Guidance for applicants
European Preparatory Visits Scheme
Internal
OVERVIEW
The European Preparatory Visits Scheme aims to contribute towards the
strengthening of UK/EU research by supporting academics to visit partners
and construct applications for European research funding.
The following notes provide guidance of eligibility criteria and completion of
the application form and must be read in conjunction with the Conditions of
Award issued if you are successful.
It is possible for applicants to apply for funding for either a Preparatory visit or
attendance at a Contact Seminar. Only one application per department per
semester will be accepted.
OBJECTIVES
1.1
SCHEME OBJECTIVES
The objective of the European Preparatory Visits scheme is to enable our
academics to:
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Participate in a preparatory visit with an EU contact(s) with the intention
of submitting an application for funding with them to an EU scheme.

Facilitate collaborations by participation in an advertised EU contact
seminar with the intention of submitting an application for funding with
them to an EU scheme.
1.2
COUNTRIES AND SCHEMES COVERED
The European Preparatory Visits Scheme is available for all countries in the
EU-28: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain Sweden. All schemes funded by the EU
Commission are eligible.
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1.3
ACTIVITIES FUNDED
The application must be to attend an advertised contact seminar or to embark
on a preparatory visit. Both must result in an application for funding to an EU
Commission funded scheme.
1.4
APPLICATION APPROVALS
Once applications are completed and submitted to RDCS, notification of the
result will follow in 4 weeks. It is the applicants’ responsibility to ensure that
their Head of Department and Dean have approved and signed the
application.
1.5
LEVELS OF FUNDING
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Single applicant – max £1,000
Single applicant with Carer – max £1,000 plus associated carer costs
Joint Intra Department – max £1,000 for all attendees
Joint Intra Department with Carer - max £1,000 for all attendees plus
associated carer costs
Joint Inter Department - max £1,000 for all attendees from each
department
Joint Inter Department with Carer - max £1,000 for all attendees from
each department
plus associated carer costs
1.5.1
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ALLOWABLE COSTS
APEX European airfare
Subsistence and accommodation
Local travel
Registration (Contact Seminar applications only)
1.5.2
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EXCLUDED COSTS
Research expenses
Equipment
Departmental costs
Bench fees
Excess baggage costs
Expenses relating to accompanying dependents
Childcare
Contributions towards salaries
Training courses
Expenses due to cancellations
Shipping costs
Visa charges
Work permits
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 Immunisations
1.6
CONTACT INFORMATION
Any enquiries about this scheme can be made using the details below. Before
contacting us you may wish to check if your question can be answered by
these scheme notes or the FAQ page on the website.
Aimi MacCormac
European & International Research Funding Manager
Research, Development and Commercial Services
Anglia Ruskin University
MedBic 011
Chelmsford
CM1 1SQ
0845 196 4857
aimi.maccormac@anglia.ac.uk
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APPLICATIONS FOR EUROPEAN RESEARCH PREPARATORY
VISITS
PLEASE DO NOT HANDWRITE THIS FORM BUT COMPLETE
ELECTRONICALLY AND PRINT FOR ORIGINAL SIGNATURES
A. APPLICANT
A.1 Type of Application
Please indicate which is applicable to your application from the definitions
below:
Single applicant – One applicant from one department travelling alone
Joint intra department application – Two applicants from the same department
travelling together
Joint inter department application - Two applicants from different departments
travelling together
A.2 Applicant details
Please complete section as applicable.
B. PREVIOUS EU ACTIVITIES
B.1 Previous EU Grants
Please list any EU Commission funded research or projects your department
has received in the last three years. Please include all information requested.
If the application involves applicants from more than one department, please
indicate both departments’ projects.
B.2 Extra Participants
If your trip needs to involve more than two academics, please explain here
why this is necessary and indicate why their level of expertise is of
importance.
B.3 Current projects
Please give as much detail as you can here in 500 words about the research
or projects you have been involved with that are relevant to this application.
