Travel Grant

Key details

Minimum membership: One year membership and two consecutive membership subscription payments required.

Restrictions for applications from international members have now been removed and international members can apply to either the Society Conference Grants or Travel Grant scheme. Members must review the eligibility criteria for each grant and determine which is the most suitable for their circumstances.

Please read all information on this page carefully and ensure you have read and agreed to the grants terms and conditions before submitting an application. 

• Eligibility
• What is covered by the grant?
• Application process
• Award criteria 
• Administration of awards

Eligibility

Current paid-up Full, Full Concessionary or Postgraduate Student members who have held membership for a minimum period of one year (two consecutive membership subscription payments) and who have not received a grant from this scheme in the previous calendar year.

Administration of awards

Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome of their application approximately six weeks after the closing date.

Applicants will be notified of an awarded grant via email. Please note that as funds are limited and the Society endeavours to support as many applicants as possible, we may not always be able to fund the full amount requested.

The grant award will be displayed on the Mi Society account under ‘Grant History’. Claims must be made within three months of the funded event and must be substantiated by itemised receipts. Awards not claimed within this time will automatically be withdrawn by the Society.

Awarded funds will be paid to the applicant’s nominated account by bank transfer within one month of an award claim being made. Please note that if incorrect details are provided and we need to contact you for further information, payment will take longer to reach your account.

Please read all information on this page carefully and ensure you have read and agreed to the grants terms and conditions before submitting an application. 

Enquiries about this scheme should be made by email to [email protected]

What is covered by the grant?

Eligible members may apply for half of the costs associated with presenting at their chosen meeting; up to £750 can be offered. This can include registration fees for in-person or virtual events (with the exception of the Microbiology Society Annual Conference and Focused Meetings), travel, and accommodation and subsistence costs.

Application process

Applications should be made online via Mi Society. All required supplementary material should be provided at the point of application. Full expected costs of attendance should be given in the appropriate part of the application.

Application dates:

Round 1:

Applications for funding to attend events taking place in the period 1 Jan – 31 March 2023.  Applications closed on 01 Dec 2022.

Round 2:

Applications for funding to attend events taking place in the period 1 April – 30 June 2023. Applications are now open and close on 01 March 2023 (midnight).

Round 3:

Applications for funding to attend events taking place in the period 1 July – 30 Sept 2023. Applications open on 31 March and close on 01 June 2023 (midnight).

Round 4:

Applications for funding to attend events taking place in the period 1 Oct – 31 Dec

2023. Applications open on 03 July and close on 01 Sept 2023 (midnight).

Early application is advised to all rounds.

Award criteria

Award decisions are made by a panel and informed by a points system based on a defined set of criteria. Please find the criteria below. 

 Travel grant scoring criteria

We have provided an example application form to demonstrate the standard of answers and level of detail required for applications.

 Travel Grant: Example application form

Administration of awards

Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome of their application approximately one month after the closing date.

Applicants will be notified of an awarded grant via email. The grant award will also be displayed on the Mi Society account under ‘Grant History’.

To claim a grant, successful applicants should log into Mi Society, and upload evidence of the claim (this can be receipts or invoices, and evidence of attendance) when completing the grant claim form.

Awarded funds will be paid to the applicant’s nominated account by bank transfer within one month of an award claim being made.

Enquiries about this scheme should be made by email to [email protected]