The International Visegrad Fund is an international organization based in Bratislava founded by the governments of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries - the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Republic of Poland, and the Slovak Republic.
The purpose of the fund is to facilitate and promote the development of closer cooperation among citizens and institutions in the region as well as between the V4 region and other countries, especially in the Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership regions. The fund operates several grant programs, and also awards individual scholarships. Grant support is given to original projects namely in the areas of culture, science and research, youth exchanges, cross-border cooperation and tourism promotion.
The fund’s annual budget consists of equal contributions of V4 governments. The fund also utilizes (in the form of subgranting or co-financing) contributions from other governments/governmental organizations from the following countries: Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States.
Visegrad Grants
Visegrad Grants support the implementation of cooperation projects between V4 entities (in culture, science and research, education, youth exchanges, cross-border cooperation and tourism). Visegrad Grants primarily supports projects of advancing innovativeness and sustainability in Central and Eastern Europe.
Deadlines for submission of applications are 1st February, 1st June and 1st October.
Grant amounts vary depending on the size and scope of the project. The average grant support for supported project in 2016 was around €20 000.
Visegrad+ Grants
Visegrad+ Grants support projects which contribute to the democratization and transformation processes in selected countries and regions, especially non-EU member states in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries (the Western Balkan and the Eastern Partnership countries).
The deadlines for submission of applications are 1st February, 1st June and 1st October.
Grant amounts vary depending on the size and scope of the project. The average grant support for supported project in 2016 was around €20 000.
Strategic Grants
It supports significant, long-term strategic projects. These projects involve institutions from all four countries of the Visegrad Group
Project must be focused on the priorities for the current year
The deadline for submitting an application are 1st February, 1st June and 1st October.
Grants are provided from 12 to 36 months (one project gets around €40 000).
Visegrad University Studies Grants
University Studies Grants were merged with Visegrad Grants. Project proposals for university courses or degree programs can apply for Visegrad Grants by October 1.
They are intended for study in Master's degree programs and postgraduate study (or research), usually for 1 to 2 semesters at all accredited public/private universities or accredited workplaces of the Academy of Sciences in the V4 countries and other countries (see below).
Visegrad Scholarships offer:
Visegrad Scholarship Program
Incoming Scholarships are for applicants from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine. This program is for candidates who want to study (or do research) in some V4 country.
Applicants from these countries can apply for up to 4 semesters (MA level) or 2 semester (PhD/postdoc)
€2 300/semester for the scholar + €1 500/semester for the host
Outgoing Scholarships are for applicants from Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. This program is for candidates who want to study (or do research) in Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership countries.
Applicants from these countries can apply for up to 4 semesters (MA level) or 2 semester (PhD/postdoc)
€2 300/semester for the scholar + €1 500/semester for the host
Visegrad Scholarship Program - EaP
The EaP chapter of Visegrad scholarships support Masters and post-Masters (PhD/postdoc) studies/research stays at higher-education institutions in the V4 region specifically targetting scholars who are citizens of Eastern Partnership countries.
Min. study period is 1 semester, max. 2 semesters, or 4 semesters (only MA level)
€2 300/semester for the scholar + €1 500/semester for the host
Visegrad Scholarships at Open Society Archives
Program run in cooperation with the Open Society Archivum Budapest offers research fellowships at the Open Society Archives (OSA) at the Central European University in Budapest. Altogether, 12 fellowships are awarded annually to selected applicants from V4 countries and 3 fellowships annually to non-V4 applicants.
The €2 000 fellowship is designed to provide access to the archives, cover travel to/from Budapest, modest subsistence, and accommodation for a research period of two months
Visegrad-Taiwan Scholarships
The Visegrad–Taiwan Scholarship Program is operated and financed jointly by the fund and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan. The aim of the program is to facilitate academic exchanges by providing support to PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from V4 countries who intend to conduct research in Taiwan. The reciprocal part of the program supporting mobility of Taiwanese researchers to the V4 region is operated by the Taiwanese side.
10 months (2 semesters) with the possibility to re-apply once (max. support is 20 months)
€750/month (PhD level) or €1 000/month (postdoc) + €800 as one-time travel grant
Detailed information about grants and scholarships (including application forms) can be found here. Detailed information about the Visegrad Group can be found here.