IMU–Simons African Fellowship Program

The IMU – Simons African Fellowship Program is funded by the Simons Foundation, NY, USA and supports research sabbaticals for mathematicians from African developing countries employed in Africa to travel to an internationally known mathematical center of excellence (worldwide) for collaborative research.

The Simons Foundation is a private foundation based in New York City, incorporated in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons. The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. They sponsor a range of programs in the sciences, including grants programs in mathematics and the physical sciences. The primary focus of the foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences division is the theoretical sciences radiating from mathematics: in particular, the fields of mathematics, theoretical computer science, and theoretical physics.

Eligibility

The applicant has to hold a valid doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in mathematics.
The African applicant must be based (place of work) in an African developing country for the list of eligible countries please click here.
Countries whose Gross National Income per Capita (GNI) is less than 11000 USD are classified by IMU as “Developing Country”. For a list please go here.
The applicant has to be employed as a mathematician in a faculty of a university or an equivalent higher education institution.
The applicant should already have established contact with a mathematician in the host institution in a mathematical center of excellence worldwide and should have a definite research plan together with the host, which must be submitted along with the curriculum vitae of both mathematicians at the time of applying for this grant. This plan should be approved by the host as well.
The applicant should have been granted an appropriate leave of absence from his/her home institution which will cover the period of the visit. The application must also be accompanied by a formal letter of invitation from the host institution, which clearly specifies the period of the (short) research visit and the extent of the host institution’s financial commitment and support.
The host institution also has to help the grantee to find accommodation in the institution’s guest house or help to rent a flat. In case no guest house or flat is available, the host institution has to issue a letter that accommodation is only possible in an economic hotel/ apartment hotel with a kitchenette.
The invitation has to be signed by the dean/ head of the faculty of the host institution (not the host).
The minimal length of a visit that could be favorably considered is one month. There is no maximal length, but it has to be a sabbatical/ research visit, not a fellowship position in the host institution (e.g. doing a post-doctoral)
The grant is paid in two installments:
- First payment for flight, accommodation, travel insurance, visa and some funds for living costs before departure.
  Second payment for food, public transportation, and transport to the airport after the visit based on all receipts.
  To receive the second payment the report, pictures and all invoices must be sent to the IMU Secretariat before the second payment can be done.
All spending needs to be verified with invoices and funds spent without receipts have to be returned to the CDC. If you do not receive invoices, please let us know during your visit.

Benefits

The grants cover only for the applicant up to 5,000 USD:

Travel costs:

- from the place of work of the applicant to that of the host to the extent of economy class airfare. The flight will be booked and directly paid by the IMU Secretariat.
- (Public) transport (surface transport by rail or bus between the nearest city where the airport is located and the headquarters of the candidate or the city/town where the host institution is located, if necessary). Maximum four (4) Taxi fares (on submission of receipts) may be allowed to travel between the home and the airport/railway station (upon arrival and departure).
- In case the applicant has to stay in a hotel before departure or upon arrival, this needs to be mentioned in the budget details. Maximum one (1) night (both arrival and departure) can be paid from the gran
Visa fees
- Travel insurance charges
- Basic living cost (daily allowance based on living cost of the visiting country/city, This amount includes the cost for public transport and all other living costs). For a list please go here . If the accommodation includes breakfast or any other meals, the daily amount will be reduced.
- Accommodation cost in the host country (hotel is allowed if the host provides a statement that no guesthouse or rented flat is available and max. 4 weeks. If you stay longer than 4 weeks you have to rent a suitable apartment or guesthouse). Receipts for cash payments for accommodation costs can not be accepted! You have to pay via a trackable transfer method.

Application process

Please fill out and submit the online application form for the IMU-Simons Programs.
Upload all requested documents (two CVs: of the host and the applicant, detailed Research plan, invitation letter by the host institution, letter by the home institution, tentative budget details in USD) as 1 joint PDf to the Online Application Form.
A picture of you for our website (upload separately to the Online Application Form)