The URA Visiting Scholars Program is supported by contributions from over 90 URA-member universities located in the  United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Visits can range from attendance at Fermilab conferences and summer schools to year-long stays at the Lab. Proposals may be submitted twice a year, in February and August. Support provided by the program may include the following: travel and local lodging expenses during a series of short visits OR salary support and round trip travel expenses for an extended visit.

Because these funds are provided by URA and come solely from contributions by URA member universities, the awardee’s  home institution must agree to waive indirect costs, tuition, fees, and other administrative expenses.

• Eligibility
• Award Criteria
• Limitations
• Application Process
• Application Proposal Requirements
• Award Administration
• Fermilab Visitor Information

Eligibility

Individual proposals may be submitted by researchers who are faculty, research scientists, postdocs, or graduate students at URA-member universities doing research in areas such as high-energy physics experiments, astrophysics, theory, accelerator physics, materials science, computer science, engineering, and accelerator R&D related to the Fermilab mission. Applicants must be employed by or, in the case of graduate students, enrolled at URA member institutions during the course of the award.

Proposals may be submitted for an individual award, or, in limited circumstances, researchers in residence at Fermilab may submit a proposal for a laboratory-sponsored group activity (e.g., conferences, workshops, summer schools). Specific application requirements for the two types of proposals are described in the Application Proposal Requirements section.

A proposal must be written and submitted by the intended awardee. Proposals developed or submitted by faculty on behalf of a student or colleague are not accepted.

Individual awards may be up to a maximum of $50,000 in any twelve-month period with a lifetime maximum award total of $50,000 per individual.

Award Criteria

Applications are judged on the scientific merit and cost-effectiveness of the proposed activity. As all URA institutions contribute to this program, over time, some consideration is given to the balance among URA institutions, both by region and type. Consideration is also given to the total amount of funds awarded to individual applicants and institutions in past cycles.

The allocation of awards is limited to funds contributed by member universities. Therefore, the URA review panel may deny or reduce some meritorious requests, particularly if they are deemed substantially more costly and/or less cost-effective than the norm. For example, it is expected that most salary requests include some contribution from the home institution and most successful travel requests are kept low and cost effective. Use of onsite Fermilab housing is encouraged where possible.

Awards may not exceed one-year duration and begin on the approved start date of the award activity or, in the absence of such a date, with the date of the award letter. (See Award Terms and Conditions for additional detail.)

• Fall awards are assumed to begin no later than March 31 of the following year.
• Spring awards are assumed to begin no later than September 30 in the year of application.

Limitations

• Visiting Scholars funds are intended for scholarship. Requests to visit the laboratory solely for the purpose of operation of Fermilab facilities are discouraged.
• Funding is strictly for individuals and activities approved in the award.
• No awards will be made to faculty or postdocs in the terminal year of their appointment.
• The Visiting Scholars award may not be used for travel away from Fermilab (e.g., to visit another facility or attend a conference) or solely for the purpose of operating Fermilab facilities.
• Awards may not be used for household moving expenses or in support of accompanying family members (e.g., family member travel to Fermilab).
• Support provided by the program may include the following: travel and local lodging expense reimbursement for a series of short visits (two weeks or less) OR salary support and round trip travel reimbursement for an extended stay, but not both.
• Travel expenses only include economy round trip airfare and ground transportation (car rental, airport shuttle, etc.) between the awardees home or institution and Fermilab. Per diem reimbursement is limited to the first and last week of travel.
• A train, bus or other surface carrier may be used in lieu of, or as a supplement to, air travel. If such travel, however, could have been performed by air, the allowance will not normally exceed that for the lowest economy airfare.
• Summer salary support is limited to two months.
• Awards may not fund activities occurring prior to the start date indicated in the award letter. Applicants should plan the submission of their proposals accordingly.
• There is a maximum award limit of $50,000 in a twelve-month period and a lifetime limit of $50,000 per awardee.

Application Process

Applications for support are considered twice a year by a review panel composed of scientists drawn from URA-appointed universities. Laboratory representatives may serve in an advisory capacity. Award decisions are announced generally within six weeks of the closing date for applications. Awards may not fund activities occurring prior to the date of the award notification letter.

Application Deadline:

The application deadline for the spring round of awards is the last Monday in February.
Funding decisions are announced at the end of March.

The application deadline for the fall round of awards is the last Monday in August. Funding decisions are announced at the end of September.

On-Line Submission of Applications
Proposals and supporting documentation must be submitted online by the application deadline date. To register, click here. You will be asked to provide a username and email address; a registration confirmation and password will be sent to the email address submitted, providing access to the VSP site. *Please note that if registering with a Gmail address, confirmation may arrive in your spam folder.

Application Proposal Requirements

Individual Application 

Page limit: 12 pages, plus supporting materials (see below)
Format: 1-inch margins, font minimum 11 or 12 pt., common typeface (e.g., Arial, Palatino, Georgia), pages numbered.

