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Guidelines for the Submission and Selection of Proposals for Research Internship Abroad

1. Target audience (back to index)

FAPESP recognizes the significance of exchanges between researchers in training and research groups abroad. Such exchanges are made possible by the interruption of Scholarships/Fellowships granted by the Foundation in Brazil to benefit from Scholarships/Fellowships abroad, whether funded by FAPESP or other agencies, as well as the use of the Research Overhead of Scholarships/Fellowships in Brazil to finance internships of up to six months abroad, without interruption of the FAPESP Scholarship/Fellowship.

The Research Internship Abroad (RIA) is intended to support short and medium-term research internships for FAPESP Scholarship/Fellowship Recipients at the Scientific Initiation, Masters, Doctorate (DD), Doctorate (DR), and Post-Doctoral modalities, and must be used during the term of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil, within the deadlines defined here. The research internship abroad must be an integral part of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil and cannot be requested independently.

Proposals must demonstrate that the research internship abroad will substantially contribute to the research that the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient is developing in Brazil, which is the subject of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil. The approval of the RIA implies the interruption of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil, which shall be resumed upon return from abroad without affecting its duration.

The research internship abroad should be included in the initial application or in the Scientific Reports of Scholarships/Fellowships in Brazil in the following modalities: Scientific Initiation, Masters, Doctorate (DD), Doctorate (DR), and Post-Doctoral.

The Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's Advisor or Supervisor will be responsible for requesting the RIA. The proposal must identify the Institution where the research internship will take place, as well as the researcher abroad who will supervise the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient during the internship. The Institution and the research group abroad must be world leaders in the field the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient will carry out the internship. The Institution and the researcher abroad must formally express their agreement with the research project and the acceptance of the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient during the internship, without any cost to FAPESP, except for those resulting from the award of the Scholarship/Fellowship and its benefits.

2. Modalities of Research Internship Abroad (back to index)

2.1. RIA – Scientific Initiation (back to index)

It is intended for FAPESP Scientific Initiation Scholarship Recipients.

Research internship abroad must be carried out:

a) as from the sixth (6th) month of the Scholarship in Brazil;

a.1) exceptionally, in the case of renewal of the Scholarship in Brazil (Scientific Initiation), within the scope of the same project, the above restriction does not apply, and the research internship abroad can be carried out before the six (6) months of the start of the Scholarship renewal period;

a.2) the duration of the Scholarship in Brazil and RIA may not, under any circumstances, extend beyond the date of the end of the Scholarship Recipient's last semester of graduation course;

b) for a maximum period of four (4) months;

c) when the Scholarship Recipient has already completed a sufficient number of subjects relevant to the project;

d) starting at least four (4) months before the end of the Scholarship term in Brazil. The Scholarship in Brazil will be interrupted for the start of the RIA, and the time of interruption will not be deducted from the duration of the Scholarship. At the end of the RIA, the Scholarship Recipient must return to Brazil and reactivate the Scholarship in Brazil for a minimum period of four (4) months, as to enable the application and transfer of the knowledge and results obtained during the internship abroad to the research project developed in the state of São Paulo.

2.2. RIA – Masters (back to index)

It is intended for FAPESP Masters Scholarship Recipients.

Research internship abroad must be carried out:

a) as from the tenth (10th) month of enrollment in the Masters course; in highly exceptional cases, FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before this deadline, upon a detailed justification;

b) for a maximum period of six (6) months;

c) when the Scholarship Recipient has already completed all the mandatory subjects in their postgraduate program; FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before all the credits have been fulfilled, upon a detailed justification, after a sufficient number of credits have been fulfilled for the development of the project;

d) starting at least six (6) months before the end of the Scholarship term in Brazil. The Scholarship in Brazil will be interrupted for the start of the RIA, and the time of interruption will not be deducted from its duration. At the end of the RIA, the Scholarship Recipient must return to Brazil and reactivate the Scholarship in Brazil for a minimum period of six (6) months, as to enable the application and transfer of the knowledge and results obtained during the internship abroad to the research project developed in the state of São Paulo.

2.3. RIA – Doctorate (applicant without MSc degree) (DD) (back to index)

It is intended for FAPESP Doctorate (applicant without MSc degree) (DD) Scholarship Recipients.

