Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM) consist in exchange visits between researchers participating in a COST Action. This kind of activity is allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST Member, Cooperating Member or Near-Neighbour Country joining the Action. The duration of such  missions may last up to six months. The aim of a STSM is to foster collaboration in relevant  research infrastructures and to share new techniques that may not be available in a participant’s home institution or laboratory.

Take a look to our last STSMs

How to apply?

For any information about the submission procedure for applicants or hosts, please contact our Grant Awarding Coordinator  Penny Labropoulou or Vice-Coordinator Vojtech Svatek.

Open Calls

Open Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM) proposals for the 4th Grant Period:

Applicants

If you want to apply for an STSM, please follow the steps below:

  1. Read carefully Annex 2 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions.
  2. Obtain a letter of invitation from the Host Institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates should your application be approved.
  3. If you do not already have an e-COST account, create one at https://e-services.cost.eu and upload your CV.
  4. Submit an application online at: https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants.

Detailed information on the submission process, requirements and conditions, along with the evaluation criteria and the duration and funding of STSMs, is available at this document.

When to apply

You can apply for an STSM at any time until the 15th of July 2023 (or until the budget is spent) but the applications will be evaluated at set collection dates. Reminders will continue to be issued periodically to invite and encourage STSM applications. The number of granted proposals is determined by the available budget in each Grant Period.

For the 4th Grant Period (ending in October 2023), the collection dates have been set at: 31st January, 31st March, 31st May, 31st July 2023. STSM applications will be evaluated within 2 weeks after the collection dates.

Note: Upon extraordinary conditions, the evaluation of an application may take place between the set collection dates, provided that the applicant adequately justifies this and the Grant Evaluation committee accepts this.

Topics and hosts

For each call, there may be a list of suggested topics by WG (co-)leaders or interested Host institutions – although applicants can also apply for STSMs with other topics relevant to the COST Action. You can apply at any time throughout the project; if positively evaluated, your proposal will be added to the list of topics and announced through the Nexus communication channels. You can find more information on how to apply and the evaluation criteria for proposals in the following document.