What is an International Outgoing Fellowship?
The International Outgoing Fellowship (IOF) aims to reinforce the international dimension of the career of European experienced researchers by giving them the opportunity to be trained and acquire new knowledge in a third country high level research organisation. Subsequently, these researchers will return with the acquired knowledge and experience to a European organisation. Researchers must be nationals of Europe have been residing and working in an European country for at least 5 years prior to the call deadline.
The IOF consists of a financial support to a mobility projects composed of 2 phases:
The 1st phase has duration of up to 24 months in a partner organisation in a country outside Europe.
The 2nd phase of the project is to be spent in a return host organisation in an European country. This phase of reintegration has a duration of 12 months and is mandatory.
As the other Marie Curie Actions, the IOF follows a bottom-up approach, e.g. the research topic is freely chosen by the researcher in collaboration with the return host organisation with a view to completing his/her expertise.

How does an IOF work?
The researcher and the host institution submit jointly a proposal for a research project. Applications are evaluated and selected once a year. If the proposal is ranked for funding, the European Commission will sign a grant agreement (contract) with the host institution in Europe. The host institution must then provide the researcher with an employment contract for the duration of the IOF project.

What is funded in an IOF?
The financial support for an IOF takes the form of a grant covering up to 100% of the budget. It includes in particular a yearly gross living allowance for an experienced researcher of € 58’500 and a mobility allowance. Experienced researcher: either in possession of a PhD or with at least 4 years of research experience fulltime.

What is the duration of an IOF?
The outgoing phase can last up to 24 months, the ingoing phase lasts 12 months.

What is the life cycle of an IOF?
How long does it take from the moment you write your proposal until the moment your project can finally start (in case you get funded by the European Commission)? Count roughly 12-14 months before starting your project:
Stage 1: After the Call for an IOF has been published, the researcher and the return host organisation have about 5 months to prepare and submit a proposal until the deadline.
Stage 2 : A panel of experts will evaluate the proposals (2-3 months)
Stage 3: Applicants whose proposals have been successfully evaluated in Stage 2 will be invited by the European Commission to negotiate (2-3 months)
Stage 4 : If the negotiation with the European Comission has been successful, it will take another 2-3 months to prepare the contract
Stage 5: 1st phase of the project at the partner institution of a duration of 24 months 
Stage 6: 2nd phase of the project at the return host institution for a period of 12 months.

What are the evaluation criteria of IOF?
S&T Quality: 25%
Training: 15%
Researcher: 25%
Implementation: 15%
Impact: 20%