Research internship abroad must be carried out:

a) as from the twelfth (12th) month of enrollment in the postgraduate program; in highly exceptional cases, FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before this deadline, upon a detailed justification;

b) for a maximum period of twelve (12) months;

c) when the Scholarship Recipient has already completed all the mandatory subjects in their postgraduate program; FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before all the credits have been fulfilled, upon a detailed justification, after a sufficient number of credits have been fulfilled for the development of the project;

d) starting at least twelve (12) months before the end of the Scholarship term in Brazil. The Scholarship in Brazil will be interrupted for the start of the RIA, and the time of interruption will not be deducted from its duration. At the end of the RIA, the Scholarship Recipient must return to Brazil and reactivate the Scholarship in Brazil for a minimum period of twelve (12) months, as to enable the application and transfer of the knowledge and results obtained during the internship abroad to the research project developed in the state of São Paulo.

2.4. RIA – Doctorate (DR) (back to index)

It is intended for FAPESP Doctorate (DR) Scholarship Recipients.

Research internship abroad must be carried out:

a) as from the twelfth (12th) month of enrollment in the Doctorate program; in highly exceptional cases, FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before this deadline, upon a detailed justification;

b) for a maximum period of twelve (12) months;

c) when the Scholarship Recipient has already completed all the mandatory subjects in their postgraduate program; FAPESP may analyze requests to carry out the internship abroad before all the credits have been fulfilled, upon a detailed justification, after a sufficient number of credits have been fulfilled for the development of the project;

d) starting at least twelve (12) months before the end of the Scholarship term in Brazil. The Scholarship in Brazil will be interrupted for the start of the RIA, and the time of interruption will not be deducted from its duration. At the end of the RIA, the Scholarship Recipient must return to Brazil and reactivate the Scholarship in Brazil for a minimum period of twelve (12) months, as to enable the application and transfer of the knowledge and results obtained during the internship abroad to the research project developed in the state of São Paulo.

2.5. RIA – Post-Doctoral (back to index)

It is intended for FAPESP Post-Doctoral Fellowship Recipients.

Research internship abroad must be carried out:

a) as from the sixth (6th) month of the Fellowship in Brazil;

b) for a maximum period of twelve (12) months;

c) starting at least eight (8) months before the end of the Fellowship term in Brazil. The Fellowship in Brazil will be interrupted for the start of the RIA, and the time of interruption will not be deducted from its duration. At the end of the RIA, the Fellowship Recipient must return to Brazil and reactivate the Fellowship in Brazil for a minimum period of eight (8) months, as to enable the application and transfer of the knowledge and results obtained during the internship abroad to the research project developed in the state of São Paulo.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The RIA submission deadlines as defined in item 2 are applied to Scholarships/Fellowships in Brazil submitted as of August 1^st, 2021. To Scholarships/Fellowships in Brazil submitted up until July 31^st, 2021, the deadlines applicable are in item 5 of the norm available at www.fapesp.br/14993.

3. Scholarship/Fellowship Components (back to index)

FAPESP does not match Scholarships/Fellowships from other national entities and does not allow these entities to match its Scholarships/Fellowships in terms of time or value.

Depending on the merit analysis, Scholarships/Fellowships granted by entities based abroad may be matched up to the maximum amount offered by FAPESP.

3.1. Fundable items (back to index)

a) Monthly maintenance, according to the table available at www.fapesp.br/valores ;

b) Transportation expenses:

b.1) Air ticket, in economy class, according to guidelines available at www.fapesp.br/normaspc , item 3.4.1.

b.2) Ground transportation ticket, with the exception of taxis and individual transportation services.

c) Travel insurance, according to the amount available at www.fapesp.br/2921.

d) Moving cost allowance, in the amount of one additional monthly fee, granted only for Research Internship Abroad with a duration of three (3) months or more.

e) Research Overhead, according to guidelines described at www.fapesp.br/rt.

e.1) Research Overhead is awarded in proportion to the number of months of the RIA, according to the following figures:

Level	Research Overhead Amount*
Scientific Initiation (SI)	10%
Masters (MS)	10%
Doctorate (applicant without MSc degree) (DD) / Doctorate (DR)	10%
Post-Doctoral (PD)	10%

* Calculated upon the total of abroad maintenance.

3.2. Non-fundable items (back to index)

a) School fees, bench fees and others;

b) Benefits for dependents.

