Research budget & missions
RESEARCH BUDGET & MISSIONS
Use this section to identify the correct procedure for research-related travel, mission reimbursement, purchases, publications, conference fees and other expenses connected with your PhD project.
BEFORE INCURRING ANY EXPENSE
Agree on the expense before travelling, purchasing or registering
The expense must be consistent with your doctoral training and research project and should be discussed in advance with your Supervisor. Any academic or funding approval required from the PhD Programme Coordinator or other competent body must be obtained through the procedure applicable to the specific expense. Do not assume that an expense will be reimbursed only because it is related to your research.
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
Mission guidelines for PhD candidates
Consult the complete operational guide for mission authorisation, advances, eligible expenses, supporting documents, traceable payments, reimbursement and use of the UNICAM Missions Portal.
PDF document · Updated 23 January 2025
CHOOSE THE CORRECT PROCEDURE
What do you need to do?
01 · TRAVEL
I have to travel for research, training or a conference
You must submit the applicable mission request through the UNICAM Missions Portal before departure. The procedure applies to missions in Italy and abroad and is also relevant to the institutional and insurance framework connected with the activity.
Examples: conferences, workshops, laboratory activities, research visits, fieldwork, training periods and travel connected with the doctoral project.
02 · AFTER TRAVEL
I have completed a mission and need reimbursement
Complete the reimbursement procedure in the Missions Portal, download and sign the generated form and submit the original supporting documents to the SAS Administrative Office.
Electronic payment confirmations are not sufficient on their own. They must be accompanied by the corresponding receipt, invoice or other fiscal document.
03 · PURCHASE
UNICAM has to purchase a product or service
Consumable materials, publications, books and other products or services must normally be purchased directly by UNICAM. The quotation and the Coordinator’s authorisation must be obtained before sending the request to the Purchasing Office.
Do not purchase the item personally before receiving instructions from the competent office. The final invoice and administrative documents must be issued in the name of UNICAM.
04 · LONG-TERM MOBILITY
I am planning a research period abroad
Plan the research period in advance with your Supervisor and PhD Programme Coordinator and complete the applicable UNICAM mission procedure before departure.
Under the UNICAM Missions Regulations, missions lasting more than 30 days normally require an additional express authorisation by the competent School body. However, this additional express authorisation is not required when the period corresponds to compulsory mobility provided by the PhD programme.
COMPULSORY PHD MOBILITY
No additional express authorisation is required simply because the compulsory mobility period lasts more than 30 days.
The period must still be agreed in advance with the Supervisor and Coordinator, and the applicable mission procedure must be completed before departure.
If you receive a PhD scholarship, the scholarship-increase procedure is a separate but connected procedure. Host-institution documents, travel registration and certification of the period abroad — monthly or at the end of the stay, according to the applicable payment procedure — are explained in the dedicated mobility section.
DO NOT CONFUSE THE PROCEDURES
Mission authorisation and scholarship increase are not the same procedure
The mission procedure concerns the authorisation and administrative management of the travel. The scholarship-increase procedure concerns the additional scholarship amount available to eligible PhD candidates during authorised periods abroad. Completing one procedure does not replace the other.
YOUR RESEARCH BUDGET
A budget supporting doctoral research
Who is entitled to the budget?
National regulations provide each PhD candidate, with or without a scholarship, with a budget for research activities in Italy and abroad amounting to no less than 10% of the scholarship amount. The exact amount depends on the applicable national provisions, UNICAM regulations and the funding conditions of the individual position.
Where is the budget recorded?
The budget is recorded in a UNICAM cost centre. For PhD programmes having UNICAM as their sole or administrative seat, the Programme Coordinator is normally responsible for authorising expenditure charged to the relevant cost centre.
How long is the budget available?
The budget is intended for activities carried out during the doctoral programme. The mission FAQs state that, when necessary, it may also remain available until the doctoral degree is awarded.
Availability after the formal end of the three-year programme may depend on the funding source, reporting obligations and the status of the cost centre. Always verify the remaining amount and the final deadline with the SAS Office before making commitments.
What if the available budget is insufficient?
Before planning a mission or purchase, verify the available funds together with your Supervisor. The Supervisor may decide to make other research funds available, but is not required to do so.
Additional funding and changes to the source of financing must be verified in advance with the SAS Office and may require approval by the PhD Programme Board or other competent bodies.
BEFORE SUBMITTING A REQUEST
Four checks to complete
01
Scientific relevance
Confirm that the activity or purchase is directly connected with your doctoral training and research project.
