Frequently Asked Questions

Abstract submission for ISCOMS 2026 will open around October and close at the end of January 2026.

An abstract can only be presented by one student. Other people who are working on the same project can be recognised as co-authors in the abstract and can be registered as non-presenting participants, but are not allowed to present the same research. You can find guidelines for writing an abstract for ISCOMS here: Abstract Requirements.

No. Apart from our content on social media and our website, ISCOMS will only be available in physical form. Presenting your abstract is only possible in physical form during the congress.

Absolutely not! You are very welcome as a non-presenting participant to attend the congress and visit any keynote lecture, workshop, or presentation session you like. Registrations for non-presenting participants are open now, so register as soon as possible to make sure there is still enough room in your preferred session.

The 33rd edition of ISCOMS will take place at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands from the 1st to the 4th of June, 2026.

The programme of ISCOMS 2026 will be announced later. 

The content of the Social Programme for ISCOMS 2026 will be announced later.

Yes, this is possible. The Post Congress Tour is for both presenting and non-presenting participants. 

The rules for presenting at ISCOMS depend on what kind of presentation you are selected for.

If you are selected for a plenary presentation, you have 12 minutes to present your research; 9 minutes for your presentation and 3 minutes for the following discussion.

If you are selected for an oral presentation, you have 11 minutes to present your research; 8 minutes for your presentation and 3 minutes for the following discussion.

If you are selected for a poster presentation, you have 9 minutes to present your research; 6 minutes for your presentation and 3 minutes for the following discussion.

Posters will be displayed on digital poster boards during your presentation. Therefore, you are required to submit your poster online in JPEG format in advance. Additionally, please bring a copy of your poster in JPEG format on a USB stick as a backup.

Yes, on the abstract submission page you can find information and tips on how to present.

If your abstract has been selected for a presentation at the congress, but you are unable to attend, you may designate a co-author to present your research on your behalf. If this situation arises, please inform us via email of the individual who will be presenting your research in your absence.

Travel grants are available for a limited number of presenting participants. Requests will be evaluated by our Travel Grant Committee. The number of grants that will be awarded is based on the number of requests and the amount depends on the situation described by the presenting participant. Click here to apply for the ISCOMS Travel Grant. The applications for ISCOMS 2026 will open later. 

We highly recommend students to look for other opportunities for receiving a travel grant. Many universities give out grants to students going to an academic event. Ask your university about these possibilities.

To assist you in finding a funding source, there are institutions that can help you find a grant. Try this page, by Nuffic. It contains an overview of available grants that you may qualify for, and other helpful information. In addition, you can look at the grantfinder by the University of Groningen.

For more information, we have compiled a guide on finding travel grants to help make your journey more affordable.

You can find the fees for ISCOMS 2025 and the payment methods via this link.

Yes, it was possible to get a full refund until the 1st of May, 2025 (excluding registration costs). If you wish to request a refund, please contact our treasurer through iscoms@umcg.nl.

At ISCOMS, you will only be able to pay by card. We accept the following payment cards: VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, V PAY, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard. To ensure that you will not run into problems in regard to payment, we advise you to check with your bank if your payment card is set to make payments in the Netherlands.

Ambassadors play a key role in promoting ISCOMS within their networks and beyond by sharing our social media posts, distributing flyers, and putting up posters in their countries. Some ambassadors even take it a step further by organising informational sessions or making videos to share their ISCOMS experiences with others.

Are you excited about ISCOMS and ready to take your involvement to the next level? Becoming an ISCOMS Ambassador is the perfect way to make a meaningful and exciting contribution to the congress! Click here to apply to become an Ambassador for ISCOMS 2026. Don’t hesitate to e-mail iscoms@umcg.nl if you have any questions or need assistance.

This depends on your personal situation. To find out whether you need a visa, visit the official website of the Dutch government: Applying for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands. If a visa is required, you must apply at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country. It is very important to follow the instructions on the Dutch government website carefully to ensure you submit a complete application.

You can acquire an invitation letter by registering for the congress and mentioning that you require it. After completing your payment, we will issue your invitation letter to the provided email address as soon as possible.

No, ISCOMS does not sign this form. Filling out this document is only required if you need a sponsor due to insufficient funds. The Dutch government requires visitors to have at least €55 to their disposal per day of their visit in the Netherlands (for more information, go to the website of the Dutch government: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/visa-the-netherlands/sponsoring).

As ISCOMS cannot be your legal financial guarantee, you will have to take care of the funding yourself. If you need an external grant to fulfil this requirement, we recommend you read our guide on how to effectively find travel grants: https://iscoms.com/travel-grant/

The IRF, or ISCOMS Research Fellowships, are a challenging two-week programme in which students are expected to actively participate in research at one of the UMCG Research Institutes and gather a great deal of knowledge related to the topic of research. As a student, you get the chance to perform research at a leading institute, meet top researchers and – more importantly – learn about the possibilities of doing a PhD-programme in the Netherlands. There are many foreign students who have been able to start a PhD-programme at the UMCG thanks to following an IRF. For more information, go to https://iscoms.com/iscoms-research-fellowships/

The registration period for the IRF of ISCOMS 2026 will open from around February on the official website of ISCOMS.

No additional fees are charged for the IRF. Accommodation is provided for the duration of the project free of charge. The IRF take place directly after the congress which made it convenient for international students to participate.

We do not offer any parking opportunities or discounts. For general information about parking in the city, you can check the website of the municipality. For parking at the University Medical Center of Groningen, you can check their website.