International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) Travel Grants

ICM 2026 Travel Support for Mathematicians in Developing Countries. AMS, IMU CDC, and Simons Foundation logos. With generous funding from the Simons Foundation and in collaboration with the International Mathematical Union (IMU) and its Commission for Developing Countries (CDC), the AMS is pleased to offer the ICM 2026 Travel Support Program. Travel support for ICM 2026 participants will help to ensure that mathematicians from all over the world are well-represented on the hemispheric and world stage in mathematical research. This program will provide partial support for mathematicians from eligible developing countries to attend the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), to be held July 23-30, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Travel support recipients are expected to arrive in Philadelphia on July 21, 2026, and depart on July 31, 2026.

Application Timeline

Applications for the ICM 2026 International Travel Support are no longer open.

Applicants will be notified of their application status by March 31, 2025. Successful applicants are expected to arrive in Philadelphia on July 21, 2026, and depart on July 31, 2026.

Eligibility

Applicants must live and work or study in one of the countries the CDC has classified as "developing or less affluent."

Note: Applicants who are citizens of and/or who live and work/study in jurisdictions, countries, or regions of the world subject to sanctions, embargoes, or other political trade restrictions put in place by the United Nations or the United States may not be eligible to receive funding from the ICM 2026 Travel Support Program. Please refer to the US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions Programs and Country Information. The jurisdictions, countries, and regions that are subject to relevant trade restrictions may change at any time, which may impact applicant eligibility to receive ICM 2026 travel support.

Eligible Countries

All countries classified as "developing or less affluent countries" can be found ? listed alphabetically ? here
  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan)
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  • Congo, Republic of the
  • Costa Rica
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Cuba
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Gabon
  • Gambia, The
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
  • Kosovo
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Macedonia
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Palestine (West Bank and Gaza)
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Samoa
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Syria
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Source: CDC

Application Materials

Applications will only be accepted through MathPrograms.org. Applications must be in English.

Upon logging into MathPrograms.org, applicants will be prompted to complete or update a "Standard Coversheet" with your information. See the applicant login page or Help Topics for assistance.

Applicants can then begin their ICM 2026 Travel Support Program application, which will request the following information from the applicant:

  • Name as printed in passport
  • Contact information
  • Country/countries of citizenship
  • Country of residence
  • Institutional affiliation
  • ORCID iD (optional, although applicants are strongly encouraged to register for a free ORCID iD)
  • Primary and secondary areas of research
  • Disclosure of current or pending support that could fund travel to ICM 2026
  • Date of PhD (expected, if applicable) and awarding institution
  • Current job/position and up to three most recent prior jobs/positions (if applicable)
  • Up to five publications and/or professional/educational accomplishments
  • Explanation of how participation in ICM 2026 would benefit the applicant (300 words maximum)
  • Identification of anticipated contribution(s) to ICM 2026
  • Early Career applicants only: (1) a brief description of PhD thesis work (100 words maximum) and (2) one letter of reference from a senior mathematician (submitted through MathPrograms.org)

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Eligibility

I am a citizen of one of the eligible countries listed above, but I currently live and work/study in a country that is not on the list. Am I eligible to apply?
  • No, you are not eligible. Applicants must live and work or study in one of the countries listed above. Holding citizenship from an eligible country alone does not meet the eligibility criteria.
I took a break from my career, so even though I earned my PhD before July 2018, I am still considered an early career mathematician. May I apply as an early career mathematician?
  • Yes, you may apply as an early career mathematician. In the early career application (question 13), you can explain any personal circumstances that caused you to slow down or temporarily pause your career and request to be considered as an early career applicant.

Travel Support Program Information

What will this program provide?
  • Roundtrip economy airfare between the recipient's home airport and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
  • Sleeping accommodation for up to ten (10) nights (July 21-30, 2026)
  • Conference registration fee
  • Support for local meals during ICM 2026
What expenses will this support not cover?
  • Fees associated with obtaining a US visa
  • Travel support of any kind for a recipient's spouse and/or dependents
  • Luggage fees
  • Meals during travel between a recipient's home and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
  • Travel insurance
  • Travel medical insurance
What will happen after I accept an offer of support?
  • You will receive a letter of invitation/confirmation of travel support to include with your US visa application, and you will work with a US travel agency to arrange your roundtrip economy travel between your home airport and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
What if I am unable to obtain a US visa?
  • Successful Travel Support Program applicants who are unable to obtain a US visa are not eligible to receive travel support to attend ICM 2026.

Application Review

How will applications be evaluated?
  • Applications to the ICM 2026 Travel Support Program will be evaluated by regional selection panels, one each for Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Africa, and four subregional panels for the Asia & Pacific region. These panels are subcommittees of the ICM 2026 Travel Grants & International Exchanges Committee (TGIEC).
How will applications be selected for support?
  • Selection for ICM 2026 Travel Support will be based on an applicant's eligibility for the program, their research record, and the potential impact of the ICM on their professional development. Selection also will prioritize geographic diversity. Participation of early career mathematicians (those who have completed or expect to complete a PhD within the approximate date range of July 2018 to June 2028), women, and other underrepresented groups is strongly encouraged.
When should I expect an update on my application status?
  • Applicants will be notified of their application status by March 31, 2025.

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Questions

For details about the ICM 2026 Travel Support Program, email AMS Programs staff.

All information currently available about the International Congress of Mathematicians 2026 program, organization, and registration procedure is located on the ICM 2026 website.