Confirmation of Arrival – PhD student mobility under the Dean's Measure No. 7/2019) so that
the whole sum of the scholarship may be paid. The student shall send the Confirmation to the
person in charge at the Dean's Office of the FSci MU.
Section 5
Amount and Payment of Scholarship
(1) The scholarship typically amounts to CZK 1,000–100,000. A higher amount than the
upper limit may be awarded only in cases worthy of special consideration.
(2) The final scholarship amount shall be determined according to submitted costs, price
levels in the destination, and state of funds in the order from which the scholarship is paid.
(3) The approved scholarship is usually paid in one instalment after the start of the student's
stay abroad. To receive the scholarship, the student must prove that the foreign placement has
been successfully started with a confirmation from the host institution ("Confirmation of
Arrival – PhD student mobility"). In exceptional cases, the scholarship can be paid in two
payments, with the first (20 % of the approved scholarship) being paid prior to the start of the
student's stay abroad. For the full amount to be paid, confirmation from the host institution (see
above) must be provided upon arrival in the destination country.
(4) If the mobility does not occur or is significantly shorter than planned in the approved
application, the student shall return a proportionate part of the scholarship. If that happens due
to objective reasons independent of the student's will, the relevant vice-dean may be asked for
a waiver of the refund.
(5) The scholarship shall be paid in Czech crowns to the bank account specified by the
student in the IS MU.
Section 6
Rules for Financial Plan and Other Requisites
(1) Expected costs may include travel and placement expenses in direct relation to the
purpose of the mobility, as the case may be. In all categories, maximum economic use of funds
is expected (e.g., travelling in economy class). The Faculty recommends that students actively
seek other sources of co-financing for the stay, as available funds may not cover all costs
associated with the stay.
(2) Travel expenses are costs of travel by any means of transport, including local transport
from the starting point to the destination and back. Travel expenses may also include trip
cancellation insurance (covering the costs of air tickets and other tickets); it should be part of
the ticket invoice.
a. The contribution toward travel expenses depends on the distance between the home
institution and the place of stay abroad (up to the amount according to the real
distance, see EU Distance Calculator).
Distance from home institution Amount in CZK
100–499 km 4,700
500–1,999 km 7,200
2,000–2,999 km 9,400
3,000–3,999 km 13,900
4,000–7,999 km 21,500
8,000 km and more 39,000
(3) Placement expenses are costs of accommodation (incl. cancellation fees, if applicable),
food, travel insurance etc.
a. Daily limits for different groups of countries are displayed in the table
"Maximum daily limits of living costs" below. The daily rate shall only apply to
the days on which the mobility occurs.
Maximum daily limits of living costs
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom
CZK 1,000
Belgium, France, Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Germany, the Netherlands,
Portugal, Austria, Greece, Spain
CZK 900
Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey
CZK 600
Other countries – the maximum amount CZK 1,000
(4) Travel tickets, accommodation receipts, etc., must be kept and handed over to the person
in charge at the Dean's Office of the FSci MU after the end of the mobility (may be sent by email
as scans) together with a brief report of the mobility.
(5) In exceptional cases, e.g., in the event of loss of original receipts that cannot be obtained
again from the payee, the amount of costs may be evidenced with a statutory declaration.
(6) The FSci MU emphasises a sufficient length of stay abroad for the acquisition of
experience of doctoral students, and for this reason, the calculated amount according to Article
6 will be reduced by 5 % for stays shorter than 30 days.
(7) The FSci MU emphasises the importance of the student's efforts to investigate and
obtain another source of co-financing for the stay. For this reason, it is necessary to indicate the
allocated co-financing from other sources in the application. The relevant co-financing
documented may be awarded a bonus of up to CZK 5,000.
(8) If the stay takes place at a university ranked between 1 and 500 in THE or QS at the
time of application and the stay lasts longer than 30 days, the amount calculated to cover the
costs of the stay according to Section 6(3) is increased by 5 %.
Section 7
Combination of More Sources of Funding
(1) If the student simultaneously applies for financial support of mobility from a different
source (or from more sources), he/she shall inform the person in charge of the Scholarship
Programme thereof and mention the fact in the application.
(2) Various sources of mobility funding, e.g., Erasmus+, may be combined to reach the
required amount.
(3) Other sources of funding include travel orders. The student is required to report and
include it on the financial plan in all cases – whether it is a travel order from an MU department,
or another institution.
(4) In the case of a travel order to the FSci MU or CEITEC MU, it can be co-financed up to
a maximum of 50 % of the total amount, and at the same time, the amount provided from this
scholarship source will not exceed CZK 50,000.
(5) The financial plan of costs which is part of the application in the IS MU must specify
the amounts obtained from other sources and the amount requested from the Scholarship
Programme (e.g., "Total requested amount is CZK 70, 000, of which 30, 000 is covered by
Erasmus+; therefore, I request CZK 40, 000 from the A.6. Programme. ")
Section 8
Final Provisions
(1) The student shall be solely responsible for the correctness and completeness of the
information stated in the application.
(2) The scholarship is not claimable; its final amount is decided by the Vice-Dean for
Doctoral Studies. The scholarship aims to cover the costs of doctoral students' foreign stays,
taking into account the total amount available, and to satisfy as many applicants as possible.
Emphasis is placed on supporting stays at high-quality foreign universities and institutes,
considering the doctoral student's desire for desirable multi-source funding and the length of
the stay.
(3) The scholarship award is contingent on the sufficient availability of funds. Applications
are collected throughout the calendar year until the allocated sum is exhausted.
(4) Applications for the scholarship are processed in the order in which they were submitted.
These Guidelines are administered by the Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic
Affairs and Internationalization, FSci MU.
Ing. Lucie Janíčková
15 December 2023