Attending academic events / Travel expenses
The Graduate School can offer financial assistance for travel expenses incurred by attending academic events such as conferences or symposia if these are related to the subject of the doctoral degree. The prerequisite for reimbursement is that the doctoral candidate cannot fund the travel costs for the research visit themselves and that no other funding is available. Funds will be allocated by the principle of priority. A maximum of one reimbursement per doctoral candidate will be granted within a six month period (from the start date of the journey).
Financial assistance may be granted to cover event fees, accommodation and travel expenses (Section 5 LRKG NRW will apply). For international travel, the total reimbursement for the outgoing and return journey is subject to the limit for the destination country. Daily allowances or contributions to other living costs (for example for meals) cannot be reimbursed. In general, expenses must be kept to the minimum amount possible and all due effort given in this regard.
The following may be reimbursed:
- Event fees excluding any charges for fringe events and hospitality programmes
- Train tickets (second class)
- Flight tickets (economy class) and only in the event that air travel is cheaper than rail travel
- Travel by car (only in exceptional and justified cases)
- Accommodation costs (usually limited to a maximum of 80 Euro per person/per night)
Entitlement
Entitled to apply are only doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Law, who have not yet submitted their dissertation for evaluation and have not yet applied for admission to the doctoral examination procedure (§ 7 PromO). After applying for admission to the doctoral examination procedure a reimbursement for travel expenses can only be granted in duly justified exceptional cases (e.g. thematic relation between the academic event and the upcoming oral examination). In this case the doctoral candidate has to provide a comprehensive explanation stating the expected outcome of the academic event for the doctoral project. Applying for a reimbursement of travel expenses is not anymore possible after the oral examination has been passed.
Important information
If your application for reimbursement has been approved, you must present all original receipts related to the incurred travel expenses after the event (tickets, hotel receipts etc.). The reimbursement amount can only be calculated and paid out after these receipts have been received. In exceptional circumstances (and subject to the condition of repayment if applicable), an advance payment of 80 percent of the full amount of the publication subsidy may be granted. In this case, the application must have been made at least 14 days before the event and the amount must exceed 100 Euro.