Join an existing COST Action
There are various steps to follow to join or initiate a COST Action. It mainly depends on the location of the institution.
For institutions from the 35 COST Member Countries and one Cooperating State:
a) If your country has not yet accepted the Action's Memorandum of Understanding:
- contact your CNC who can launch your country's participation procedure in the relevant Action (only possible if national funding for the Actions’ activity is available). Once done, the CNC can officially nominate you as a representative of your country to the MC committee.
- it is also recommended that you inform the Chair of the Action of your interest.
b) If your country has already accepted the Action's Memorandum of Understanding,
- but has not yet nominated 2 representatives:
- contact your COST National Coordinator (CNC) who can officially nominate you as a representative of your country to the Management Committee (MC).
- it is also recommended that you inform the Chair of the Action of your interest.
- and has already nominated 2 representatives:
- contact the Action Chair for possible nomination by the Management Committee (MC) to a Working Group (WG).
For institutions from non-COST countries:
Researchers from Non-COST country institutions can participate in COST Actions on the basis of mutual benefit (see Vademecum – Non-COST Institutions), to be approved by the JAF on a case-by-case basis.
Researchers affiliated to institutions in Non-COST countries and Near Neighbour Countries can participate in COST Actions on the basis of mutual benefit (see Vademecum – Non-COST Countries’ Institutions). Their participation has to be approved by the JAF on a case-by-case basis.
Once their participation is approved, researchers from Non-COST Countries’ institutions can participate in the COST Action on the same basis as the COST Countries that have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – with the exception of the right to vote in the Management Committees or Working Groups of the Action.
Additionally, when more than two institutions from the same Non-COST Country participate in a COST Action, they are requested to coordinate their participation, as Non-COST countries’ institutions can be represented by a total maximum of two members in the Management Committee of a COST Action.
Financial support
- The participation of researchers from Non-COST Countries is subject to reimbursement conditions listed on this page.
- The participation of researchers from Near Neighbour Countries is subject to reimbursement conditions listed on this page.
In addition, researchers from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa may join COST Actions and participate in their networking activities on the basis of mutual benefit - thanks to Reciprocal Agreements signed by COST with these countries. Detailed information is available on the Reciprocal Agreements page.
