YSF Applications

For applicants from FEBS countries

A 'FEBS country' is a country where there is a FEBS Constituent Society (Europe and some bordering countries).

Support from FEBS for YSF participants

FEBS will provide financial support for participation in the YSF and the ensuing Congress to those selected from FEBS countries to take part in the YSF, via YSF grants. YSF grants in 2024 can only be used to support participation in the 23rd FEBS YSF and 48th FEBS Congress, and those selected must attend both the YSF and the Congress. Grants will cover registration and accommodation in shared rooms (for both events) and up to 80% of the travel costs to Pavia (the YSF location) and from Milano, Italy (the Congress location). Awards will only be made to support travel from the applicant’s current country of residence in the FEBS area to and from these event locations. The amount awarded will be based on the distance travelled and the most affordable options. The grant payment will be processed after the event by the FEBS Treasury. 

Eligibility criteria for YSF 2024

PhD students and postdoctoral fellows are welcome to submit applications if they fulfil all of the following criteria. Applicants should:

• be up to 35 years of age, except if studies were started later, or were delayed by maternity leave (18 months per child), prolonged illness or other personal reasons
• be registered as a PhD student at an institute of higher learning in a country where there is a FEBS Constituent Society OR be a postdoctoral scientist within five years of having completed a PhD thesis, working in a country where there is a FEBS Constituent Society*
• submit a single abstract to the 23rd FEBS YSF and 48th FEBS Congress as first author. Both events should be attended.
• be a member of a FEBS Constituent Society*
• not have received a grant from FEBS to attend a previous YSF, nor a FEBS YTF award for a 2024 FEBS Advanced Course 

Please note that the number of meeting travel awards you have previously received from FEBS may also be taken into consideration in your selection.

*The Russian Biochemical Society and Belarusian Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists are temporarily suspended from FEBS, so members of these Societies and scientists studying/working/living in Russia and Belarus are not currently able to apply to the FEBS YSF.

How to apply

Once registration opens (expected early November 2023), YSF applications must be made through the Congress website’s registration and abstract submission system by December 7, 2023. 

Application Steps:

1. Select the YSF Applicant option, and complete a registration order valued at 0 Euros by entering your details on the registration form and selecting the YSF waiver option
2. Submit an abstract as first author to one of the Congress abstract topics (in the 'Posters - Research' track)
3. Upload the following supporting documents in a single pdf file during registration:

• Proof of Status: PhD student, or post-doctoral scientist within 5 years of receiving a PhD
• Proof of current FEBS Constituent Society membership (scanned copy of current membership certificate/letter, dated within the past year from your FEBS Constituent Society)
• Curriculum Vitae, prepared using the FEBS Congress 2024 CV template
• Letter of Motivation, describing reasons why you would benefit from attending the FEBS YSF and the FEBS Congress, in not more than 300 words
• Letter of Recommendation from your supervisor, not exceeding 300 words, and including your supervisor's signature and contact data (address, phone number, e-mail)
• Proof of Age: a scanned copy of ID showing date of birth (national ID card or passport). Over 35s with special circumstances should upload additional supporting documents.

All abstracts must contain original work that has not been published or presented identically on previous occasions. Abstract submission must follow the requirements and guidelines on the Call for Abstracts page for the 48th FEBS Congress, noting the earlier deadline for YSF abstracts. Abstracts submitted by YSF Applicants and accepted for the YSF cannot be edited after the YSF application deadline.

Until the announcement of YSF evaluation results, YSF applicants' registration/participant status will be held as pending. Unsuccessful YSF applicants will be able to switch participant types in the Congress registration system after outcome notifications, and also consider applying for a Congress bursary ahead of the 8 March bursary application deadline.

For applicants from outside the FEBS area

For the FEBS YSF 2024 (and ensuing FEBS Congress 2024), IUBMB will be supporting the participation of two young researchers from non-FEBS countries. IUBMB will cover registration and accommodation in shared rooms (for both the FEBS YSF and FEBS Congress 2024) and up to 80% of reasonable travel costs up to a maximum of €500 (or up to €750 for applicants from African countries).

To be eligible for this IUBMB support for the YSF 2024, applicants must:

1. be studying or working in an IUBMB member country that does not have a FEBS Constituent Society
2. be a member of the relevant national Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology that is an Adhering Body or Associate Adhering Body of IUBMB, or have the sponsorship of a member of such a Society

All other relevant YSF eligibility criteria as set out for applicants from the FEBS area above apply - i.e. applicants for IUBMB support must be under 35 years of age (with some allowances), be a PhD student or a postdoc within five years of receiving a PhD, and be submitting abstract as first author to the YSF and Congress.

To apply as a YSF applicant from outside the FEBS area, please follow all the instructions in 'How to apply' above, but instead of proof of FEBS Constituent Society membership in your single pdf file, please include a scanned copy of current membership certificate/letter from your IUBMB Society (Adhering Body or Associate Adhering Body of IUBMB) or, in the case of sponsorship, a signed letter of support from a member of the country’s Society.

Application and abstract assessments

Applications to the FEBS YSF 2024 for FEBS YSF grants will be assessed by the YSF Organizing Committee. In the case of applications for IUBMB YSF grants, IUBMB committee members may be consulted.

All successful applicants will present their work at the YSF as posters. In addition, all abstracts of successful applicants will be considered for possible oral presentations of 10–15 min during the YSF program. Outcomes on presentation options are expected to be notified shortly after the time of announcement of selected YSF participants.

Abstracts from successful YSF applicants are also included in the ensuing FEBS Congress. If you are interested in oral presentation opportunities at the Congress, please answer 'yes' to the questions on these in the abstract submission system. Assessment for this will be carried out by the Congress organization and is independent of oral selection for the YSF.