External Event Grant

Travel Grants

Funds are available to support eligible members presenting work at scientific or education meetings, short courses or training events relevant to Microbiology.

Maximum award:

Eligible members can apply for a maximum of up to £750.

Eligible members may also apply for funding to attend a short course or training event specifically related to Microbiology.

Eligible requirements:

Membership categories eligible to apply:
Full Member
Full Concessionary Member
Postgraduate Student Member
 

Eligible members must not have received a grant from this scheme in the previous calendar year and may apply for half of the costs associated with presenting at their chosen meeting up to a maximum of £750.

Applicants wishing to attend the Microbiology Society Annual Conference or Focused meetings must apply for funding through the Society Event Grant Scheme

Minimum membership period:

A minimum membership period of one year and two consecutive membership payments is required. Postgraduate and Undergraduate Students with three-year memberships will need to have completed one year membership (three-year membership payment constitutes consecutive payment).

What is covered by the grant?

Awards are made on the basis that funds are sought from as many avenues as are available to the applicants and therefore are intended as a contribution to the costs of registration, travel, and accommodation to attend an event.

Application process

Applications must be made online via Mi Society.

A full breakdown of expected costs of attendance should be given in the appropriate part of the application.

The following supplementary information must also be included uploaded while completing your application:

  • A copy of your abstract
  • A copy of your abstract acceptance (if this is not available at the time of application, please upload a letter confirming that this will be submitted when available).

Early application is advised to all rounds.

Award criteria 

Award decisions are made by a panel and informed by a points system based on a defined set of criteria. Please find the criteria below. 

 Travel grant scoring criteria

We have provided an example application form to demonstrate the standard of answers and level of detail required for applications.

 Travel Grant: Example application form

Award criteria

Application deadlines

Round 1:
Funding to attend events beginning in the period 01 Jan – 30 April:
Applications open on 01 Sept and close on 01 Nov (23:59pm GMT) 
For this year only, we will extend the closing date to 01 Dec 2023.
 
Round 2:
Funding to attend events beginning in the period 1 May – 31 Aug:
Applications open on 01 Jan and close on 01 Mar (23.59pm GMT).

 

Round 3:
Funding to attend events beginning in the period 1 Sept – 31 Dec:
Applications open on 01 May and close on 01 July (23.59pm BST).

 

Administration of awards

Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome of their application approximately six weeks after the closing date.

Applicants will be notified of an awarded grant via email. Please note that as funds are limited and the Society endeavours to support as many applicants as possible, we may not always be able to fund the full amount requested.

The grant award will be displayed on the Mi Society account under ‘Grant History’. Claims must be made within three months of the funded event and must be substantiated by itemised receipts. Awards not claimed within this time will automatically be withdrawn by the Society.

Awarded funds will be paid to the applicant’s nominated account by bank transfer within one month of an award claim being made. Please note that if incorrect details are provided and we need to contact you for further information, payment will take longer to reach your account.

Please read all information on this page carefully and ensure you have read and agreed to the grants terms and conditions before submitting an application. 

Enquiries about this scheme should be made by email to [email protected]