One of the key challenges potential South African FP7 participants has to meet is to find partners and financial support to fund international travel to meet and discuss potential FP7 projects with European partners. Cognisant of the difficulties sometimes posed to South African researchers in joining consortia for FP7 participation, the DST created a "Seed Funding Instrument." Under the Seed Funding Instrument, the DST is able to support the travel costs of South African researchers traveling to Europe to engage with European partners regarding FP7 collaboration. Alternatively funding can be granted to support the travel of European researchers to South Africa.

Funding is allocated upon the evaluation of applications submitted to the DST. Seed funding applications for example have to demonstrate the applicant's prior, thorough interrogation of the Work Programme of the FP7 activity concerned, communication with potential partners, and an invite by the European partners to come and participate in a project proposal discussion in Europe.

All requests should be drafted using the seed funding application template. Seed funding requests should be submitted a month in advance to DST, and applicants will get DST's response within 10 working days after submitting the request.

Note: Applications should be accompanied by an invitation from an EU partner to visit Europe as well as flight and accomodation confirmations in line with the budget submitted.

Download the seed funding application template in DOC, RTF or PDF format.

Download the seed funding report template in DOC, RTF or PDF format.

View the DST travel rates