4. Application date (back to index)

Applications must meet the deadlines specified in item 2 of these guidelines. Considering the time required for the analysis of the application by FAPESP and the appropriate planning of the internship, FAPESP strongly suggests submitting proposals in this modality at least 6 months prior to the desired starting date of the internship.

Applications for Research Internship Abroad may be submitted to FAPESP at any time throughout the year.

5. Duration (back to index)

a) The duration of the Research Internship Abroad (RIA) depends on the modality of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil from which the candidate benefits. The minimum duration is one (1) month, and the maximum duration will be as specified in the table below:

* See detailed conditions in item 2 of these guidelines.

** Regardless of the total duration and number of Scientific Initiation (SI) Scholarships taken up during the graduation (initial grants + eventual renewals), the maximum duration of the Research Internship Abroad allowed during the entire graduation course is four months.

*** Post-Doctoral (PD) Fellowships linked to Grants in the following modalities: Thematic Project Grant; Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDC); Engineering Research Centers/Applied Research Centers (ERC/ARC); São Paulo Excellence Chair Grant (SPEC); Science Centers for Development; and Young Investigator Grant may be renewed for two 12-month periods (totaling 60 months), provided that they are within the term of the Grant to which they are linked.

b) The period of the Research Internship Abroad will not be deducted from the duration of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil. This will be automatically interrupted by FAPESP from the start date of the RIA and, upon the return of the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient, will be reactivated for the full remaining period of the award.

b.1) Important: The reactivation of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil – starting the day after the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient returns to the state of São Paulo – is not automatic. It must be requested in the process of Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil by indicating the status of the research and its estimated completion. The reactivation request must be made through the SAGe system by submitting a Change Request of the type "Reativação de Processo", prepared by the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient and submitted by the Advisor/Supervisor. It is recommended that the reactivation request be submitted 30 days prior to the RIA expiration date, as indicated in the Grant Contract.

b.2) During the term of the RIA, the Scholarship Recipient's enrollment at the Host Institution in the state of São Paulo, in the graduation course (for Scientific Initiation Scholarship Recipients) or postgraduate course (for Masters, Doctorate (DD) and Doctorate (DR)), may be suspended. Enrollment must be reactivated upon the Scholarship Recipient's return to Brazil, in order for the respective Scholarship in Brazil to be reactivated.

c) In the case of Scholarships/Fellowships - Associated Submission, the duration of the RIA and the minimum period of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil to be completed upon return must be included in the duration of the Grant to which it is linked.

6. Requirements for applications (back to index)

6.1. Requirements for candidates (back to index)

a) Candidates must have a current FAPESP Scholarship/Fellowship in one of the following modalities: Scientific Initiation, Masters, Doctorate (DD), Doctorate (DR), or Post-Doctoral.

b) Candidates must have no pending responsibilities with FAPESP (i.e., delivery of Scientific Report and Financial Report, and issuance of reviewers' opinions, in the case of Post-Doctoral Fellowship Recipients). Proposals whose Beneficiary or Advisor/Supervisor have unfulfilled responsibilities with FAPESP overdue by more than 60 (sixty) days will not be reviewed.

c) Candidates must be proficient in English or the language of the country where the research internship will take place. Their proficiency must be proven by a formal statement from the Advisor/Supervisor of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

d) When applicable, candidates must have all Scientific Reports of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil approved.

e) When submitting the application for a Scholarship/Fellowship, candidates must be aware of the rules, forms and procedures available at www.fapesp.br and www.fapesp.br/sage .

f) Candidates should inform whether are applying for or receiving a Grant or Scholarship/Fellowship from other sources for the same purpose as the research proposal submitted.

6.2. Requirements for the Advisor/Supervisor (back to index)

a) Be the same Advisor/Supervisor of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

b) FAPESP does not award Scholarships/Fellowships of any kind in situations where the Advisor or Supervisor is closely related to the candidate. Close relatedness is considered a potential conflict of interest that compromises the essential perception of impartiality in evaluating the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's qualifications and performance.

6.3. Requirements for the Institution abroad (back to index)

a) Accept the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's research program. A document proving that the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient’s acceptance may be presented up to the time of contracting, in the case the Scholarship/Fellowship is awarded.

