Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Fund

The applicant must meet all of the following conditions to be eligible for the program:

• Be a full-time postdoctoral fellow at Université Laval and maintain this status throughout the proposed trip.


• Propose a trip outside of Quebec that will allow the applicant to acquire new knowledge/skills and develop new research partnerships, and whose objectives align with the Sentinel North research program’s conceptual framework.


• Propose a trip lasting no more than eight consecutive weeks.


• Receive additional financial support for the 20% of the trip not covered by Sentinel North’s Mobility grant for postdoctoral fellows. This additional funding may come from the fellow themselves or from other sources.

All applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

• The scholarship application form


• The applicant's resumé (up to 5 pages)


• A letter of recommendation from the UL supervisor justifying the relevance and added value of the proposed research trip to the development of the applicant’s skills and international collaborations


• Proof of co-funding for the activity (letter from applicant's supervisor, award letter for additional funding, etc.)


• For a course: attach proof of registration or an acceptance letter from the training organization and a detailed description of the course.


• For a stay at a research centre: attach an invitation letter from your supervisor at the host institution, describing the dates of your stay and the activities you will be doing.

The required documents must be uploaded when you fill in the online application.

Applications are assessed and judged by the Sentinel North evaluation committee according to the evaluation criteria and weighting process. Only projects that are part of Sentinel North's research program and that are supported by the student's research supervisor will be considered.

Indicators by evaluation criteria

Quality of applicant's academic record and aptitude for research (30 points)

• Applicant's experience and achievements (teaching, publications, patents)

Overall quality and added value of the training activity proposal (70 points)

• Relevance of the training activity in relation to Sentinel North's research program


• Added value of the proposed activity in relation to applicant's current research program (link and expected benefits)


• Quality of the proposed trip (reputation of the host institution and supervisor; participation of partners from the private, public, or non-profit sectors; or other criteria determined by the committee)


• Feasibility of the proposed activities (budget, schedule, expected results)


• International and multidisciplinary nature of the proposed activity

Announcement of the results

Applicants will receive an email informing them of the evaluation committee's decision within four weeks of receipt of their application.

Applicants must accept or decline the fund within 10 business days of receipt of the notice of award by sending an email to formation@sn.ulaval.ca. If acceptance is not received within this time limit, applicants will be deemed to have declined the fund.

Sentinel North's decisions are final and binding.

Validity period for financial support

• Financial support is offered only for the period of activities described in the proposed program. If you decide to begin your trip before the results are announced, Sentinel North will not be responsible for any expenses incurred if your application is deemed ineligible, or for any expenses incurred before the grant is awarded.

Budgetary aspects

• The maximum financial support available per application is $5,000. The amount awarded will be based on the applicant's proposed budget (which will be reviewed by the evaluation committee) and will not exceed 80% of the total estimated costs. Students must receive support from their supervisors or other sources to cover the remaining costs (20%). Agreement to such support is acknowledged by the letter of recommendation from the supervisor attesting taking charge of costs or by an award letter for additional funding.


• Eligible expenses include transportation, living expenses abroad (accommodation and meals), health insurance abroad covering the training or research period, registration for training activities, and any other costs directly related to the training or research activity. Living expenses are calculated based on Université Laval standards (website in French only). Applicants are required to keep expenses to a minimum, e.g., by reserving their airline tickets early in economy class and choosing reasonably priced accommodations. In all cases, applicants must ensure in advance that the expenses for which they request financial support are reimbursed in accordance with Université Laval’s standards.

Required documents

• For a course: proof of registration or an acceptance letter from the training organization and a detailed description of the course is required before you travel to the organization.


• For a stay at a research centre: an invitation letter from your supervisor at the host institution is required. It must list the dates of your stay and describe the activities you will be doing.


• Travel advances will not be authorized without proof that the required legal documents have been obtained.

Travel advances and the terms and conditions of reimbursement of travel expenses

• Financial support offered by Sentinel North to cover 80% of training or research costs will be paid in two instalments.


• Students will receive a travel advance representing 80% of the financial support offered by Sentinel North at least 30 days before their departure and upon receipt of the required documents.


• When they return, students are required to complete a brief mission report (see following section for details) and an expense report so that they can be paid the remaining amount owed to them. The actual amount allocated will be determined according to the expenses presented (with supporting documents) in the expense report, up to the predetermined maximum amount.


• Unused funds will be returned to Sentinel North.

Expected knowledge transfer activities and reports

• At the end of the trip, the scholarship holder will have to produce a maximum two-page report on their experience describing the training received, and how it has contributed to their research and career plan¹.

Restrictions and other details

• Training and research trips whose primary objective is to attend a conference or symposium are not eligible.


• Postdoctoral fellows may not benefit from more than one Mobility grant for postdoctoral fellows.


• The applicant is responsible for obtaining sufficient health and hospital insurance for their intended destination for the entire length of their stay. The applicant is also responsible for obtaining any required legal documents (e.g. visas, work permits), where applicable.

Other specifications

The selection criteria are subject to change. In such cases, modifications will be duly posted on the website before each competition.

¹ Produced texts will be published fully or in part on Sentinel North’s website.