Need Money for a Conference? Top Tips for Writing a Travel Grant

#1 Find relevant societies for your work (the more niche, the better)

The number of grants available has decreased since COVID, so the ones remaining are increasingly competitive. There are a few big societies with very well known travel grants, like the Royal Society of Chemistry. While these are great to get, the number of applicants will be very high. You’re likely to have more success by looking at more niche societies that focus specifically on your area of research. This works both ways — as your research is likely to be more relevant to the society, they’ll be more interested in funding your travel.

Take time to find other societies relevant to your work and see if they offer travel grants. If they do not have any travel grants currently on their website, reach out to them and ask if there are any upcoming opportunities you can apply for. It is also worth checking their social media pages for notifications of future grants.

You’ll need to be a member of the society. You can usually apply online but it comes with a fee. This is typically £20 a year for students but be aware, society memberships are part of your personal career development so it's a cost that you are expected to pay yourself. Some societies also require you to be a member for a certain period of time before you can apply for a grant so watch out for the small print if you have a conference in mind!

#2 Understand the purpose of the grant

Lots of grants are established for very specific purposes. Read through the application criteria carefully and make sure that you’re eligible before spending time on your application. If you’re still not sure, reach out to the society for clarification. It wastes everyone’s time if the grant is only available to people in Spain and you live in Australia!

You should also look at the focus of the grant — some grants are for specific areas of research or career stages. Make a note of any specifications for the grant and ensure that these are obvious in your application. Make it clear to the reviewer that you know the requirements and all the ways that you meet them.

#3 Make your application personalised and specific

The main focus of your application should be to show why you need to attend this conference or laboratory and the benefit it’ll have on your research and career progression. Conferences are expensive, so you need to make it clear that this is not a holiday and there are specific advantages of your attendance that cannot be gained on a Zoom call. Think through why you want to attend the conference and what would be the consequences of you not attending; then highlight these key points in your application.

As with any job, your application should be tailored to the specific grant that you’re applying for. You need to show the reviewer that you are specifically interested in this grant, from this society and explain why. Make your application tailored to the society and ensure that you closely align with the focuses of the grant for the best chance of success.

#4 Get feedback on your application

Ask your supervisor to read through your application (and prepare it sufficiently before the deadline so they have time to review it!). Many supervisors have previously reviewed grant applications so they know what the reviewer is looking for. Selling yourself is always an uncomfortable experience, so they may remind you of achievements you should include or how to emphasise a particular point.

My final tip is that grant applications are not a time to undersell yourself (the other candidates won’t!) — be proud of your achievements and ask your supervisor if you’re not sure how to word something.

Remember that travel grants are competitive and you usually have to apply for multiple before you get one. Even if you’re not successful, writing a travel grant is a great chance for you to reflect on your achievements and contribution to your field.

Good luck and happy travelling!

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