The Royal Geographic Society - Slawson Awards

Slawson Awards

The Slawson Scholarships provided PhD students with a one-off grant of about 1,150 to 3,450 EUR (£1,000 to £3,000) for a field trip to the Global South, i.e. to developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Two to three scholarships were awarded each year. The Royal Geographical Society (in collaboration with the IBG) ran the programme from 2001 to 2022, funded by the donors Paul and Mary Slawson. Previous projects focused on climate change, biodiversity, land use, urban development and people’s livelihoods, with fieldwork carried out in countries such as Bolivia, Tanzania, India, Nepal and South Africa.

Who could apply

• Level: You were a PhD student.
• Where you went: Their fieldwork took place in a developing country in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
• Field of study: Geography or a related subject such as anthropology, sociology or development economics. Projects that combined several subjects were particularly welcome.
• Topic: Her research focused on a development topic of clear social and economic value.
• Nationality and university: Applicants of any nationality and from any university were eligible to apply.

How realistic are your chances?

The Slawson Scholarships were discontinued following the 2022 funding round and are no longer accepting applications. If you are a PhD student, please find out more about the Society for Field Research’s other funding opportunities for doctoral research, such as the ‘Postgraduate Research Awards’ and the ‘Frederick Soddy Postgraduate Award’.