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Who can apply for a funded slot?

The Courses are considered for students and Young Researchers from southern Africa. 

Applicants from outsiide southern Africa can also apply, but we are not able to cover flights to South Africa. Flights within South Africa, accomodation and Food, of course, will be covered.

How can I apply for a funded slot?

The courses are open for registration usually a few months before the starting date.

You can apply by clicking on the link to our course administration tool (ConfTool) which can be found in the course description, and by first creating yourself a username and password and then filling in your details.

Can I submitt several applications for the same course?

You can apply for different courses but double application for the same course are not allowed. To submit several applications for the same course will not increase your chance for acceptance.

In case of double applications we will withdraw the latest submission.

How can I upload more than three documents?

While applying for the course you usually have to provide three documents. This is also the maximum number of documents which can be uploaded. Therefore, you have to combine some documents.

Please upload:

  1. All letters in one document (e. g. letter of recommendation, letter of motivation, research plan etc.)
  2. CV
  3. copy of the passport

Please also check the course description to find out which documents are requested.

We cannot add documents to your application manually!

How can I apply for a non-funded slot?

Under certain Courses and only on agreement with the course leader, interested parties may apply for a non-funded slot. In this case, we do not need your application via our application System. 

First, please check the course description, whether there are non-funded slots available and get in touch with the course Leaders by e-mail. The documents needed typically are the CV and the Letter of Motivation.

Which are the steps in the application procedure

Step 1: Registration in our online course portal (ConfTool)

When you have found a course you want to apply for, please click on the link in the course description, which will be activated when the course is open for application. You will then be directed to our online registration portal (Conftool). As the first step, you will need to create a user account.

Do not forget to confirm your e-mail address by logging onto your email, otherwise your application cannot be processed.

Once you have created a user account, you can use the same login to register for more courses and to check your registration status.

Step 2: Application

After confirmation of your e-mail address please log in to your account and click on to "Your Applications" and follow the instructions. Please upload the documents requested. There are three slots for uploads which are marked accordingly. Typically you have to provide:

1. slot: All letters (e. g. letter of recommendation and letter of motivation in one document)
2. slot: CV
3. slot: Copy of your passport.

After successful submission and finalization of the application you can see your application and the current status here. You will also receive an automatically generated confirmation e-mail with your submitted details and the status of your application.

Please note: Only fully completed  and finalized submissions (including all requested documents) will be reviewed.

Step 3: Review period

After the application deadline, the review period starts. This will typically take a few weeks, please be patient.

Step 4: Confirmation / Refusal information

All applicants will automatically receive an e-mail informing them about their acceptance status after the review period has ended. Please also check your spam folder to make sure that you did not miss any e-mails. In the case you have not received any information emails four weeks after the application deadline, please contact the SPACES II Organizers by e-mail ak-spaces@thuenen.de

We kindly ask you to avoid any request for information about your acceptance status before the end of the review period!.

Step 5: Final Registration after acceptance

Together with your confirmation e-mail, you will receive a code that is needed to realize your final registration. At this stage, you confirm the terms and conditions of the courses, including conditions of cancellations - please only confirm your attendance in the case that you are sure you can fully participate in the course.

For the final registration, please log in to your account and click to "Register as participant".  This link will appear after you have been accepted to a course. Fill in the details need and add the above mentioned code. We also need your preferred details for traveling. If you need a flight we appreciate your flight information (time, departure etc.).

Please remember to confirm your registration within the time indicated in the confirmation mail. Otherwise your slot might be used for another applicant.

Please note that we have to comply with legal regulations and, thus, cannot accept special flights e. g. first class travel.

Step 6: Booking Confirmation

After we have received your registration, we will organize transportation for you; we seek for the most convenient options within our budgetary limits. As soon as we have booked your flight or organized a shuttle transfer we will inform you by e-mail.

What is "Finalization"?

When you apply for a course you have to upload all requested documents. By clicking on "Finalize" your submission is completed and can be reviewed. After finalization no changes of the application documents or details are possible.

To find out whether you have finalized your document, you just have to log on to your account and click on "Your Applications". There you have an overview of all submissions you have provided and the finalization as well as the acceptance status after the review period.

Please note that we can only consider finalized submissions!

What are the criteria for the acceptance of students onto the courses?

The criteria for acceptance vary according to the course, and are determined by the course leaders. Please read the full course description. In most cases, criteria are related to your previous experience, study record and motivation. Some courses may also expect background information on specific topics or skills. Some courses are tailored specifically for undergraduate students/doctoral researchers etc.

What information do I need to provide when I register?

When you click the registration link, which will be published in the course description, you are directed to the online registration tool that guides you through the questions you need to fill in.

For the application procedure, we need to collect a range of personal details which are necessary to organize travel and accommodation.

Please note that we are unable to process any incomplete applications or applications that are missing crucial documents.

Where can I find my acceptance status?

After the review period all applicants will be informed by e-mail about the review result (accepted / rejected).

You can also log in to your account in our application system (Conftool) and click on "Your Applications". There you have an overview of all submissions you have provided and the acceptance status after the review period.

Please note:
If you do not receive any mail with your status please make sure to use the correct e-mail address (you have to validate your e-mail address on registration in our system). Also check your spam folder!

Which documents are needed?

To apply for a funded slot some documents must be provided by the applicant. These documents needed are indicated in the course description and typically include:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Letter of motivation, clearly stating why the course would be important to you
  • Letter of Recommendation of the University (signed by main supervisor/similar), stating the need of funding
  • Copy of passport (necessary for flight reservation)

There are only three slots for uploads. This means that you have to combine some documents. The slots are usually marked accordingly.

Typically you have to upload:

1. slot: All letters in one document (e. g. letter of recommendation together with the letter of motivation and the project plan)
2. slot: CV
3. slot: A copy of your passport

We cannot upload any further document for you!

Will I be informed about my acceptance status?

Yes, you will receive an e-mail with your acceptance status after the review period. This period will usually take a few weeks and starts after the application deadline.

You can also find your acceptance status in your account of our application system (Conftool). You just have to click on "Your Applications". There, you will also find all the applications you have submitted together with the acceptance status, as soon as the review period has ended.

Please make sure that our e-mail is not in your spam folder!

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