7. Required conditions and obligations (back to index)

7.1. Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient (back to index)

During the term of the Scholarship/Fellowship, the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient must comply with the following conditions and obligations:

a) Be aware of the obligations specified in the Grant Contract abroad, signed jointly with the Advisor/Supervisor.

a.1) Noncompliance with the rules and the terms specified in the Grant Contract may imply the cancellation of the Scholarship/Fellowship and the obligation to return funds already disbursed by FAPESP, in updated amounts.

b) Consult FAPESP in advance for any changes to the Research Internship Abroad (related to the research project, the effective dates, or others). Such changes can only be made after FAPESP's approval.

c) For the entire duration of the Research Internship Abroad, commit exclusively to research and studies activities.

d) Consult FAPESP before accepting any financial support from any other funding entity, whether public or private, for the execution of the research project related to the Scholarship/Fellowship awarded.

e) Have no pending responsibilities with FAPESP (i.e., delivery of Financial Report, Scientific Report and issuance of reviewers' opinions).

f) The Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient must return to Brazil immediately after the end of the RIA; otherwise, the funds received for the research internship abroad must be returned to FAPESP.

g) Refer to FAPESP's support in theses, dissertations, papers, books, conference abstracts and any other publication or form of dissemination of activities resulting, completely or partially, from Grants or Scholarships/Fellowships from the Foundation, as foreseen in the Grant Contract and described at www.fapesp.br/11789 .

h) In the event that the research project funded by FAPESP has also been awarded financial support from any other public or private source, the researcher is obligated to refer to the support, with clear indication of its source, in all forms of dissemination mentioned in the previous item.

i) Take the necessary steps to ensure that, through the service offered by the Host Institution, the full texts of the papers or other types of scientific communication resulting (in whole or in part) from the project funded by FAPESP and published in international journals are made available in an institutional repository of scientific works, in accordance with the open access policy of each journal, as soon as the manuscripts are approved for publication, or in the shortest time compatible with the restrictions of each journal, and in any case no later than 12 months from the date of publication. FAPESP Policy for Open Access to Publications Resulting from Grants and Scholarships/Fellowships is available at www.fapesp.br/12632.

j) It is the responsibility of the Recipient to verify with the appropriate consulate the need to obtain the specific visa and to obtain the visa.

k) The Recipient shall not leave the Institution where the research project abroad is being developed without previous and express permission of FAPESP, upon the justified request of the Advisor/Supervisor.

k.1) This restriction does not apply in the following cases:

i. fulfillment of a field research as foreseen in the research project on which the Scholarship/Fellowship is based;

ii. participation in Scientific or Technological Meeting Award, whether conducting presentations or not.

k.2) In all instances:

i. there is the requirement of a written endorsement from the Advisor/Supervisor of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil, which must be kept on file by the Advisor/Supervisor and the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient to be presented to FAPESP upon request.

ii. any leave of absence must be reported and justified by the Advisor/Supervisor on the next Scientific Report submission form, as to make its relevance understood by the reviewers.

iii. the possibility of a leave of absence does not imply an automatic authorization to use the funds of the Research Overhead. To use the funds of the Research Overhead, please consult the guidelines available at www.fapesp.br/rt.

l) Submit Scientific Reports, Research Overhead Reports and Financial Reports within the deadlines specified in the Grant Contract, accompanied by the required documentation.

m) Immediately inform FAPESP, through the Advisor/Supervisor, of any contract, appointment to fill a position or to perform a function (whether remunerated or not), change of residence, as well as any interruption of research activities.

n) Verify, in a timely manner, whether the execution of the project produces or could potentially produce results, in whole or in part, which might be the object of protection by Patent of Invention, Utility Model, Industrial Design, Software or any other form of protection of Intellectual Property rights, subject to FAPESP's Intellectual Property Policy, available at www.fapesp.br/pi .

o) Be aware of and respect the guidelines contained in FAPESP's Code of Good Scientific Practices, available at www.fapesp.br/boaspraticas .

p) Always use the updated versions of the rules, forms and procedures available at www.fapesp.br and www.fapesp.br/sage .

