Departments who hold Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) training grants for Doctoral Training Partnership studentships receive funding which includes unit costs for overseas fieldwork.
There is a separate approval process for departments to apply for exceptional fieldwork costs for STFC-funded students who will undertake long term attachments to overseas facilities. A long term attachment is a single visit of 120 days up to a maximum of 365 days.
Long Term Attachment (LTA) approvals
Departments need to apply for LTA funding for students that started in October 2022.
LTA applications should be submitted to studentships@stfc.ukri.org by 31 March 2023.
Applications for LTAs should include overseas travel and subsistence expenses in connection with fieldwork or other visits that are considered essential to the student’s research or training programme.
Find out more information and download the application form.
Once approved, payments of LTA funds will be made quarterly with the next payment of the training grant. A separate LTA reconciliation form will need to be attached to the final expenditure statement at the end of the training grant.
Long term attachments to CERN
Students wishing to visit CERN must email the UK Liaison Office at uklo.team@cern.ch, at least 4 months in advance. LTA commencement dates will be announced as accommodation becomes available.
Find out more about attachments to CERN.
Student travel and medical insurance
Research organisations will be responsible for providing students with adequate travel and medical insurance for student LTAs. This insurance should cover students for:
- medical emergencies
- repatriation
- personal accident
- disability
STFC will continue to provide travel and emergency medical insurance cover for students on LTA for students that have already had approval for their LTAs (those that started in or before October 2019).
Research organisations will be responsible for providing STFC with student names and LTA dates for insurance purposes.
It is the responsibility of the research organisation to email studentships at studentships@stfc.ukri.org if these dates change from those originally applied for. Failure to do so could result in claims being invalid.
As from 1 September 2022, STFC travel insurance is provided through Chubb, the policy number is UKBBBD00217. This expires 31 August 2023. Students should contact STFC directly for emergency contact information and how to arrange a Chubb travel insurance certificate.
Students should contact STFC directly if they require a copy of the insurance policy schedule.
From October 2020, it is the responsibility of the research organisation to provide students with adequate travel, emergency medical, repatriation, personal accident and disability insurance and healthcare cover for new LTA applications for students
Health insurance
It is a legal requirement for all students travelling to CERN to have full medical insurance. We would also strongly recommend this is in place for all students travelling on LTA.
Please direct any queries regarding student LTA applications to studentships@stfc.ukri.org
Last updated: 16 January 2023