Postgraduate international conference travel awards

This award scheme is intended to support postgraduate students and early-career researchers to present or co-present a paper in the field of the sociology of health and illness at an appropriate international conference outside the United Kingdom, by providing funding for registration, standard accommodation and travel costs. Please note that the intended conference must be scheduled to take place at least 2 months after the application deadline. Awards cannot be made in retrospect.

This year, a maximum of 10 awards will be made up to a maximum of £1000 to present findings at an international conference of the applicant’s choice. Applicants whose work is clearly outside the field of the sociology of health and illness will not be considered.

Deadlines for applications 28 March 2025.

Eligibility

Applications will be considered from postgraduate students registered for a Masters degree or MPhil/PhD in a UK University, including students who are full-time or part-time and students who are not UK or EU citizens, and early-career researchers at a UK University within three years of the award of their PhD (regardless of where their PhD was awarded).

The conference at which the applicant is is presenting their paper should be a recognised international conference outside the UK where the paper can make a relevant contribution. Applicants will be asked to clarify the contribution of their paper to the sociology of health and illness, including the conceptual or theoretical perspective to which it relates. Applications should be made prior to the conference date.

Although there is no limit to the number of applications that an individual can make, only one  award is tenable during the period covering both postgraduate studies and the 3 year postdoctoral period as an Early Career Researcher.

Application procedure and criteria for assessment

An application should be made by the postgraduate student or early-career researcher, with the agreement and support of their postgraduate supervisor or line manager, using the application form below.

Applications can be made before the proposed paper has been submitted or accepted. However, the award of funding will be conditional on the acceptance of the paper by the conference organisers, and applicants are required to inform the Trustees when they hear the outcome of their submission. Funding cannot be provided if the paper is not accepted.

The application form should be accompanied by details of the conference to be attended (e.g. a flyer for the conference which includes details of the purpose and content of the conference, registration fee and accommodation costs) and details of travel costs (e.g. an internet quotation of air fares, estimates of local travel costs). While Trustees recognise that actual travel costs may vary slightly from those initially estimated, applicants should provide as accurate an estimate of costs as possible at this stage. The upper limit for reimbursement of travel costs under any circumstances is £1000 to present at any international conference.

Applications will be considered by two Trustees of the Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness, using the following criteria:

• the potential contribution of the paper to the sociology of health and illness;
• the appropriateness of the conference for a paper making a contribution to the sociology of health and illness; and
• the reasonableness of the funding requested (this includes environmental considerations; for instance, if you are travelling – rather than attending online – is it viable to use train rather than car and/or flight? )

Decisions are normally made within eight weeks of the deadline for submission of applications, and applicants will be informed as soon as possible after a decision has been made. The Trustees regret that they cannot give feedback on applications or the reasons for unsuccessful applications.

Application form

Download the application form at the bottom of this page. Submit the completed form electronically on the application page.

Forms will need to be signed electronically by the applicant and her/his postgraduate supervisor or line manager.

Post-award processes
Successful applicants should submit a short (250-word) report of the conference together with all receipts for expenditure or an itemised invoice from their institution, within six weeks of the meeting. These should be sent to Professor Rose Barbour at the address above. No reimbursements can be made without appropriate receipts or an itemised invoice from the institution.

Terms & Conditions

The award of funding is conditional on the applicant providing evidence of acceptance of the paper by the conference organisers. The support of the Foundation should be acknowledged in the conference presentation (a logo will be provided for PowerPoint presentations) and in any publications arising from it, using the following phrasing:

This work is/was supported by a Postgraduate International Conference Travel Grant from the Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness.

Data processing: The Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness collects information about individuals applying to its award schemes, for the purposes of evaluating applications, communicating with successful and unsuccessful applicants, publicising its award schemes and events funded through its schemes, administering its finances, and maintaining its own accounts and records. Personal information is stored in digital form on a secure remote server, and passed between trustees of the Foundation via secure e-mail; hard copies of applications are stored in a secure filing cabinet at the workplace of its treasurer. Personal data are usually destroyed seven years following the completion of the award to which the information pertains.