7.2. Advisor/Supervisor (back to index)

During the term of the Scholarship/Fellowship, the Advisor/Supervisor must comply with the following conditions and obligations:

a) To be responsible for communications with the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's Supervisor abroad and for remotely monitoring the progress of the research internship abroad, keeping the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient and Supervisor abroad informed of the progress of the internship.

b) FAPESP will only receive correspondence regarding the Research Internship Abroad from the Advisor/Supervisor of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

c) Obtain the necessary authorization for the student/researcher's leave of absence from the Institution to which the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient is linked.

d) Examine the Grant Contract to verify the rights, duties and obligations.

e) Make all arrangements to ensure the success of the approved research project.

f) Do not modify the project (initial plan, dates, etc.) or funds allocated without the prior consent of FAPESP.

g) Consult FAPESP before accepting any financial support from any other funding entity, whether public or private, for the execution of the same research project being supported by FAPESP.

h) Refer to FAPESP's support in theses, papers, books, conference abstracts and any other publication or form of dissemination of activities resulting, completely or partially, from Scholarships/Fellowships from the Foundation, as foreseen in Clause 7 of the Grant Contract and described at www.fapesp.br/11789.

i) In the event that the research project funded by FAPESP has also been awarded financial support from any other public or private source, the Advisor/Supervisor is obligated to refer to the support, with clear indication of its source, in all forms of dissemination mentioned in the previous item.

j) Take the necessary steps to ensure that, through the service offered by the Host Institution, the full texts of the papers or other types of scientific communication resulting (in whole or in part) from the project funded by FAPESP and published in international journals are made available in an institutional repository of scientific works, in accordance with the open access policy of each journal, as soon as the manuscripts are approved for publication, or in the shortest time compatible with the restrictions of each journal, and in any case no later than 12 months from the date of publication. FAPESP Policy for Open Access to Publications Resulting from Grants and Scholarships/Fellowships is available at www.fapesp.br/12632 .

k) Request FAPESP to change the responsibility of the Scholarship/Fellowship before committing to activities that will require their absence from the Host Institution for more than 90 days, as described in CTA Ordinance no. 74/2023, available at www.fapesp.br/16110 .

k.1) In exceptional situations that require the Advisor/Supervisor to be away from the Host Institution for more than 90 days while maintaining responsibility for the Scholarship/Fellowship, FAPESP may consider requests on duly justified basis.

l) Verify, in a timely manner, whether the execution of the project produces or could potentially produce results, in whole or in part, which might be the object of protection by Patent of Invention, Utility Model, Industrial Design, Software or any other form of protection of Intellectual Property rights, subject to FAPESP's Intellectual Property Policy, available at www.fapesp.br/pi.

m) Provide, free of charge, Grant/Scholarship reviews in their field of knowledge and within the deadlines stipulated, when requested by FAPESP.

n) Be aware of and respect the guidelines contained in FAPESP's Code of Good Scientific Practices, available at www.fapesp.br/boaspraticas .

o) Always use the updated versions of the rules, forms and procedures available at www.fapesp.br and www.fapesp.br/sage .

8. Format for submission of proposals (back to index)

Requests for RIA must be submitted through the on-line system SAGe ("Sistema de Apoio à Gestão"), available at www.fapesp.br/sage . Within SAGe (under the "Manuals" link), it is possible to find documents that explain how to register users, prepare and submit proposals, and request the registration of institutions.

In order to submit a proposal, the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient and the Advisor/Supervisor must be registered on the SAGe system. Their information should be up to date and include a copy of their identification document.

The Supervisor abroad must be registered on the SAGe system and confirm their participation in the proposal. Instructions in English can be found in the manuals available on SAGe.

8.1. Project Data (back to index)

a) Data on the Institution abroad where the research internship will be carried out must be included when filling out the application in the SAGe's "Dados Gerais do Projeto" > "Instituições" > "Local de Realização da Pesquisa" tab.

a.1) In order for the name of the Institution abroad to be found when filling out the application, it must have been previously registered in SAGe.

a.2) In case the name of the Institution is not found, a registration request can be submitted through the system's "Solicitações" > "Cadastro de Instituição de Pesquisa/Empresa" menu.

a.3) After submitting the Institution's registration request, the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient must wait for the registration confirmation to be emailed by FAPESP in order to continue filling out the application.

b) The name of the Supervisor abroad (with whom the Beneficiary will carry out the internship) must be indicated when filling out the application in the SAGe's "Dados Gerais do Projeto" > "Pessoas Envolvidas" tab.

b.1) In order to indicate the Supervisor abroad in the proposal, it is necessary that they are registered on the SAGe system. This can be done by accessing the option "Not registered?" on the system's initial page.

b.2) After the initial registration, the Supervisor abroad must access SAGe and complete their registration via the "Personal Information" > "Update Personal Information" option. Fields marked with an "*" are mandatory.

