Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Click on the question to get the answer!
about IFS Grants; what they cover; eligibility. . .
Which scientific areas are covered by IFS Research Grants?
What qualifications do I need to have before applying for an IFS Research Grant?
What nationalities may apply for IFS Grants?
Who is eligible to apply for individual IFS grant support (New Program)?
I need funding for my BSc / MSc studies. Can IFS provide me with a scholarship?
I am over 40 years of age; may I still apply for an IFS Research Grant?
Can an experienced / senior scientist apply if he / she is below the age limit?
I am a scientist from Azerbaijan doing research in Ghana; may I apply for an IFS Grant?
Will the IFS Research Grant pay my salary while I'm doing the research project?
about applying; the application form. . .
Where can I get the Application Form?
May I send in the Application Form as hard copy or by fax?
How should I fill in the equipment budget in the Application Form?
How should I fill in the expendable supplies budget?
How should I fill in the literature budget?
about transfer of money; purchasing services. . .
Can the grant funds be transferred to my private account?
Can IFS assist me in purchasing equipment, chemicals, supplies?
Does IFS charge any administrative fee for the purchasing service?
How can IFS facilitate customs clearance?
Has IFS negotiated discounts with big laboratory equipment suppliers?
about this website ...
The Web address for RSS feeds is "http://www.ifs.se/ifs-rss-feed.rss". When you have copied the address to the clipboard, you can paste it into your RSS reader.
about IFS Grants; what they cover; eligibility. . .
Which scientific areas are covered by IFS Research Grants?
In order to fall within the scientific scope of the IFS Mission Statement, the project must be related to the sustainable utilization of the biological, water and / or energy resource base.
The IFS Mission Statement should be widely interpreted to include topics in both natural and applied sciences such as agriculture, soil science, forestry, biodiversity, environmental chemistry, natural products, food science, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, aquaculture, marine resources. as well as social or economic aspects of the sustainable management of natural resources, or the production and transfer of knowledge for sustainable development.
On the other hand, IFS cannot accept applications of the most basic scientific nature (eg theoretical physics), or even fundamental biological studies, unless they have an identifiable and direct relevance to the sustainable utilization of biological, water and / or energy resources.
Any doubts as to whether the proposed research topic fits into the IFS Program may be resolved by examining the list of research projects previously supported by IFS by following the link below.
Search for IFS Grantees and their projects
What qualifications do I need to have before applying for an IFS Research Grant?
Applicants should at the time of application be enrolled in a PhD programme or have completed a PhD degree not more than five years ago.
What nationalities may apply for IFS Grants?
You must be a citizen of an eligible developing country. Please consult the list of countries whose citizens are eligible by following the link below.
Note that you must also do your research project in your own country or another eligible developing country.
Who is eligible to apply for an IFS Basic research grant?
Applications for an IFS Basic Research grant will be selected on merit. They should fulfill all IFS eligibility criteria, and be attached to institutions which are adjudged to provide them with a reasonable academic environment that will enable them to conduct research.
I need funding for my BSc / MSc studies. Can IFS provide me with a scholarship?
No, IFS does not award scholarships for BSc/MSc studies. The IFS Basic Research Grant is intended for a specific research project, and one of the criteria for eligibility is to be enrolled in a PhD programme or have completed a PhD degree not more than 5 years ago.
I am planning to follow a PhD program in Europe / USA / Australia / Japan. Could I get a fellowship from IFS?
No, IFS does not award fellowships to cover living expenses etc. during studies abroad.
Though, if there is a research element in your PhD-programme that you will be carrying out in an eligible LLMIC country, you may apply for an IFS Research Grant for these research elements.
I am over 40 years of age; may I still apply for an IFS Grant?
IFS accepts research applications from eligible early career scientists (see under the other FAQ for details on Eligibility Criteria) irrespective of their biological age.
Can an experienced / senior scientist apply if he / she is within the eligible age limit?
No, IFS grants are intended to support young scientists at the beginning of their research career. "Experienced / Senior scientists" are those who have published widely in refereed journals and who have attained a degree of seniority as defined by their position at a research institute or university.
Can I apply for an IFS Basic research grant if at the time of the call it is 5 years past the year when I was awarded my PhD?
For first time IFS applicants, research grant applications submitted in response to a call in year X are eligible if the applicant obtained his/her PhD degree in year X-5.
