Royal Geographical Society - RGS Explore Grants

RGS Explore Grants

You get a one-off grant of about EUR 580 to EUR 5,800 (£500 to £5,000) for a team running an overseas expedition that advances geographical knowledge. The money is paid once, not monthly. Your total project budget must stay under about EUR 29,000 (£25,000). The grant you request must cover at least 20% of the total project cost, and equipment can take up no more than 20% of the grant. The award comes from the Royal Geographical Society in London and targets new explorers and field researchers, especially teams doing their first overseas project.

Who can apply

• Team, not individual: You apply as a team of at least three people. Everyone must be 18 or older when you apply.
• Team leader: The person leading the team lives in the UK.
• Where you go: The expedition takes place outside the UK and lasts at least four weeks in the field, ideally between April and October.
• Field of study: You do not need a geography degree, but the project must add to geographical knowledge. That means it deepens understanding of the world's environments, people and places. Plain species-mapping with no geographical insight does not count.
• Students welcome: Student teams can apply, including teams working with an academic or PhD student, as long as the project is an independent piece of field research.
• Membership: You do not need to be a member of the Society.
• Not funded: PhD fieldwork, departmental field trips, volunteering, charity fundraising and commercial ventures.

How to apply

You send the application form and a one-page CV by email by 8 January 2027 (11:59pm). Two referees also submit references: one a university academic, one a contact in the country you are visiting. Shortlisted teams are invited to an interview on 25 or 26 February 2027, and all applicants are told the outcome.