8.2. Required documents (back to index)

All documents listed below are mandatory. Items (a), (b), and (c) must be submitted in English. In the case of an RIA in a French-speaking country, documents in French may be accepted; for Spain, Latin American countries, and other countries where Spanish is the official language, documents in Spanish may be accepted; for Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, documents in Portuguese may be accepted.

a) Research project to be developed during the internship abroad. The document must have a maximum of fourteen (14) pages;

b) Curricular Summary of the researcher with whom the candidate will carry out the research internship abroad;

c) Statement from the researcher with whom the candidate will carry out the research internship abroad, containing:

c.1) Review of the proposed research project;

c.2) Acceptance of the candidate's supervision;

c.3) Agreement to provide a detailed review of the Final Scientific Report of the research project conducted during the internship.

d) Formal statement from the Advisor/Supervisor of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil attesting to the proficiency of the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient in the foreign language required for the internship abroad;

e) Updated academic transcript (except for Post-Doctoral Fellowship Recipients): Scientific Initiation Scholarship Recipients must submit their graduation transcripts; Masters, Doctorate (applicant without MSc degree) (DD), and Doctorate (DR) Scholarship Recipients must submit their academic transcripts of the postgraduate course in progress;

f) Updated curricular summary of the candidate (only for Post-Doctoral Fellowship Recipients);

g) Statement of commitment to return to Brazil (may be submitted later, up to the date of acceptance of the award, if the Scholarship is awarded);

h) Letter from the Institution abroad accepting the candidate and indicating the Principal Investigator of the research internship (may be submitted later, up to the date of acceptance of the award, if the Scholarship is awarded);

i) Manifestation of the Head of the Host Institution according to the model available for download at SAGe: this is a statement from the Institution with which the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient is associated authorizing their leave of absence and specifying the duration of the research internship.

9. Intellectual Property (back to index)

FAPESP's rules regarding the intellectual property of the results of projects supported by the Foundation are described at www.fapesp.br/pi.

10. Review of applications (back to index)

10.1. Review process (back to index)

Applications sent to FAPESP for different types of support opportunities are reviewed using the peer review system (www.fapesp.br/1478).

The maximum number of Scholarships/Fellowships that can be approved must comply with the limits defined in FAPESP's annual budget proposal, approved by the Board of Trustees.

The review of the Research Internship Abroad applications, done by Area Coordinators and Associate Coordinators, based on the reviewers' opinions, intends to identify those proposals that are considered excellent in four components: a) Research Project for internship abroad; b) Candidate's Academic Background; c) Foreign Supervisor's Research Background; and d) Institution and research group abroad.

The review process is carried out in four stages and involves the participation of ad hoc reviewers, Area Coordinators and Associate Coordinators.

The four steps of the review process are listed and described below:

a. Analysis and issue of reviews by the ad hoc reviewers.

b. Analysis and recommendation by the Area Coordinators.

c. Analysis and recommendation by the Associate Coordinators.

d. Scientific Director's decision and analysis by the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees.

10.1.1. Analysis and issue of review by the ad hoc reviewers

The ad hoc reviewers are specialists in the field of the projects being proposed. They analyze the proposals and issue reviews that contemplate each of the criteria mentioned in section 10.1.5. Their detailed reviews form the basis for the subsequent steps of the analysis.

10.1.2. Analysis and recommendation by the Area Coordinators

Applications for Research Internship Abroad in each area are jointly discussed at periodic collegiate meetings attended by all Area Coordinators and Associate Coordinators. This procedure favors the homogeneous application of the benchmarks of excellence established by FAPESP based on the experience of analyzing a large number of applications.

In order to prioritize, it is necessary to analyze the set of proposals and their respective reviewers' opinions. This analysis is essential because different reviewers may use criteria with different levels of demand, so it is not possible to simply compare the concepts assigned by reviewers. To prioritize proposals rated as excellent, the panel will use the criteria described in section 10.1.6.

Analysis Panel sessions take place within each field of knowledge, so that proposals are always analyzed alongside others from the same field of knowledge.

10.1.3. Analysis and recommendation by the Associate Coordinators

The Associate Coordinators examine the proposals and compare the Area Coordinators' recommendations with the reviews issued by the ad hoc reviewers. Particularly, they verify consistency with FAPESP's excellence benchmarks and whether all the criteria in section 10.1.5 and, if necessary, those in sections 10.1.6 and 10.1.7 were properly considered during the analysis. If there are any discrepancies, they are sent to the Area Coordinators for discussion. Finally, recommendations are conducted to the Scientific Director.

