The Royal Geographic Society - The Geographical Club Award

The Geographical Club Award

You will receive a one-off grant of about 1,150 EUR (£1,000) to fund fieldwork or data collection as part of your PhD in Geography, regardless of whether you are based in the UK or elsewhere in the world. Two grants are awarded each year: one for a project in the field of physical geography (the natural sciences aspect, e.g. rivers, glaciers or climate) and one for a project in the field of human geography (the social sciences aspect, e.g. communities, cities or the economy). The winners are also invited to a club dinner. The funding is provided by the Geographical Club, a members’ dining club affiliated with the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Who can apply

• Level: You are a PhD student.
• University: You are enrolled at a British university.
• Field: Your project focuses on geography, either physical or human geography.
• What the money is for: You require funding for fieldwork or another form of data collection that has not yet begun. Work that has already been carried out is not eligible for funding.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, provided they are studying at a British university.
• Financial need: You will be given priority if you have not yet received full funding for fieldwork from a research council, your university or a similar body.

How to apply

You should apply by email via the Society’s Graduate Research Scholarship Programme, specifying the ‘Geographical Club Award’ in section 1 of the form. The application deadline is 23 November. An external reviewer will assess your application; you will receive a response by mid-March, and fieldwork must not begin before 1 April.

How realistic are your chances?

The target group is narrowly defined: only PhD students in Geography at British universities are eligible to apply, and as only two scholarships are awarded each year, competition is fierce. Your chances are better if you clearly lack full funding for your fieldwork – this is precisely the kind of project the Club prioritises. A well-planned project with a specific need for data collection, submitted by the deadline, gives you a fair chance.