Grants of up to £500 are available to finance well-defined academic projects/internships (which may or may not involve travel, and which are usually academic-related but not necessarily in the same area as your degree subject). Decisions are made on the basis of the merits of the project, which need not necessarily be related to the student’s subject.
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.
All undergraduate members of Balliol, including pre-clinical medical students. Preference will normally be given to undergraduates who are not in the final year of their course. Applications for projects taking place in the Long Vacation after a student graduates may be considered for funding.
Project grants are in the order of up to £500 maximum. Authorisation for payment of any grant awarded will only be made once both the report and the receipt(s) have been provided. All students are urged to seek funding assistance from their departments where applicable.
Applications can be made on a rolling basis throughout the academic year (the process used to involve an application window during Hilary Term). Students are encouraged to secure funding early in the academic year.
Please contact the Student Finance Officer for a link to the application form. Personal tutors are invited by the Student Finance Officer to comment on the proposals.
Upon completion of your project, please complete a 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.
Successful students are required to submit a brief written report, together with evidence of expenditure in the form of receipts, to the Student Finance Officer after the project has been completed.
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 Undergraduate Project Grants, please contact the Student Finance Officer.