Change of Research Environment

As part of your PhD programme, you must complete a change of research environment. This means spending time at an external research institution or organisation and actively participating in a different research environment.

The purpose of the stay is to strengthen your academic network, gain new research perspectives, and become part of another active research environment.

Changes of Research Environment taking place in 2026

The current rules apply. Information about these rules can be found on the website of your PhD school (see links to the right).

Rules for Change of Research Environment

The following rules describe the requirements for fulfilling the Change of Research Environment element of the PhD programme. Separate conditions apply for financial support. The Danish PhD Order recommends a stay of 3-6 months, primarily at a research institution abroad. For PhD students enrolled at UCPH, the following rules apply: 

• A Change of Research Environment may take place in Denmark or abroad at an external research institution. For PhD students at UCPH, this means that the stay cannot be carried out at UCPH.
• A Change of Research Environment must have a total duration of at least 1 month (equivalent to 20 weekdays). The stay may be divided into multiple periods. Each period must consist of at least 10 weekdays.
• A Change of Research Environment may not coincide with a leave of absence.
• The stay must be completed within the enrolment period, i.e. after enrolment and before submission of the PhD thesis.
• Conferences, courses and fieldwork may be combined with a Change of Research Environment. However, days spent on these activities cannot be included when calculating the duration of the Change of Research Environment.
• Applications for Changes of Research Environment must be submitted through PhD Planner.
• Changes of Research Environment may be registered and approved in PhD Planner before, during or after the stay.

Financial support

Changes of Research Environment that fulfil both the duration and geographical mobility requirements are eligible for financial support from the PhD School.

• Duration requirement
  Financial support may be granted for Changes of Research Environment lasting between 1 and 6 months (1 month corresponds to 20 weekdays).

• Geographical requirement
  Financial support is available for stays outside Region East (Region Øst)*.

*The purpose of the funding is to to compensate for additional expenses incurred in connection with longer-term stays outside the University’s local area. Students whose primary research environment is located outside Region East (Region Øst) may apply for an exemption from the geographical mobility requirement.

Applications for financial support may be submitted during or after the stay.

Funding rates: Support of up to DKK 45,000 may be granted for a 6-month stay, distributed as follows:

• Up to DKK 20,000 for the first month.
• Up to DKK 5,000 per month for each of the following five months.

Funding that has already been allocated or accumulated locally for a planned Change of Research Environment falls outside the scope of the tuition fee model. Decisions regarding such funding remain a local matter and are not affected by the PhD School's administration of the tuition fee scheme.

First month
(20 days excluding weekends, holidays and days used on other activities)

Following months
(Each of 20 days excluding weekends, holidays and days used on other activities)

Maximum in total
(Up to 120 days excluding weekends, holidays and days used on other activities)