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Providing funding for research trips in and outside the UK

The Society will consider applications from Fellows for a limited number of grants for travel within and outside the United Kingdom to attend conferences and make research visits to laboratories. 

Notes to Applicants
Applicants for Travel Grants must be submitted using the online form. 

Applicants must have been Fellows of the Philosophical Society for at least one year at the closing date for applications.

The applicant should ensure that a supporting reference is submitted online by their referee using the online system.  In the case of a Postgraduate Student the supporting reference should come from their Supervisor. For early career post-doctorates and others the reference should  be from a person of appropriate standing who knows the applicant in a professional capacity. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the referee provides a reference using the online system by the closing date.  Applications that are incomplete will not be considered.

Preference will be given to applications where the Fellow will be undertaking research activity such as visiting a research lab, or presenting their work at a conference, rather than simply attending a meeting.

Preference will be given to postgraduate students and early career post-doctorates.

Travel Grants will not normally be considered for fieldwork or research laboratory visits that form a central part of a funded research project, and could have been anticipated before the start of the project. The funding for such activities should have been factored into the project from the start, and are the responsibility of the supervisor, funding agency and student, not of an external party like the Society. The funded trip should therefore be additional to the core requirements of the research project, perhaps responding to unexpected opportunities or developments, or to changes in the direction of the research. In the case of any application for travel that might appear to fall under this restriction, it is essential that both the applicant and the referee provide a clear and explicit justification. In the absence of this information, such applications will be rejected.

Applicants are required to show that they have explored other sources of funding before any grants will be made by the Society. Students are expected to approach their Supervisor, their College (where applicable), and their Department. The supervisor reference should indicate what funds from their own resources or from the Department are available and justify why an approach to the Society is needed. Note that the Society is unlikely to be able to meet the full costs of conferences or travel. 

Applicants are required to state what other applications for funding have been made, and the amounts requested. The applicant should notify the Society’s office as soon as the result of any other application for funding is known.

Applicants may make one application per year to the Society, with the maximum grant per application not normally exceeding £500. The maximum total amount awarded to a PhD student over a three-year period will not normally exceed £1500. 

The remit of the Philosophical Society is ‘to promote research in all branches of science and to encourage the communication of the results of scientific research’.  If there is any doubt whether the field of work qualifies under this rubric, for example, if the applicant’s departmental affiliation is not necessarily scientific (e.g. Geography, Education, Archaeology or the Judge Business School), their statement must demonstrate that their particular research project counts as “science” and they must ensure that their supporting referee reinforces this.

Your application must be submitted before you travel
Applicants are encouraged to minimise the carbon footprint of their travel. The Society recognises that this may entail additional cost, and is willing to consider funding the difference (e.g. between flying and rail). That said, applicants should show that they have identified the lowest cost travel option for their chosen route. 

The University has a duty of care to manage risks to students working away from Cambridge
 https://www.safeguarding.admin.cam.ac.uk/policy-and-guidance
Students proposing medium or high risk travel must confirm that they have Departmental permission to travel and that risk assessments have been carried out. Valid travel insurance must be in place.

Payment will be made only on presentation of proof of travel. 

The closing dates for Travel Grant applications are 1 November, 1 February, 1 May and 1 July.
 
Regulations revised January 2024.