FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are exchange visits in a COST Action supporting researchers’ individual mobility to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST country, aimed at strengthening existing networks and fostering collaboration. A STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the COST Action to establish new partnerships, learn or share new techniques, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institution/organisation. The institutions / organisation or legal entity where applicants pursue their main strand of research are considered as Home Institutions. The Host Institution is the institution / organisation that will host the successful applicant.
A STSM applicant must specifically contribute to the research objectives of the COST Action for which it is submitted the STSM duration varies between 5 and 90 days (and up to 180 days if the applicant is an ECR). The STSM will be a fixed grant to cover part of the travel expenses and living allowance. The cost of research materials is not eligible for consideration as part of the grant. Please note that the awarded grant will be paid only after the STSM has been completed – therefore the applicant must have approval and prior financial support e.g., from their own institution.
For a step-by-step guide to applying for an STSM and the criteria by which STSM applications will be assessed, please see here.
STSM awards may be combined with other funding sources, but these must be acknowledged in the application.
For ECIs, two support letters by advanced career researchers will be required.
For detailed rules regarding eligibility and financial support, please see the COST Vademecum, section 8, here.