On-Line Cover Sheet (Please complete all required fields)

TAB 1 – Applicant information

TAB 2 – Title (objective) of the proposed activity

• Brief description of the proposed research activity.
• Provide Fermilab sponsor/collaborator contact information. An automated request to provide a letter of support will be sent to the Fermilab sponsor’s email address provided by the applicant. The email will contain a link to the site where the letters of support should be uploaded by the application deadline date.
• Upload proposal, budget, bio-sketch, and waiver of indirect costs:

‒ Project Description – 8 pages maximum: The project proposal should describe the proposed activity and its scientific and/or educational merit and explain how URA funding will facilitate the proposed activity.
‒ Recipients of previous URA Visiting Scholars awards are expected to discuss accomplishments under the earlier award in their new proposal and include a copy of the URA VSP Project Report submitted at the close of the previously funded project.
‒ Budget – each proposal must contain a one-page budget justification. Expenses must be itemized by type and cost:
Personnel expenses or stipend – indicate monthly salary cost and associated fringe rate/cost. Summer salary should be noted.
Travel expenses—For each trip, indicate the number of travel days,type, and cost of travel: air/rail, ground transportation (Uber, shuttle, rental car, etc.), lodging (Fermilab housing or hotel), per diem, and other.

‒ Bio sketch – 2 pages maximum

TAB 3 – Email addresses of References

• Provide the name and email address of the reference(s). An automated email request to provide a letter of support will be sent to the reference(s) along with a link to the site where the letters of support should be uploaded by the application deadline date.
• Letters of Support Required:

‒ Letter from Fermilab sponsor/collaborator.
‒ For a graduate student applicant: a letter from the faculty adviser supporting the application and detailing provisions for supervision of the student during the visit.
‒ For postdocs: a letter from the faculty adviser supporting the application.
‒ Letter from Grants or Sponsored Research Office of the home institution waiving indirect costs.
Optional:
‒ Additional letters of support may be submitted but are not required.

TAB 4 – Sources of Support

• Indicate the dollar amount requested, proposed start date, and project duration.
• Other sources of support for proposed work and month/year of prior VS award support (if any).

TAB 5 – Grants or Sponsored Research Office contact information

• Provide contact information for the Grant Officer.
• Read and accept the terms and conditions of the Visiting Scholars Program.
• Confirm the accuracy of the information provided and the applicant’s identity.

Group Application 

URA Sponsored Visits to Fermilab for Group Activity (e.g., conferences, workshops, summer schools)

Page limit: 12 pages, plus supporting materials (see below)

Format: 1-inch margins, font minimum 11 or 12 pt., common typeface (e.g., Arial, Palatino, Georgia), pages numbered

Group proposals are to be fully developed with all of the required documentation, which MUST include the following:

On-Line Cover Sheet (Please complete all required fields)

TAB 1 – Applicant and co-applicant information.

TAB 2 – Title (objective) of the proposed activity
a. Brief description of the proposed research activity.
b. Upload proposal, budget, and bio-sketch documents:
‒ Project Description – 8 pages maximum: The project proposal should describe the proposed activity and its scientific and/or educational merit and explain how URA funding will facilitate the proposed activity.
‒ Recipients of previous URA Visiting Scholars awards are expected to discuss accomplishments under the earlier award in their new proposal and include a copy of the URA VSP Project Report submitted at the close of the previously funded project.
‒ Budget – each proposal must contain a one-page budget justification. Expenses and their relation to the proposed activities must be specified and itemized by the attendee, indicating attendee length of stay at Fermilab for this activity (one night; two days, etc.), and type of travel reimbursement costs requested.
‒ Bio sketch – 2 pages maximum for each applicant.

TAB 3 – Email addresses of References / Fermilab Endorsement
a. Provide name and email address of Fermilab’s Deputy Director and, as appropriate, the Chief Research Officer, Chief Information Officer or Chief Accelerator Officer, depending on focus of proposed activity. The Fermilab sponsor will receive an automated email request to provide a letter of endorsement. Contained in the email request will be a link to the site where the letter of endorsement should be uploaded by the application deadline date.
Optional:
‒ Additional letters of support may be submitted, but are not required.

TAB 4 – Sources of Support
a. Indicate amount requested, proposed start date, and project duration.
b. Other sources of support for proposed work and month/year of prior VS award support (if any).

TAB 5 – Grants or Sponsored Research Office contact information
a. Provide contact information for Fermilab’s Grant Officer.
b. Read and accept the terms and conditions of the Visiting Scholars Program.
c. Confirm accuracy of information provided and applicant identity.

Award Administration

This program is administered by Universities Research Association, Inc., through reimbursement of expenses covered under the award to the researcher’s home institution.

Award payments from URA will be made through the home institution of the awardee on receipt from the home institution of an invoice detailing actual costs incurred. Invoices for expenses covered by an award are to be submitted by the home institution’s grants officer (or equivalent) to the URA Corporate Office in Washington, DC for payment. Final invoices are to be submitted to URA no later than 90 days after expiration of the award. All covered expenses must have been incurred after the initiation of the award and prior to the expiration of the award.

Awardees are expected to submit a brief report on the completion of their project. (See VS Project Report Form)

Visitors do not become Fermilab employees. They therefore be sponsored by a home institution and can obtain a visa through their sponsored home institution if necessary. Additional information regarding visa requirements and access to Fermilab can be found here. The Fermilab Visa Office can be contacted by their email visaoffice@fnal.gov. Visits to Fermilab’s Visa Office are made by appointment only through email and require a 24-hour notice as well as an estimated time of arrival for scheduled appointment.

In cases where institutional health coverage from the home institution does not meet the requirements for longer stays at Fermilab, additional health coverage for the time at Fermilab must be obtained by the visitor or his/her institution. The cost of such supplemental coverage may be included in the budget.

The full details of the administration of the award and submission of invoices are provided in “URA Visiting Scholars Program: Award Terms and Conditions.”

Fermilab Visitor Information

For general information on visiting and working at the Laboratory, please contact the Fermilab Users Office at 630-840-3351 or visit them on the website here.