Please
also
include
your
CV
in
the
EUROPASS
format
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Europasss+Docum
ents/Europass+CV.csp
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If the application involves applicants from more than one department, please
indicate both departments’ projects.
C. VISIT CONTENT
C.1 Countries – Preparatory Visits
Please give full information about the country or countries you are planning to
visit and the EU Fund you are planning on applying to upon your return.
C.2 Planned ideas – Preparatory Visits
Please give as much information as you can in 500 words about the project
you are planning to pursue on the visit. Consider what objectives you wish to
set and any activities you are planning, to develop the project. Also please
indicate the start date of the future project and the anticipated duration.
This is an important section that will be paramount in decision making so
please make your case as succinctly as possible.
If you are choosing to visit two countries please also indicate here the
necessity for the planned project.
C.3 Countries – Contact Seminars
Please give full information about the contact seminar you are planning to
visit.
C.4 Planned ideas – Contact Seminars
Please give as much information as you can in 500 words about your aims for
the seminar including future ambitions, ideas and who you hope to meet.
Consider how the planned project will link to activities in your department or
how they may facilitate new ones. Please also attach a brief agenda and title
for the seminar and indicate the anticipated start date of the future project and
the duration.
D. BUDGET
D.1
Please complete each section for each applicant. Please ensure that you use
economy flights and a realistic accommodation and subsistence rate. Bear in
mind you do not need to meet the £1,000 ceiling and only a realistic budget
will be accepted.
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Please add all figures in pounds sterling.
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E. AUTHORISED SIGNATORIES
E.1 Applicant 1
Please complete and sign for a single visit.
Any applications received without this signature will be invalid and returned to
the applicant.
E.2 Applicant 2
Please complete and sign if more than one individual is applying and indicate
the separate department if necessary.
Any applications received without this signature will be invalid and returned to
the applicant.
E.3 Head of Department 1
The Head of Department must sign this section for a single visit. As only one
application per semester is allowed, the Head of Department will make an
internal selection decision. Any applications received without this signature
will be invalid and returned to the applicant.
E.4 Head of Department 2
If this is an Intra application the Head of Department only needs to sign
section E.3 above.
However if this is an Inter application between two separate departments then
both E.3 and E.4 must be signed by the corresponding Head of Departments.
As only one application per semester is allowed, the Head of Department will
make an internal selection decision. Any applications received without these
signatures will be invalid and returned to the applicant.
E.5 Dean 1
The application must also be approved and signed by the Dean of the Faculty.
Any applications received without this signature will be invalid and returned to
the applicant.
E.6 Dean 2
If this is an Intra application the Dean only needs to sign section E.5 above.
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However if this is an Inter application between two separate departments then
both E.5 and E.56 must be signed by the corresponding Dean.
Any applications received without this signature will be invalid and returned to
the applicant.
Please note that authorisation and signature of the application indicates that
the topic to be discussed is relevant to the Department and Faculty, and that
Form OA1 has been approved.
In the rare circumstance of an approved application failing to comply with
RDCS terms and conditions (i.e. failure to produce receipts, failure to produce
Final report etc.), the Department will be liable for the costs of the trip. As
grants are capped at £1,000 per department per trip, any additional costs will
need to be approved and paid for by the Department.
F. CHECKLIST
Before submitting the grant application, please also check the following:
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The application has been completed in full
The application has been submitted using the correct form
The application has been approved by the relevant Head of
Department and Dean
The visit destination is in an EU Member State or associated country
only if relevant to the proposed consortium
The trip has been approved by Faculty and International Office using
form OA1
The visit destination(s) is/are located in one/maximum two countries
In case of participation in a contact seminar, the contact seminar is
organised by a proposed EU projects co-ordinator
The grant application bears the original signature of the person legally
authorised to sign on behalf of the department and faculty respectively
Please note that if your department has already committed to a grant
application for the activity in question starting in the same semester as your
application, then it can no longer receive a preparatory visit grant for the same
activity until next semester.
Grants will not be awarded for project visits where applications for EU funding
have already been submitted. The grants are for new consortium
opportunities only.
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