02
Supervisor and required approvals
Discuss the activity or expense with your Supervisor and obtain any academic or funding approval required from the Programme Coordinator or other competent body.
03
Budget availability
Verify the available amount, the correct cost centre and any specific restrictions connected with your scholarship, position or project.
04
Correct administrative procedure
Identify whether the expense must follow the mission procedure, the UNICAM purchase procedure or the exceptional reimbursement procedure for a course or conference attended without travelling.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
Examples of expenses that may be supported
• Registration for courses, congresses, conferences and summer or winter schools actually attended, including online activities
• Missions in Italy and abroad
• Travel and accommodation connected with authorised research periods
• Consumable materials for laboratory activities
• Publication expenses
• Bibliographic materials required for the doctoral project
• Missions in Italy and abroad
• Travel and accommodation connected with authorised research periods
• Consumable materials for laboratory activities
• Publication expenses
• Bibliographic materials required for the doctoral project
Books and other bibliographic materials purchased with UNICAM funds must be returned to the competent UNICAM structure at the end of the PhD programme.
INELIGIBLE EXPENSES
The budget cannot normally be used for
• Inventoriable assets, including desktop computers, laptops, printers and tablets
• Software, where excluded by the applicable research-budget guidelines
• Expenses belonging to projects or funding sources other than the doctoral position
• Indirect costs, such as electricity or general structural costs
• Individual membership fees
• Deposits or security deposits that will later be returned
• Expenses already reimbursed from another source
• Purchases unrelated to the doctoral research project
• Cumulative purchases charged to several PhD candidates’ cost centres
• Anything excluded by the applicable UNICAM regulations
• Software, where excluded by the applicable research-budget guidelines
• Expenses belonging to projects or funding sources other than the doctoral position
• Indirect costs, such as electricity or general structural costs
• Individual membership fees
• Deposits or security deposits that will later be returned
• Expenses already reimbursed from another source
• Purchases unrelated to the doctoral research project
• Cumulative purchases charged to several PhD candidates’ cost centres
• Anything excluded by the applicable UNICAM regulations
QUICK REFERENCE
Mission request: submit through the portal at least 2 days before departure
Mission advance: up to 75% of the estimated expenses
Minimum advance: €250, according to the current mission FAQs
Traceable payments: required for reimbursement
Original documents: must be submitted when required
Standard reimbursement time: normally at least 30 days after receipt of complete documentation
Research period abroad: plan it with the Supervisor and PhD Programme Coordinator and complete the applicable mission procedure before departure
Mission over 30 days: additional express authorisation is normally required
Compulsory PhD mobility over 30 days: the additional express authorisation is not required
Mission advance: up to 75% of the estimated expenses
Minimum advance: €250, according to the current mission FAQs
Traceable payments: required for reimbursement
Original documents: must be submitted when required
Standard reimbursement time: normally at least 30 days after receipt of complete documentation
Research period abroad: plan it with the Supervisor and PhD Programme Coordinator and complete the applicable mission procedure before departure
Mission over 30 days: additional express authorisation is normally required
Compulsory PhD mobility over 30 days: the additional express authorisation is not required
SPECIAL CASES
Mission during an existing period abroad
A further trip from the host location to another destination for a conference, workshop or research activity requires a separate mission request. According to the current mission FAQs, this case must be managed using a specific form requested from the mission contact and cannot be entered directly through the Missions Portal.
Proof of financial resources
When the destination country requires proof of available financial resources, the PhD candidate may request an official certification concerning the scholarship and research funding from the SAS Administrative Office.
Non-EU destinations
Check the insurance conditions displayed in the Missions Portal. The mission FAQs recommend evaluating both the UNICAM occupational-accident coverage and suitable private healthcare insurance for travel to non-EU countries.
RELATED PROCEDURES
Go directly to the procedure you need
CONTACTS AND SUPPORT
Check before making commitments
For questions concerning missions, reimbursements, research-budget availability, cost centres and the correct procedure, contact the SAS Administrative Office before travelling or incurring the expense. For questions concerning long-term mobility or the scholarship increase, consult the dedicated mobility pages first.
Missions, reimbursements and research budget:
manuela.verdolini@unicam.it
manuela.verdolini@unicam.it
Mobility abroad, scholarship increase and general PhD information:
dottorato@unicam.it
Purchase requests:
ufficioacquisti@unicam.it