Evaluations by the Associate Coordinators take place separately for different major fields of knowledge.

10.1.4. Scientific Director's decision and analysis by the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees

Based on the analysis of the Area Coordinators and Associate Coordinators, the Scientific Director makes the final decision. When there are doubts or there is a mismatch between the Coordinators' recommendations, the proposals are discussed with the Associate Coordinators before the final decision is taken. The Scientific Director's decision is submitted for analysis by the Executive Board, which will deliberate ad-referendum of the Board of Trustees.

10.1.5. Review criteria

In the analysis by the ad hoc reviewers (section 10.1.1), Area Coordinators (section 10.1.2) and Associate Coordinators (section 10.1.3), the criteria used to classify the proposals are listed below and included in the reviewers' opinion form.

Each proposal is analyzed considering four components: a) Research Project for internship abroad; b) Candidate's Academic Background; c) Foreign Supervisor's Research Background; and d) Institution and research group abroad.

a) Criteria for analyzing the Research Project

a.1) The research internship abroad will contribute significantly to the research that the candidate develops in the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil, aggregating knowledge in a way that could not be done in São Paulo.

a.2) The research internship abroad project has well-defined objectives compatible with the candidate’s Scholarship/Fellowship project in Brazil.

a.3) Compatibility between the expected duration of the research internship abroad and the proposed objectives.

a.4) The Activity Plan for disseminating and transferring the knowledge acquired during the internship abroad has well-defined objectives compatible with the proposed project.

b) Criteria for analyzing the Candidate's Academic and School Background

b.1) The candidate's academic background suggests that the requested research internship abroad will be well utilized.

b.2) The candidate's academic record (except for Post-Doctoral Fellowship Recipient) is excellent.

b.3) Quality of the work already carried out with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil and expected status of the research at the time proposed for the start of the internship abroad.

c) Criteria for analyzing the internship abroad Supervisor

c.1) The researcher who will supervise the research internship abroad has a scientific and/or technological output of great importance in their field of knowledge.

c.2) The researcher who will supervise the research internship abroad has experience and competence in the leadership of research projects related to the issue of the proposal under analysis.

d) Criteria for analyzing the Institution and research group abroad

d.1) The Institution and research group abroad have recognized excellence in the field in which the research internship will be carried out.

10.1.6. Procedure for the prioritization of cases that are considered to be of equal scientific merit

Depending on budget availability and when there are proposals of equal scientific merit, the following criteria will be used to prioritize proposals:

a) The research internship abroad will contribute significantly to the research that the candidate will develop with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil, aggregating knowledge in a way that could not be done in São Paulo.

b) Excellent school and academic background.

c) Quality of the work already carried out with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

d) Excellence of the Supervisor, research group, and Institution abroad.

e) Quality of the Activity Plan for disseminating and transferring the knowledge acquired during the internship abroad.

10.1.7. The most common deficiencies observed in applications for Research Internship Abroad

When analyzing proposals for Research Internship Abroad, the most common deficiencies are related to:

a) The project:

a.1) Objectives that are poorly defined or incompatible with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

a.2) The expected duration is inadequate for the objectives.

a.3) The research internship will not contribute significantly to the project developed with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

b) Candidate's school and academic background:

b.1) School transcripts do not indicate that the research internship abroad will be well utilized.

b.2) The academic background does not indicate that the research internship abroad will be well utilized.

b.3) Insufficient quality of the work already carried out with the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

c) Supervisor of the research internship abroad:

c.1) Supervisor without a regular, high-quality, and relevant output in the project field.

c.2) Supervisor without sufficient experience in training researchers.

d) Institution and research group abroad

d.1) Institution without recognized tradition and excellence in the project field.

d.2) Research group without recognized tradition and excellence in the project field.