As an example: If you obtained your PhD degree any time between 1 Jan-31 Dec 2014, you are eligible to apply for a call announced in 2019. If you would have obtained your PhD in Dec 2013, you are not eligible to apply for the call announced in 2019.
I am a scientist from Azerbaijan doing research in Ghana; may I apply for an IFS Grant?
No, IFS does not support scientists from the former Soviet Union countries. You must be a citizen of a developing country, doing research in a developing country.
I am a scientist from Kenya now doing my PhD in England; may I apply for an IFS Grant to do research in Tanzania when I've finished my PhD?
Yes. You may even apply now (if a call is open) all other eligibility criteria are fulfilled.
Will the IFS Basic Research Grant pay my salary while I'm doing the research project?
No. You are expected to have your livelihood from other sources (typically being employed by the institution where you do the research).
Only those who have an IFS Research Grant are eligible for travel grants.
about applying; the Application Form. . .
Read detailed information on how to apply here:
Where can I get the Application Form?
Applications must be filled in and submitted online in the IFS community.
Please check the 'Call for Applications' section on the 1st page of the IFS website or subscribe to the RSS feed to receive an automatic message when this is updated.
How should I fill in the equipment budget on the application form?
List each item of equipment you request. Equipment is considered those items which have an individual cost of USD 500 or more and a life duration of more than 3 years. Specify and describe each item and give the best of your knowledge: manufacturer, model / type, accessories and spare parts if needed. Give a realistic estimate of the cost for each item. Include freight charges, insurance, and taxes for items to be imported. If possible, consult a senior technician for advice on the most appropriate equipment for your project.
How should I fill in the expendable supplies budget?
List categories of expendable supplies (glassware, solvents, feed, reagents, etc.) and provide a cost estimate for each category. Specify only expendable supplies that are either very expensive or requested in large quantities / volumes. Include freight charges, insurance, and taxes for items to be imported.
How should I fill in the literature budget?
List categories of literature (books, reprints, and photocopies) or documentation, and provide a cost estimate for each category. Recommended are books. Subscriptions to journals will not be approved as subscriptions will expire as soon as IFS support ends. However, abstract reviews or membership for a scientific society publishing a journal may be considered. Literature searches may be included.
about transfer of money; purchasing services. . .
Can the grant funds be transferred to my private account?
No, the funds will be transferred to your institution's account.
Can IFS assist me in purchasing equipment, chemicals, supplies?
Yes, if you leave part or the whole grant in a special account at IFS we will assist you in buying equipment, chemicals and supplies.
Does IFS charge any administrative fee for the purchasing service?
No.
How can IFS facilitate customs clearance?
We will issue a Letter of Donation in which we state that the items purchased are a donation from our organization. This letter could help you avoid customs duties.
Has IFS negotiated discounts with big laboratory equipment suppliers?
Yes, we have discounts with many big companies, and our grantees will benefit from them when buying the items through us.
I'm not sure if I want the whole grant transferred to my institution or if I should leave part of it at IFS. What do you suggest?
We suggest that you leave the grant funds in a special account at IFS. After agreement, we can then transfer part or all of the grant to your institution's account.
about this website ...
RSS ( Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication ) is a technology that generates messages from a website or blog site to you (the subscriber) announcing changes on that site.
By subscribing to an RSS feed you will receive messages regularly, ie whenever there are changes on the website. You read the messages in an RSS reader and hence, if you subscribe to RSS on many websites, you can know about and read the changes on all those websites easily and efficiently in one place on your computer (the RSS reader), instead of you having to go to all those websites regularly looking for the changes and updates.
Most Internet Browsers and some email programs can work as RSS readers, or you can install a special reader program.
Note: These messages are not emails, they work differently, and you read them in an RSS reader. Even if your email program (eg MS Outlook) can work as an RSS reader, the messages do not arrive as emails.
The website you are interested in must first offer an RSS feed - and the IFS website does that. Look for the blue symbol on 
the 1 st page. More information here .
There is much more information about RSS on the Internet; some suggestions:
Youtube video about RSS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU
Wikipedia article about RSS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS
An Internet search for RSS readers will generate more than enough information about all the other possibilities.
Note that you can also use many popular web browsers and some email programs as RSS readers. Do a search for [the name of your program] + [RSS reader], and you will find instructions.
