Mike Soper Bursary Fund and Jimmy Elliot Memorial Fund  - Mike Soper Bursary Fund and Jimmy Elliot Memorial Fund 

What the bursary covers

These two funds, which are jointly administered by the University of Oxford, award grants to biology students for study placements outside Oxford. The ‘Mike Soper Bursary Fund’ covers travel costs for fieldwork and research trips. The ‘Jimmy Elliott Memorial Fund’ supports you in attending conferences or gaining professional experience related to British agriculture. The exact amount is not published and is determined on a case-by-case basis. By way of comparison: other biology funds at the University of Oxford listed here award amounts ranging from approximately 580 EUR to 2,900 EUR (500 GBP to 2,500 GBP).

Who can apply

• University: You’re studying life sciences at the University of Oxford.
• Degree level: Preference is given to students in their first cycle, but students in their second cycle may also apply. The Jimmy Elliott Fund also supports early-career researchers at the university.
• What you do with it: You are planning to study outside Oxford, for example on a student-organised expedition, undertaking fieldwork as part of a marked research project, or attending a conference.
• Field focus: Projects relating to agriculture, forestry or other forms of rural land use will be given priority, but proposals on other biological topics may also be submitted.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Low priority: Trips advertised as ‘volunteer nature conservation holidays’ for which high fees are charged.

How to apply

Complete a single application form and send it to the Funding Committee. Each member of a group or expedition must submit a separate application. Please contact the Department of Plant Sciences for the current form and deadline.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined. You must already be a biology student at the University of Oxford, and the focus is on undergraduates studying agriculture, forestry or rural land use. This means the pool of eligible applicants is small, so a well-suited applicant with a clear, personalised project stands a good chance. A vague plan or an expensive ‘nature conservation holiday’ will not be convincing.