The Royal Geographic Society - Frederick Soddy Award

Frederick Soddy Postgraduate Award

You will receive a one-off grant of up to about 4,600 EUR (up to £4,000) for a PhD thesis on the social, economic and cultural life of a region – anywhere in the world. The grant will cover your costs for fieldwork and research. The Royal Geographical Society (in conjunction with the Institute of British Geographers) in London awards one or two grants each year.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are a PhD student. You may apply either individually or as a team of PhD students.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at a British university or college.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Research topic: Your project focuses on the social, economic and cultural life of a region. You are expected to examine both the physical geography (landscape and environment) and the human geography (people and communities).
• Region: You can study in the United Kingdom, in Ireland or anywhere else in the world.

How to apply

Please email the application form for RGS-IBG scholarships and a one-page CV to the Society. You will also need two references, one of whom must be your doctoral supervisor. The application deadline is 23 November (11:59). An external panel of experts will assess the applications.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is highly selective: you must be a PhD student at a UK university, and your project should clearly address both the physical and human geography of a single region. This keeps the pool of applicants small. However, as only one or two grants are awarded each year, there is fierce competition amongst the few compelling proposals. If your research clearly meets the interdisciplinary criteria and your budget is well justified, your chances are good.