TAS Eligibility Criteria

To apply for access to the telescopes and instruments offered by SOLARNET, a user group must satisfy the following conditions:

a. The user group leader and the majority of the users must work in a country other than the country(ies) where the installation is located i.e. the legal entity(ies) operating the infrastructure is(are) established.

This rule does not apply:
– if access is provided by an International organization, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), an ERIC or similar legal entities.
– in case of remote access to a set of installations located in different countries offering the same type of service.

b. Access for user groups where the user group leader and the majority of the users work in an institution established in an EU Member State1 or in an Associated State2 is currently limited to 80% of the total amount of units of access.

c. Access for user groups with a majority of users not working in an EU or associated country is limited to 20% of the total amount of units of access provided under the grant unless a higher percentage is foreseen.

d. User groups requesting access are required to apply following the conditions and deadlines of the Announcements of Opportunity yearly published by SOLARNET.

e. Only user groups that are allowed to disseminate the results they have generated under the action may benefit from the access unless the users are working for SMEs.

The selection will be based on scientific merits and technical feasibility. Specially targeted groups (new users, users from countries with no similar facilities, etc.) will be prioritized under equally scored proposals.

Telescopes and EU countries excluded by aforementioned (a) and (b) conditions
THEMIS: France and Spain
VVT: Germany and Spain
SST: Sweden and Spain
GREGOR: Germany and Spain

In the case of databases offered by SOLARNET, access is internet-based and completely open. Researchers worldwide are welcome.

1. EU 27 Member States

2. EU Horizon 2020 Associated States: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Israel, Moldova, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Ukraine, Tunisia, Georgia, Armenia, UK.

Free Access to the telescopes
Observing teams awarded with telescope time under the SOLARNET TAS Programme shall receive free access to the telescope. European Commission funds are used to cover the per day running costs of these world class facilities.

Travel and Subsistence Grants to Conduct Observations
Travel and Subsistence Grants will also be provided to carry out on-site observations at the telescopes.

EC funds shall cover travel, accommodation and subsistence costs during the observing run. A maximum of two members from the research team per observing campaign can be supported. We encourage group leaders to involve new users and/or young researchers as beneficiaries for, at least, one of the travels and subsistence grants available. In any case, it is the responsibility of the group leader to decide which member of the team will be supported.

Once the group leader has received the official confirmation of the awarded telescope time, he/she is invited to ask those team members who will benefit from these travel and subsistence grants to complete the following application form and send it along with the bank details to the SOLARNET Project Office (Email to: SOLARNET‐office@leibniz‐kis.de and secr@leibniz-kis.de ). Travel shall be organized by the Project Office.

Travel and Subsistence Application Form (Please click here to download Travel Form, Bank details (Excel Sheet) Form for subsistence allowance)

  • Users are advised not to make any bookings/reservations if they want to take advantage of this funding opportunity. Following your preferences, The SOLARNET Project Office will book and directly pay for all your travel tickets and accommodation costs once your proposal has been accepted and the grant had been confirmed.
  • Once the schedule has been finalized, the users should contact SOLARNET‐office@leibniz‐kis.de and secr@leibniz-kis.de  as soon as possible with the completed form, at least 8 weeks before traveling so that all formalities can be completed.
  • Travel applications received 8 weeks before the observing run will be considered.
  • We kindly ask you to read first the information related to Allowable Costs.
  • In case of travel restrictions due to the COVID 19 situation, travel to KIS, Freiburg can be organized if necessary to executive remote observations for the GREGOR telescope.

Allowable Costs
The SOLARNET Project Office will directly pay travel and accommodation costs. Team members will be contacted to follow their preferences.

TRAVEL EXPENSES: Travel costs are either (a) the cheapest economy class airfare from the researchers’ place of work to the observatory, or (b) the actual cost of travel, whichever is more economical. Train tickets can be also covered if needed. The following cannot be considered as allowable costs: private car costs, Rental cars (apart from the rental car at the Observatory), local travels in the city or locality of your home institution or any other travel costs not mentioned above.

ACCOMMODATION AND SUBSISTENCE: Accommodation and Subsistence costs for the entire duration of the observing run (plus a minimum number of nights really necessary), including food and lodging, but excluding telephone calls, laundry and any other extras, are eligible. Users are invited to book at OT/ORM Residence. The SOLARNET Project Office will inform staff at the Residences about this funding support, so users will not be invoiced at their departure. Additional nights at sea-level or at the country of origin, when really necessary, such as in case of early morning flights, will be either refunded or directly paid by the SOLARNET Project Office. Other accommodation costs (additional nights on-site or sea-level or at the country of origin) will not be refunded. For private holidays, the users should book their own hotels. If additional flight costs are incurred due to private holidays, then the users are expected to take care of the additional flight costs.

RENTAL CAR: A car will be available at your arrival at the Canary Islands (Tenerife or La Palma airports). The SOLARNET Project Office will inform you about the Rental Car Agency to pick up the vehicle. The use of this car will be restricted to the ascent and descent from the Observatory as well as inside the Observatory. The vehicle will be provided with a full tank and may be returned to the agency at your departure without refueling. It has been estimated that one full tank is more than enough for expected journeys during your observing period. It is necessary to have a driver’s license in force, which will be required by the Agency’s staff. They will inform you about the rights, obligations, and responsibilities. Any additional or improper use of this vehicle, or failure to comply with current traffic regulations, will be your own responsibility. In case you have not drivers’ license in force, or you prefer not to take the rental car, taxi service from the airport to the Observatory and return will be covered. This service will be also booked and paid by the SOLARNET Project Office (inform us well in advance). Both members of the observing team supported by these travel and subsistence grants are expected to share the rental car or the taxi option. This support cannot be offered individually.