The International Mathematical Union’s Commission for Developing Countries runs this program with support from the Simons Foundation. It funds PhD mathematicians working at universities or equivalent institutions in IMU-listed developing or less affluent countries.
The fellow travels to a mathematical institution worldwide for a research project developed with a host mathematician. The 2024–2027 program has four application calls per year, and this round covers visits that start from 15 February 2027 through 15 February 2028.
Benefits & funding
- Awards range from USD 5,000 to USD 15,000; partial awards below USD 15,000 may be made according to the application’s merits.
- The grant can cover up to three months of economy airfare, visa fees, travel health insurance, host-country accommodation, a location-based daily allowance, and airport transfers.
- Eligible primary caregivers may request child support, including up to USD 1,500 for a child’s airfare, USD 100 per month as an allowance, and invoiced childcare up to USD 400 per month.
- The first installment covers specified pre-visit costs and half of living costs, up to 80% of the award; the balance follows the visit after the required report and evidence are submitted.
Eligibility
- Hold a PhD in mathematics and a permanent faculty position, or equivalent employment, at an institution in an eligible country or territory on IMU’s 2024–2026 list.
- Eligibility is based on place of work; the program page states no nationality requirement. For China, the IMU list excludes Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
- Have an established host mathematician, a definite joint research plan, approved leave from the home institution, and a visit lasting at least one month.
- Do not apply simultaneously to the Abel Visiting Scholar Program or while another IMU-CDC research-visit grant remains active.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belarus · Belize · Benin
+ 130 more
Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · China · Chile · Colombia · Comoros · DR Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Equatorial Guinea · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · North Korea · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Macedonia · Pakistan · Palau · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Russia · Rwanda · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Palestine · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
PhD
Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Agree the research project, visit dates, and local arrangements with a mathematician at the proposed host institution.
- 2Prepare both CVs with selected publications in no more than three pages, the detailed research plan, the host’s statement, the dean-signed invitation, the home institution’s employment-and-leave confirmation, and a tentative USD budget declaring other support.
- 3Submit a complete application through the IMU Grants portal by 1 October 2026; incomplete applications are not evaluated.
Program timeline
Application deadline.
Oct 1, 2026
Permitted start window for the research visit.
Feb 15, 2027 to Feb 15, 2028