How to access
1. Choose your access route
Lasers4EU offers three routes to transnational access:
Single-instrument
For users interested in transnational access and looking for a suitable laboratory for their access project, from fundamental science to validating a practical application.
Multi-instrument
For users who need access to as many installations as required in different facilities, over several years if necessary. Requires only a single proposal for the whole duration.
Industry
Allows companies to access the most recent techniques and methods in research laboratories and to benefit from the services of the partner facilities of Lasers4EU.
2. Check your eligibility
To be elegible, the majority of the users must work in a country other that the country(ies) where the installation is located (unless access is provided by an international organisation, a Joint Research Centre (JRC), an ERIC or similar legal entity).
Access from third countries is welcome.
3. Find a lab
To find a suitable laboratory for your access project, visit our find a lab page.
Interested researchers are encouraged to contact the Director of the laboratory they wish to visit to obtain information on detailed access opportunities and conditions. Access is provided on the basis of scientific excellence of the proposal, reviewed by an external and independent Selection Panel. Priority is given to new users.
5. Evaluation of your proposal
1. The Access Providing Infrastructure (API) selected as host laboratory will check whether the submitted proposal meets all criteria of elegibility of the Lasers4EU transnational access programme and forward it to the Access Selection Panel (ASP).
2. ASP will check the proposal and forward it to selected external reviewers who are responsible for the scientific evaluation of the proposal. The reviews are sent to the ASP.
3. ASP analyses the reviews and makes a final decision in line with the following criteria:
– Scientific merit
– Prioritising user groups who have not previously visited the API and who would not normally have access to it
– Length of the access visit (short visits will be prioritised).
4. Applicants will be notified of the outcome via the ARIA Portal.
Explanatory Note:
While both the consortium and the external Selection Panel strive to keep the evaluation and selection period as short as possible, applicants should anticipate a typical processing time of four to eight weeks. In exceptional cases—such as delays in securing external reviewers—this period may be extended.
Please note that access visits may only commence following formal approval by the Selection Panel.
6. Access and follow-up
Upon approval, users are required to begin planning their visit. This includes contacting the hosting laboratory to agree on suitable dates and gathering all necessary information regarding administrative procedures. Travel and accommodation costs are covered in line with the usual practices of the hosting facility.
During the visit, guest scientists must complete and sign an attendance sheet for each day spent working in the lab.
At the end of the experiment, users have to submit a brief project summary report and complete a questionnaire in the ARIA portal.
Validity period & extensions
Once accepted by the Selection Panel, the experiment must be scheduled and completed within a 20-month validity period. If it has not at least started within that time, resubmission is mandatory.
If extra time is needed, an extension may be requested (up to 3 days decided by the Access Board, up to 5 days with advice from the Selection Panel chair). Longer extensions require a new application.