Cost coverage can only be granted upon prior application (before the event). Applications may be submitted informally via email to the Gender Equality Team and should include the following information:

• Name
• Status (e.g., student, employee, etc.)
• Name of the event, along with additional details if applicable, such as a link to the website
• Requested funds (purpose and, for travel expenses, an estimated amount if applicable)

The application will then be reviewed, discussed, and approved as promptly as possible, provided the request meets the necessary criteria.

In addition to central gender equality funds, individual research and collaborative projects also offer scholarships and similar forms of support, such as the Female Student Travel Award. However, the application and eligibility requirements for these programs differ from those described here and are often only available at specific times.

There are also free programs for employees, such as courses offered by Ingenium. More details about these initiatives can be found in the gender equality concept (Gleichstellungskonzept) and on the official websites. Nevertheless, the travel expense reimbursement guidelines mentioned below may still prove useful.

The incurred costs must first be submitted and subsequently reimbursed in order to receive a refund. This is usually only possible after the event/trip; however, an advance payment can be requested for expected costs exceeding 200 €. The Gender Equality Officers are happy to assist with this process.

Unless otherwise communicated during the approval process, all costs must be fully reconciled within six months of the event. Therefore, the corresponding documents should be submitted as promptly as possible after the event to allow enough time for any questions. Should you encounter any issues while completing the forms, the Gender Equality Team are available to assist.

Participation in workshops, etc., without reimbursement of travel costs

For reimbursement, the Travel Expenses Cashless Payment (Formular Reisekosten – Auszahlung Unbar) form should be used, which can be downloaded after logging in via SSO. Always use the most current version of the form.

Typically, the “Receipt Reimbursement” option must be selected. The section for the organizational unit and the accounting fields at the bottom can be left blank.

If the purpose of the expenses is not clearly evident from the receipts, a brief explanation should be included. In addition to invoices (but not receipts from cash or card payments on-site), proof of payment is required. A bank statement or individual bank receipt is suitable for this purpose. All other items and fields, except for your name and the bank name, can be redacted.

If not all receipts are available in digital format (e.g., receipts for cash or card payments on-site), the original reimbursement must be submitted. However, this should be clarified directly if needed.

Receipts that are not in A4 format should be attached to blank A4 sheets. Do not staple, as the reimbursement documents will be scanned in the administration. A reimbursement can only be processed if receipts are provided.

Reimbursement of Travel Expenses

If travel expenses have been approved for reimbursement, in addition to the items described in the previous section, the amounts for travel expenses must be provided, and the corresponding receipts should be submitted. The Travel Expenses Cashless (Formular Reisekosten – Auszahlung Unbar) form described earlier should be used for this as well.

Tip: For local transportation tickets, it is sufficient to submit the tickets (attached), and no additional receipt is required as long as the usage time and price are visible on the ticket.

The travel expense guidelines (which can also be found on the form page) provide information on what costs can be reimbursed and to what extent. Per diem payments (Tagegeld) from gender equality funds are not possible.

Travel should typically be done by public transport, usually by train. The use of private cars, rental cars, or taxis must be specifically justified and should be discussed during the application process to avoid issues during reimbursement. Accommodations should be booked in mid-range hotels, and the cost should not exceed €80 per night. Different limits may apply for international travel.