Award Information & Eligibility
VISTA will support travel costs for visiting scholars, students and fellows to/from eligible VISTA-affiliated academic institutions. Eligible institutions include current VISTA partners. Applicants may request to support travel to/from a non-VISTA partner with justification on how the work aligns with the goals of the program and how the institution would be suitable as a potential VISTA partner.
Funding is available for a visit of 1 to 6 months in duration, with the award prorated to the duration of the visit. A travel duration of less than 1 month will be considered on a case by case basis (e.g. for family reasons). Subsequent visits at least 12 months apart will require a new application to the program. Multiple visits within a 12 month period must be specified in advance and are restricted to the funding limits allotted for a single award. When multiple visits are made within a single award, travel support is limited to one return trip.
The selection process and post-award administration are carried out by the VISTA Partnerships Committee and the VISTA Administrative Staff with oversight from the VISTA Leadership Committee and Board of Directors. Applicants should submit their application to applyvista@yorku.ca.
OBJECTIVE
The VISTA Distinguished Visiting Scholar/Trainee program will provide travel support for high-caliber scholars/trainees doing research that is aligned with the VISTA program. The goal of the program is to foster interdisciplinary research in biological and computational vision and to promote and expand long-term national and international collaborative relationships in vision science. Incoming scholars must be sponsored by a host at York University that is a VISTA Core/associate Member. Outgoing scholars/trainees must be a VISTA Core/associate Member working with a VISTA academic partner, or potential VISTA academic partner on research that is aligned with the VISTA mandate.
Definitions
Visiting Scholar: Incoming applicants must hold a Faculty position at a VISTA-partnered academic institution, or at an academic institution with the potential to become a VISTA partner (requires justification). Staff scientists/research associates may be considered. Outgoing York applicants must hold a Faculty position and be a Core/associate Member of VISTA. The applicant must be conducting work in an area of research that aligns with VISTA and be visiting a VISTA-partnered academic institution or an academic institution with the potential to become a VISTA partner (requires justification).
Visiting Fellow: Incoming applicants must hold a doctoral degree, and must be employed as a Postdoctoral Fellow under a supervisor that is a Faculty member at an eligible institution. Eligible institutions include VISTA-partnered academic institutions or academic institutions with the potential to become a VISTA partner (requires justification). Outgoing postdoctoral applicants from York University must be supervised by a VISTA Core/associate member. The applicant must be conducting work in an area of research that aligns with VISTA and be visiting a VISTA-partnered academic institution or an academic institution with the potential to become a VISTA partner (requires justification).
Visiting Student: The applicant must be a graduate student at the Masters or Doctoral level. Outgoing students from York University must be supervised by a VISTA Core/associate member, be conducting work in an area of research that aligns with VISTA, and be visiting a VISTA-partnered academic institution or an academic institution with the potential to become a VISTA partner (requires justification). Incoming students must be supervised by a Faculty member at a VISTA-partnered academic institution, or at an academic institution with the potential to become a VISTA partner. The student must be conducting work in an area of research that aligns with VISTA.
Eligible Costs
- Travel and accommodations for visiting researchers, including internet costs as provided through accommodation plan;
- Air travel, claimed at the lowest rate available and not to exceed full economy fare;
- Travel cancellation insurance and seat reservation charges;
- Travel health insurance for faculty and any members of the research team who do not receive any such benefits from their institution and/or other sources. UHIP at York University is $51 per month and is an eligible expense;
- Safety-related expenses for field work, such as protective gear, immunizations, etc.;
Ineligible Costs
- Commuting costs of faculty and members of the research team between their residence and place of employment, or between two places of employment;
- Passport and immigration/visa fees;
- Costs associated with thesis examination and defense, including external examiner costs; and
- Reimbursement for airfare purchased using personal frequent flyer points programs;
- Travel costs exceeding one return trip where multiple visits are conducted within one award;
- Supplementary fees required as a visitor to York University (approximately $253 per term);
- Note that non-domestic student visitors to York University are subject to the following approximate fees that are not eligible under the VISTA program, and therefore must be covered by the host or visitor. These fees are described more clearly in the IVRT program link.
- Visa application fees for host: $230
- Visa application fees for visitor: $150
- Supplementary fees to York University: $253 per academic term
- York International administrative fees: $300
Overview
