Through its Guest and Exchange Program the International Max Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling (IMPRS-ESM) is able to provide financial support for doctoral students of the School to spend a limited time (max. 3 months) at a foreign research institution, which is well recognized in the PhD student’s research field.

The IMPRS-ESM Guest and Exchange Program is funded by the ZEIT Foundation Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius for the time period from 2005 – 2011 with a limited annual budget. The financial resources of the Exchange Program allow for up to 5 individual visits per year. The IMPRS-ESM office welcomes applications to the Exchange Program at any time. Support is granted by the Executive Committee of the IMPRS-ESM based on the proposal provided. We regard an early and good understanding of the program procedures important to developing and maintaining fair conditions and treatment within the community of PhD students.

The most important aspects associated with the offered financial support are listed below. Transport from Hamburg to the visited institute and back is covered for the ‘best price’ ticket. Note that the amount of the overall payment is limited to 2,000 Euro, which is assumed to be sufficient to cover the basic cost of living during the stay abroad. To maintain living arrangements in Germany while being abroad, most IMPRS-ESM students depend on the continuation of their existing financial support (either PhD contract or stipend). Consequently, the time spent on the Exchange Program has to be considered a part of the 3-years tenure at the IMPRS-ESM or with a soft-money research project. To avoid conflicts with the available financial support for the preparation of the doctoral thesis, candidates are asked to discuss their individual situations with their advisors and with the IMPRS-ESM office prior to arranging a visit at a foreign institute.

Each participant is obliged to arrange for health insurance, to cover for possible medical treatment during their visit abroad.

Participants have no official obligations other than to fulfill their individual science agreement with the host institute/the host scientist, based on which the IMPRS-ESM Guest and Exchange Program granted financial support.