Funding is available from Somerville towards the cost of academic-related activity such as discretionary travel or projects. Please note that these awards cannot be used to fund core or compulsory elements of a student’s degree.
Applications
Applications have now closed for the 2021/22 academic year. All applicants will be notified by Wednesday 4th May.
Eligibility
Enrolled undergraduates. Students who are on suspension, visiting students and finalists whose project will take place after the end of their course are not eligible.
The planned travel or project must start after a certain date each term. It is not possible to be considered for retrospective funding unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Applicants should be in need of financial support for discretionary travel or projects relating to their studies. Core or compulsory elements of a student’s degree cannot be funded through these awards. Students should also apply for other funding sources such as department or faculty travel grants.
Award levels
Environmental sustainability is integral to Somerville’s commitment to social responsibility. Students who are applying for funding for travel within Europe will now be incentivised to choose lower carbon travel solutions. The following award levels will apply unless there are exceptional circumstances. These could include disabilities that prevent long train journeys, caring responsibilities or the need to avoid travelling through particular countries.
| Standard award over the length of the course | Up to £750 |
| Travel within Europe which does not involve flying | Up to £900 (20% more funding) |
| Travel within Europe which involves flying | Up to £600 (20% less funding) |
Students should refer to the University’s Guide to Sustainable Business Travel for information about reducing carbon emissions. They are also encouraged to offset flights using an offsetting scheme compliant with the Gold Standard.
Application process
Applications have now closed for the 2021/22 academic year. The next opportunity to apply will be in Michaelmas Term and the application form will be available to download from this webpage in September.
Application and project deadlines
There are three opportunities for undergraduates to apply in 2021/22:
| Deadline for applications | Deadline for starting projects | |
| Michaelmas Term 2021 | Monday 18th October | Wednesday 3rd November |
| Hilary Term 2022 | Monday 24th January | Wednesday 9th February |
| Trinity Term 2022 | Monday 11th April | Wednesday 27th April |
Decisions
Decisions will be made by the Somerville College Travel and Special Project Grants Committee.
Reporting
Successful applicants will be expected to submit a brief report after the completion of their project.
Queries
If you have any queries, please email the Scholarships and Funding Officer.