The ALBA Network is offering travel awards for early-career brain science researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to participate in the next edition of the FENS Forum, taking place on 6-10 July 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. The grants are supported by the Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation (CHS).
Nomination window: September - November
Prize details
Travel awards will be granted at two levels:
- €1250 for EU-based candidates
- €2500 for non-EU-based candidates
Each travel grant will be provided as a lump sum. Awardees can use this amount to cover various expenses associated with their participation in the FENS Forum, including Forum registration, abstract submission fees, as well as travel and accommodation costs.
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be active early-career researchers. Priority will be given to those with substantial data to present, typically in their final year of PhD or MD training, or up to 10 years post-PhD or MD.
- Final-year PhD or MD students expecting to receive their degree by July 2026 are eligible to apply. In such cases, applicants should provide documentation from their institution or supervisor confirming that they are expected to complete their degree before the meeting, so that they will technically be post-PhD/MD at the time of the event.
- Applicants can be of any nationality and reside in any country.
- Applicants must identify with one or more underrepresented groups as defined by ALBA.
- Applicants must be members of the ALBA Network (or become members at the time of application)
Please note: You are not eligible to apply if you have already received another travel award to attend the FENS Forum, or if you have previously received an ALBA travel award (to the FENS Forum or any other neuroscience meeting).
Who qualifies as an underrepresented person?
An underrepresented minority can be defined as an individual whose percentage of the population in a given group is lower than their percentage of the population in the country. At the ALBA Network, our definition of an underrepresented person is someone who identifies with one or more of the following:
- Women
- LGBTQIA+ individuals
- Individuals with neurodivergence, chronic medical conditions or disabilities that hinder participation in scientific life
- Of first generation status (being the first in a family to attend university)
- Born into racial, ethnic, indigenous or caste groups that are historically underrepresented in their country of origin and/or work
- Non-native English speakers who are not scientifically fluent in English (e.g., not comfortable presenting a scientific poster in English)
- From low socioeconomic backgrounds
- Those facing forced migration or displacement due to war, human rights abuses, political conflict, natural disasters
- With difficult personal circumstances (e.g., primary caregivers for elderly family members or children with special needs)
- Holders of passports with limited travel privileges (per latest Henley Passport Index)
- Those studying or working in countries with low gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) (according to latest UIS data)
Please note that this is a working definition. Practices, identities and minority status may change over time, depending on culture and geopolitics, and as such, feedback is very welcome.
Application procedure
Candidates are required to submit the following:
- A poster abstract and publications that support this.
- A description of research aligning with the scope of the conference.
- Completion of a CV template, providing details on honors and awards, academic appointments, other scientific presentations at conferences, and additional activities such as teaching and mentoring.
- Candidates should select the relevant eligibility/underrepresented group category/categories listed in the application form and explain why they made that choice.
The selection of award winners will be based on the overall quality of the application and submitted abstract, the scientific excellence of the work, the strength and content of the personal statement [particularly as it relates to underrepresented minority (URM) identity], and demonstrated financial need, taking into account the applicant’s career stage and professional circumstances.