10.2. Analysis deadlines (back to index)

The expected average duration of the FAPESP review process for this support opportunity is approximately 75 days, assuming there are no incidents such as due diligence or return without a reviewers' opinion.

a) This number represents an average. Therefore, this does not mean that applications that are submitted 75 days prior to the estimated start of the grant will necessarily be evaluated within this period. Since the expected average period is 75 days, there will certainly be cases in which the period for a decision will be longer than that. Considering the time required for the analysis of the application by FAPESP and the proper planning of the internship (including obtaining a visa and other necessary documents), it is strongly recommended that proposals in this support opportunity be submitted at least 6 months before the desired start date of the internship.

b) Requests with a Grant/Scholarship review from ad hoc reviewers are submitted to Analysis Panels.

c) Considering that the specialists who participate in the review process of the proposals submitted to FAPESP ( ad hoc reviewers, area coordinators and associate coordinators) are mostly members of the academic community, and that in the period from December to January the Universities and Research Institutions in the state of São Paulo go on break and academic vacation, the Proposals submitted from October to January may suffer additional delays.

d) For each modality of funding, it is estimated a typical period necessary to complete the review process. FAPESP takes responsibility for making every effort to observe this limit. However, the Foundation cannot guarantee that this condition will be always fulfilled, since FAPESP's top priority is to ensure the quality of the review and selection process.

e) In fact, the most important part of the review process cannot be fully controlled by FAPESP: all applications are sent out to ad hoc reviewers for their opinion, and it is not always possible, despite FAPESP's efforts, to obtain a return process within the regular review deadline.

f) Furthermore, reviewers frequently ask for clarifications before submitting their final review and occasionally FAPESP itself may decide to send the application to additional reviewers if it considers that the submitted reviews are insufficient to make a well-founded final decision.

g) However, experience shows that in most cases the expected average deadlines are met, as can be seen from "Estudo Tempos/FAPESP", available at www.fapesp.br/estatisticas/analise .

10.3. Appeals for Reconsideration (back to index)

Requests for reconsideration must be made in accordance with the guidelines described at www.fapesp.br/1485 .

11. Scientific Report (back to index)

a) The Scientific Report must be presented on the date established by FAPESP in the Grant Contract.

a.1) The Scientific Report must be written in English. In the case of an RIA in a French-speaking country, submission in French will be accepted; for Spain, Latin American countries, and other countries where Spanish is the official language, submission in Spanish will be accepted; for Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, submission in Portuguese will be accepted.

a.2) A copy of the RIA Scientific Report must be attached to the next Scientific Report of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil. In case the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil is an Associated Submission, the copy of the RIA Scientific Report must also be attached to the Scientific Report of the Grant to which the Scholarship/Fellowship is linked.

b) The RIA Scientific Report must be prepared by the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient in the process of the Scholarship/Fellowship in SAGe and submitted by the Advisor/Supervisor, accompanied by the following documents:

b.1) Review by the RIA Supervisor with a detailed evaluation of the Scientific Report (written in the same language as the Scientific Report);

b.2) Document monitoring the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's activities (prepared and signed by the Advisor/Supervisor in Brazil), with a detailed evaluation of the Scientific Report, project progress, and academic performance of the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient.

b.3) “Justificativa de Aplicação dos Recursos da Reserva Técnica de Bolsa” Form.

b.4) Report on knowledge transfer and dissemination activities, mandatory for RIA DD, DR, and PD, with a duration of 6 months or more, requested as of April 01st, 2022.

c) The Scientific Report must describe – briefly and completely – the activities developed during the internship, the knowledge and results obtained, and how they will apply to the research project of the Scholarship/Fellowship in Brazil.

d) The Report of Activities involving the dissemination and transfer of the knowledge acquired by the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient during their internship abroad must describe the activities planned and carried out in Brazil according to the plan submitted. This report must be attached to the RIA Scientific Report and must be mandatorily accompanied by the Advisor's/Supervisor's detailed evaluation of the activities performed.

12. Financial Report (back to index)

a) The date for submitting the Financial Report will be specified in the Grant Contract. It is recommended to read the Guidelines for the Use of Funds and Financial Reports, available at www.fapesp.br/normaspc .

b) The Financial Report must be prepared according to instructions available at www.fapesp.br/prestacaodecontas .

b.1) The following expenses must be reported in the Financial Report:

- Transportation expenses;

- Travel insurance; and

- Research Overhead.

b.2) Expenses with monthly maintenance and moving cost allowance will be considered based on the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient's effective permanence abroad, within duration of the respective Scholarship/Fellowship period as specified in the Grant Contract, as evidenced by the air ticket used. If the air ticket is not granted by FAPESP, the Scholarship/Fellowship Recipient must provide a copy of the air ticket used as proof of the effective permanence.

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