ESHMS offers two research visit grants per calendar year for scholars who are planning a research visit abroad in 2027.
Deadline for application:
The deadline is 15 December 2026. The 2026 winners are on this page.
What can be applied for?
You can apply for up to 1’000 Euros to contribute to the travel and lodging costs of research visits that will increase international collaboration in the field of health and medical sociology. The grant cannot cover additional expenses, such as local transportation, food, or insurance.
Who is eligible?
- The applicant is a member of ESHMS
- The applicant has not previously received an ESHMS research visit grant
- The applicant is planning a research visit abroad to take place in the year 2027. For visits that span two calendar years, the candidate should apply for a grant for the year in which the majority of the visit occurs.
How to apply?
Applications should be submitted before 15 December 2026 to Prof Alice Scavarda (alice.scavarda@unito.it). They must comprise the following documents:
- A 1-page research proposal, including (a) the name and institute of the collaboration partner that will host the applicant; (b) an explanation of the reason for the visit; (c) an abstract of the proposed research, including work plan and expected outcome.
- A proof of acceptance of the collaboration partner
- A CV of the applicant (maximum 2 pages)
- A budget with estimated travel and accommodation costs and the amount requested from ESHMS (maximum 1’000 Euros)
Budget and complementary funding
The ESHMS Research Visit Grant provides a maximum amount of €1’000 and is not intended to cover the full costs of extended research stays.
When the total budget of the proposed visit exceeds €1’000, applicants must demonstrate that they have secured complementary funding to cover the remaining costs.
The award of the grant is conditional upon the applicant’s ability to provide documentary proof of such complementary funding. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal of the grant offer.
Selection criteria
Research proposals will be assessed with respect to:
- Quality
- Feasibility
- Relevance to health and medical sociology
Among the proposals that meet the selection criteria, priority will be given to young scholars, that is graduate students or scholars who defended their PhD thesis not longer than 8 years prior to the application deadline (extension rules for maternity, paternity and long-term illness apply)1.
The Advisory Board of ESHMS will assess the proposals. Decisions on grants will be made before end of December or early January.
Payments
Applicants who have been awarded the ESHMS research visit grant can ask for an advance payment. Payments are finalised after the visit and are based on the submission of valid receipts and a brief report (400 words). The report has to illuminate the researcher’s experiences and results from the research visit. We will publish this brief report on the ESHMS website.
publication acknowledgement
Applicants awarded the ESHMS research visit grant can will have to sign the Research Visit Grant Publication Acknowledgment Regulation. The purpose of this regulation is to ensure proper acknowledgment of grants awarded by the ESHMS in any publications that result, either wholly or in part, from the support provided by the research visit grant.
FAQ
Can I apply if the total cost of my visit exceeds €1’000?
Yes. However, if the total budget of the proposed visit exceeds €1’000, applicants must demonstrate that they have secured complementary funding to cover the remaining costs. The award of the grant is conditional upon the ability to provide proof of such funding if requested.
What counts as complementary funding?
Complementary funding may include salary continuation from the applicant’s home institution, institutional mobility funds, other grants or fellowships, or confirmed financial support from the host institution.
When and how will applicants be informed of the results?
All applicants will be informed of the outcome by email after the evaluation process has been completed (end of December or early January).
Are grant recipients expected to contribute to ESHMS communication activities?
ESHMS may publicise awarded grants through its website, newsletter, and social media channels. Recipients will be contacted in advance and may opt out of such communication if they wish.
1 Extensions will be granted in the following properly documented circumstances:
- For maternity: 18 months per child born before or after the PhD award. If the actual leave was longer, the extension will equal the documented amount of leave actually taken for each child.
- For paternity: the documented amount of paternity leave actually taken for each child born before or after the PhD award.
- For long-term illness (over 90 days for the applicant or a close family member; i.e. child, spouse, parent or sibling): the documented amount of leave actually taken for each incident which occurred after the PhD award.