PERMANENT CALL (2026) - BOF SABBATICAL LEAVE

Research

Funding organisation:

Bijzonder OnderzoeksFonds

What?

The BOF programme Sabbatical Leave cofinances outgoing international research stays at international universities and/or research institutions for periods of min. 3 up to max. 12 months (without interruption). This programme aims at facilitating the stay abroad by providing cofinancing of costs for accommodation which cannot be claimed from FWO (detailed information in the internal guidelines).

The costs for replacing the ZAP member in the faculty are not eligible in this programme, but can be requested with the personnel department through FINTRA, provided that this BOF-application was approved and the teaching assignment cannot be covered by other funding. You will be asked to indicate in the application form the volume of the teaching assignment that needs to be covered in your absence.

A BOF application must be accompanied by an (approved) FWO application for either sabbatical bench fee or long stay abroad.

If other external grants (ex. Fulbright,…) are acquired for a Sabbatical Leave for research purposes, BOF@uhasselt.be can be contacted to evaluate possibilities of cofinancing through BOF.

In certain regions, there is a concern about the involvement of research institutions and universities in human rights violations. Hasselt University urges its staff to exercise particular caution when collaborating with partners from these regions.

Who?

• The applications must be submitted by the ZAP member of Hasselt University with the same minimum % of employment as required in FWO regulations with 60% as an absolute minimum.
• Applications can be submitted from Associated professor level onwards.

Application?

• The proposals must be submitted using the application form.
  • Please add the FWO application.
  • Please explain your future research ambitions and how this Sabbatical Leave will add to that.
• Budget that can be applied for with BOF (BOF provides different funding amounts in order to ensure equal funding in total per month regardless of the monthly stipend paid by FWO):
  • In co-application with FWO sabbatical bench fee:
    • max. €500/month for accommodation costs;
    • travel cost of €500 for stays within Europe or € €1,000 for stays outside Europe - (in case this is not funded by FWO).
  • In co-application with FWO long stay abroad:
    • max. €850/month on accommodation costs.
• The stay must be focused on strengthening the (strategic) basic research within the researcher’s research group/institute/centre.
• The scientific added value of the Sabbatical Leave must be motivated.
• The positive advice of the faculty and capacity group (vakgroep), should be included in the application. If the applicant is affiliated to a research institute/centre, a positive advice of the research institute/centre is required.
• The completed application form (in English) should be submitted via e-mail to BOF@uhasselt.be.

Conditions

• The BOF funds for the Sabbatical Leave are intended to supplement a granted FWO application (FWO sabbatical bench fee or FWO grant for a long stay abroad). The financial means provided in this BOF- programme can only be used for costs related to this stay abroad that are not funded by FWO.
• The funds can be granted only one time per person.
• Min. appointment of 60% at UHasselt.
• Min. associate professor.

Timing

BOF applications should be submitted in parallel with the FWO application for a sabbatical bench fee or long stay abroad, no later than 3 months prior to the departure date. The FWO application should be attached to the BOF application.
Applications will be discussed in the subsequent meeting of the Research Council following the submission, provided that the application is received by BOF@uhasselt.be at minimum one week prior to the meeting of the Research Council (meeting calendar of the Research Council is available here).

Please take into account that applications received in June can only be discussed in the Research Council meeting of September.

Regulations?

• BOF Sabbatical Leave programme
• BOF internal guidelines (incl. information on insurances)

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail lieve.tulleneers@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269041