Graduate Project Grants

The College is able to make a small number of grants to Balliol postgraduates towards the expenses of academic projects, research, conferences or travel which cannot be financed from any other source. Graduates may also apply for assistance towards costs involved in the production of a thesis, on production of receipts to the Student Finance Officer. Applications must be made in advance of the project to be undertaken.

Funding is not available for the purchase of computers, books or other personal equipment or for travel only for leisure. Please be aware that when travelling for project or academic-related purposes students should follow the University's policy for information security when using data and devices.  

Type of award
Academic or academic-related
Eligibility or selection criteria

All members of Balliol currently enrolled for a postgraduate course. Grant applications for projects that take place after final exams and/or the submission of the thesis will NOT be considered. Students on suspended status or who are ‘dormant assessment outstanding’ are not eligible.

Amount awarded

Funds may be called upon at any point, and there is no limit on the number of applications that can be made. Once the maximum level of funding has been reached, no additional project grants will be awarded.

Payment will usually be made as battels credit upon submission of receipts and a brief written report.

DPhil (full- or part-time) candidates: maximum £1,000 over the course of their degree.
MSc by Research candidates: maximum of £500 over the course of their degree.
(Those transferring from DPhil to MSc by Research, and vice versa: any awards made during the previous course will be counted towards the maximum eligibility for the new course.)

Full-time postgraduate taught course candidates (BCL, BPhil, MBA, MFE, MJur, MSc, MSt, MPhil, including the MPhil in Law): up to £200 per year for each year of the course, i.e., £200 for a 1-year course or £400 for a 2-year course.
Part-time taught course candidates: equivalent amount to the full-time course (i.e., a 1-year full-time course being taken over 2 years will still have a maximum grant eligibility of £200 over the duration of the course).

How and when to apply

Graduates may apply at any time in the course of an academic year for a grant. To apply, please complete a Graduate Project Grant Application. Upon submission of your application, your College Adviser will be automatically notified of your application and asked to comment on it. 

Upon completion of your project, you must complete a Graduate Project Grant Payment Request form. You will be asked to upload a brief written report (approximately one page of A4) and evidence of expenditure in the form of receipts.

Further information

In all cases of travel, whether as part of a course (e.g. field work, year abroad, medical elective) or an extra-curricular activity (e.g. a project for which College has provided financial support, a College reading party, or Westerman Pathfinders award), students are responsible for taking out appropriate medical and travel insurance for the whole of their time away, including any independent trips made alongside, and for consulting relevant travel advice, for instance the Foreign Office travel advice. Reading party participants are expected to sign waivers prior to departure. Students are not permitted to travel to countries or regions for which appropriate travel insurance cannot be obtained.

If you have any queries about Graduate Project Grants or have any trouble using the application forms, please contact the Student Finance Officer.