BCVS International Travel Grant

The Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) proudly supports and encourages the research efforts of early career investigators and trainees in the United States and abroad. The BCVS Council is offering a travel grant to international students and early career members to attend Scientific Sessions in November.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applicants for the BCVS International Travel Grant must be members of the Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Council at the time of application. If you need to become an AHA/ASA Professional Member, you should do so no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline. Learn more about AHA Professional Membership.
• Applicants must submit an abstract for presentation at the AHA Scientific Sessions in accordance with the rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to the AHA Scientific Sessions. The abstract must be submitted to one of the categories primarily sponsored by the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences. Please view a list of Scientific Sessions Council Awards and Travel Grants Available by Abstract Category and Community (PDF). You will need your abstract control number to apply for the award.
• Your abstract must be accepted in a BCVS-sponsored category as either an oral or poster presentation to be eligible to apply for this specific grant. Abstract presenters will be notified in August.
• The presenting author of an accepted abstract must be registered for Scientific Sessions and must be able to present the abstract at the Scientific Sessions, either in an oral abstract session or a poster session. If the applicant is unable to present the abstract, he/she will be disqualified from the grant.
• The candidate must hold an academic rank of no higher than that of instructor (or equivalent) at the time of submission of the abstract; or, at the time of abstract submission, the candidate must not have held a faculty appointment for longer than two years.
• The candidate must not be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
• The candidate must be working outside the United States.
• Winners are not eligible to re-enter the competition in subsequent years.
• Each applicant for AHA council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award per AHA conference per year. (For example, an Early Career Investigator Award finalist will not be eligible to receive a travel grant for the same meeting.)
• Abstracts/manuscripts eligible for this award must be based upon projects that adhere to the American Heart Association’s policies governing all research awards, regardless of whether the project was funded by the American Heart Association. These policies are available here and include (but are not limited to) research using human subjects or animals and stem cell research.
• Notwithstanding the above, the AHA Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to AHA policy or positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the AHA.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be judged based on the scientific ranking of the candidate’s abstract and how it ranks against other applicants. Abstract presenters for Scientific Sessions will be notified in mid-August. Applicants for this grant may submit their applications before presenter notifications are received. However, only those who have abstracts accepted for presentation will ultimately be eligible to receive a travel grant.

How to Apply/Required Documents

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is required by the application deadline date. Hard copies of any part of the application cannot be accepted. Abstracts and application material must be submitted in English.

**Candidates may apply for more than one travel grant; however, an applicant is eligible to receive only one travel grant.

Your application file should contain the following documents in electronic format:

• Curriculum vitae and bibliography
• Proof of citizenship in specified country (ID card or passport copy)
• A copy of the unpublished abstract that has been submitted for presentation to Scientific Sessions in accordance with AHA rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to Scientific Sessions. The candidate should be the first and presenting author on the abstract. Please note the abstract control number you receive after submitting your abstract as it will be needed on your award application form.
• Original letter on electronic letterhead, signed by the candidate’s supervisor or an appropriate institutional officer, which includes the following (No additional references are required):
  • Applicant's status as a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, instructor, or research fellow.
  • Supportive statements of the candidate and his/her relevant qualifications as a researcher are also encouraged. 

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online profile registration at Professional Heart Daily will be necessary to access the Application System. . If you have not created an online profile yet, you may register as you enter the Application System by clicking "Sign Up" next to the Log In button on the sign-in page. AHA Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their AHA membership identification numbers.

AHA Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this award. If you are joining the AHA to apply, please wait on your AHA membership number to arrive from AHA Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the AHA at least 1 week prior to the application submission deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

Prize

The council will award 10 recipients $1,000 each. The travel grant must be used to cover travel costs to attend Scientific Sessions.

Questions