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FENS/IBRO-PERC Exchange Fellowships

Federation of European Neuroscience Societies

Grant aim: Directed at Master and PhD students as well as early-career postdocs in Europe, this program aims to foster and broaden their scope of methodological training by supporting goal-directed laboratory visits in established European laboratories

Status: Upcoming

Applications: 1 Jun 2026 - 15 Oct 2026

Applications for this program are currently closed.

Grant type: Career Development

Open to: Pan-Europe

Maximum grant amount: EUR 4,000

In their mutual and strong commitment to support early career researchers and intra-European mobility, with a set goal of advancing neuroscience research and training in Europe, FENS and the IBRO Pan-Europe Regional Committee (IBRO-PERC) are pleased to announce the launch of the FENS/IBRO-PERC Exchange Fellowships Program.

Fellowship Specifications

Duration: 4 weeks (minimum) to 4 months (maximum). Stays exceeding 4 months must detail additional funding sources and outcomes for the FENS/IBRO-PERC-supported period.
Location: Both home and host laboratories must be based in Europe, and the exchange must involve a change of country.
Timeline: The fellowship must be completed within one year of being awarded.
Budget Restrictions: Eligible expenses include travel (economy class) and housing. Insurance, equipment, groceries, and personal items are not covered.
Report Submission: A final report is required within two months of completing the fellowship.
Application Limitation: Candidates may submit only one application for one fellowship at one host laboratory per application round.
Payment Structure: 60% of the grant will be awarded at least two weeks before the fellowship begins, with the remaining 40% provided upon completion of the exchange and submission of the grant report.

Evaluation Criteria

To ensure transparency and support applicants in preparing strong submissions, please note that your application will be evaluated based on the following key criteria:

Scientific and Training Quality

The scientific merit and clarity of your proposed research during the fellowship.

The quality and relevance of the planned training, particularly in terms of new methodologies or skills you will acquire that are not available at your home institution.

Added Value of the Exchange

How clearly and concretely the exchange supports your ongoing or planned research project.

The added value of the fellowship for your home laboratory in terms of collaboration, capacity-building, or new methodological expertise.

Suitability of the Candidate

How well your current methodological expertise and academic background match the proposed training and research.

The recommendation from your home supervisor, including their assessment of your potential and the expected impact of the fellowship.

Expected Outcomes

Clearly defined and realistic scientific and methodological outcomes of the exchange.

The likelihood of achieving the proposed objectives within the planned duration of the stay.

Feasibility and Need

Demonstration of a genuine need for the exchange, both scientifically and financially.

We strongly encourage applicants to address each of these aspects thoughtfully and explicitly in the relevant sections of the application form. This will assist reviewers in thoroughly assessing the strength and feasability of your proposal.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

🧠 1. Strong Neuroscience Focus (Non-Negotiable)

Proposals must clearly fall within:
- Neuroscience (basic, translational, or clinical)
Common areas:
- Neurodegeneration
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Systems neuroscience
- Computational neuroscience

👉 Non-neuroscience topics are not considered

🌍 2. Clear Training & Skill Development Component (Top Predictor)

FENS funding is heavily training-oriented:

Applicants must show:
- What new skills/techniques they will gain
- Why these skills are not available at their home institution

👉 This is often the most decisive factor for fellowships

🔄 3. Knowledge Transfer Between Institutions (Critical)

Strong proposals include:
- Plan to transfer skills back to home lab
- Long-term benefit to home institution

👉 Two-way exchange (learn → implement) is essential

🤝 4. Quality of Host Institution & Lab

Host lab must:
- Provide unique expertise or technology
- Be internationally recognized

👉 Weak host justification is a common rejection reason

👩‍🔬 5. Applicant Potential & Career Stage

Target group:
- PhD students
- Postdocs
- Early-career neuroscientists

Evaluation includes:

Academic track record
Motivation and career trajectory

👉 FENS invests in future neuroscience leaders

🧪 6. Feasible & Well-Defined Research Plan

Clear:
- Objectives
- Methods
- Timeline (often short-term: weeks to months)

👉 Overly ambitious or vague plans are penalized

📊 7. Scientific Quality of the Project

Strong hypothesis or research question
Relevance to neuroscience field
Clear expected outcomes

👉 While training is key, scientific merit still matters

🌐 8. European Mobility & Networking

Applicants must:
- Move between countries/institutions
Encourages:
- European collaboration
- Network building

👉 Mobility is a core eligibility and evaluation factor

🧠 9. Contribution to Broader Neuroscience Community

Projects that:
- Foster collaboration
- Share knowledge
- Build long-term partnerships

👉 Community impact strengthens proposals

💰 10. Realistic Scope for Small Grants

Funding typically:
- Covers travel + short-term research stays
Projects must be:
- Focused and achievable

👉 Large-scale projects are not suitable

📊 Summary: Key Predictors (Ranked)

Highest impact factors:

Neuroscience focus
Training/skill acquisition
Knowledge transfer plan

Moderate predictors:
4. Host lab quality
5. Applicant potential
6. Feasibility

Supporting factors:
7. Scientific quality
8. Mobility
9. Networking impact

💡 Insider Insight

Compared to research-heavy funders:

Federation of European Neuroscience Societies is:
👉 training- and mobility-driven
👉 less focused on large research outcomes

👉 Key evaluation question:
“Will this fellowship meaningfully develop the applicant’s skills and strengthen neuroscience collaboration?”

Clear training benefit ✔️
Strong host lab ✔️
Knowledge transfer plan ✔️
→ Highest success probability

Specialties

Neurosciences

Eligibility Requirements

To apply, candidates must:

Be Master or PhD students in neuroscience or early postdoctoral fellows (within 5 years of starting their postdoc) currently based in Europe.
- Applicants resident in Africa, Asia and Latin America should apply via the general IBRO Exchange Fellowships program page here.
Be members of a FENS member society, individual FENS members, or members of an IBRO organization in the Pan-Europe region that is not a FENS member (see list below*).
Have acceptance from the host laboratory.
Have recommendation from the home laboratory.

* Eligible organizations include Armenian IBRO Association; Austrian Academy of Sciences; Israel Academy of Sciences & Humanities; Italian Association of NeuroImmunology; Russian Academy of Sciences; Slovak Academy of Sciences; Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS, Spain); Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; Brain Research Society (BARD) in Turkey.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Federation of European Neuroscience Societies

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Rue d’Egmont 11, 1000, Brussels, Belgium | +32 2 426 56 96

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