This grant provides support to members to facilitate their attendance at scientific conferences and seminars in the UK and around the world. You can apply for this grant online via our membership portal.
Application deadlines
Applications are considered four times per year. The upcoming deadlines are as follows:
| Deadline date | Deadline time |
| 1 February | 12:00 GMT |
| 1 May | 12:00 BST |
| 1 August | 12:00 BST |
| 1 November | 12:00 GMT |
The outcome of applications will be sent via email to all applicants three to four weeks after the application deadline of the round that has been applied for. We recommend you apply for the award with the application deadline at least five to six weeks ahead of your conference. Please note, that travel must be completed within one year of the award date.
Value
Maximum awards are currently as follows: £500 for travel within the UK; £700 for European travel and £1,000 for the rest of the world.
These rates are based on UK applicants, if you are an overseas applicant the rates will be applied according to your place of residence, for example, £500 if travelling within your home country. Please contact us if you have any queries.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply:
- Applicants must be current paid-up BSI members who have held membership for a minimum period of one year (two consecutive membership subscription payments). This grant scheme is open to members in the following membership categories: Full, Early Careers, Postgraduate and Concessionary.
- Applicants must not have received an award from this grant scheme in the preceding 12 months.
- This grant scheme can only be used to apply for funds to go to a scientific conference or seminar. If you would like to apply for funds to go on a lab visit or to attend a skills-based training course (e.g. leadership training), please apply to the BSI Career Enhancing Grant scheme.
- Grants cannot be awarded retrospectively.
How to apply
Please click on the link at the bottom of this page to apply online. Please have a copy of your submitted abstract and a letter of support from your head of department/supervisor ready to submit too. If you have any queries, or if you'd like a PDF copy of the application form to fill out instead of the online form, please email membership@immunology.org.
Terms and conditions
- Travel must be completed within one year of the grant date.
- You will be required to acknowledge the BSI for their financial support on your poster and/or oral presentation as well as displaying the Society’s logo. Please email membership@immunology.org to arrange this.
- Successful recipients are required to submit the following within one month after the meeting:
- A short resume of the educational value and/or photos, if possible, on activities carried out with the support of the grant which can be used for our newsletter feature or on our website. This should be submitted to s.green@immunology.org.
- Receipts for travel, event registration, accommodation etc. up to the grant amount received.
- It should be noted that awards made under this scheme are not intended to cover the full cost of the proposed activity. Applicants are encouraged to obtain additional funding from elsewhere.
- Applicants need to provide an abstract that has been submitted to the conference to demonstrate active participation.
- A letter of support from the applicant's supervisor/head of department is essential. All applications must be countersigned by the supervisor/head of department or, for students, their immediate superior who would be granting permission for the proposed activity.
- This grant scheme involves funding travel placements and we expect recipients to adhere to all relevant coronavirus guidance both from the UK and/or devolved nations and from the government of the country you are visiting. This includes the UK and/or devolved nation travel guidance, covering the period of the placement for the country you wish to visit. It also includes adhering to guidance imposed by your host country for the duration of your visit. We reserve the right not to fund placements to visit countries that are currently on the UK travel red list.
- The BSI will not accept any liability to the grant recipient or to any third party for any costs, claims, damages or losses that are incurred due to the need to quarantine either when arriving in your destination country, during your visit or when arriving back into the UK or any other costs relating to the travel placement.
Please note that failure to comply with the terms and conditions may result in the Society asking for monies awarded to be refunded and/or future applications denied.
Application assessment
BSI Conference Travel Grants panel
- The BSI Conference Travel Grants panel meets four times a year to assess applications to this scheme. In making awards, the panel consider the scientific value of the applications received and look favourably on early career researchers.
- The assessment of applications employs a points system, weighting decisions primarily on the scientific merit of the application while also considering the juniority of the applicant.
Assessment criteria
Applicants will be assessed according to the three main criteria:
1. Benefit to career gained from attendance. This refers to how attendance at the scientific conference or seminar will benefit the applicant in the progression of their career. Key points to note and incorporate into the application include:
- How the applicant will be participating in the conference, whether presenting a poster or giving a talk. NB: applicants need to provide an abstract that has been submitted to the conference to demonstrate active participation.
- How the applicant plans to use attendance to further their career. Give details of whether the aim is to form collaborations or further knowledge in an area that is not currently being pursued. Applicants should indicate what it is about this event that is important for their career.
- A supporting statement from the applicant's supervisor/head of department is essential.
2. Financial need for support. This refers to the applicants’ current funding available for travel. Key points that should be incorporated in the application include:
- Why funds are being sought from the Society and why the level of support is being requested.
- The applicant is encouraged to apply for other funding to help attend the conference and give details of this so that the committee may see that the applicant will be able to attend if only partial support is provided by the BSI Conference Travel Grants.
3. Guidance for letter of support from supervisor or head of department. A strong letter of support will demonstrate the following:
- Case for financial need and the justification for the amount requested.
- What the benefit of attending that particular conference would be to the applicant’s career
If you have any questions about this grant scheme, please email membership@immunology.org.