BIG Bursaries
What are they?
BIG bursaries provide financial assistance to enable members to attend one of our conference events. Here are the important details about our BIG Event Bursary and our Little Event Bursary. To see what bursary applications are currently open, visit our booking page: Book an Event
Applications open 3rd May, 2023
Apply from our Book an Event page
BIG offers a handful of bursary places which will:
- pay registration fees for the BIG Event
- one year's BIG membership
- give reasonable expenses to support your attendance at the BIG Event
Eligibility
Applicants must
- be BIG members at time of application;
- be within the first 5 years of their professional career in the STEM engagement sector in the UK;
- not have attended the BIG Event before.
Applications will be scored 1-5 on the following attributes:
- demonstrable commitment to professional development;
- demonstrable commitment to the STEM engagement sector;
- level of positive impact of attending conference on applicant's personal and professional development; and
- relevance of work experience.
Other assessment considerations
Special consideration will be given to applicants from smaller organisations and to applicants who adopt a creative and thrifty approach to their travel and accommodation costs (for in-person events) as BIG is a not-for-profit organisation supported by its members.
What will you have to do in return?
Following attendance of the BIG Event, you will need to submit an article (approx. 400 words) for BIG’s e-newsletter about your conference attendance or a related topic which would be of use and interest to the BIG community. Expenses will be issued following receipt of this article. If writing an article isn't your thing, we are also happy to accept photos of the event; blog posts; vlogs of your experience; or other creative content you can produce. Let's discuss event@big.uk.com
We also hope you will be willing to give a hand at the conference where required; this gives you a great opportunity to create links with other delegates.
The Little Event Bursary
BIG offers approximately 10 bursary places for the Little Event which will cover:
- one year's BIG membership;
- Little Event registration fees; and
- reasonable expenses associated with attending the Little Event.
If you have already registered for the Event you can still apply for the bursary and we will refund your registration and membership fees if you are successful.
Eligibility
Applicants must
- be within the first 5 years of their professional career/studies in the STEM or STEM engagement sectors and based in the UK; and
- not have attended the Little Event or any other of BIG's events before.
How to apply
Apply by telling us in no more than 200 words why you would like the opportunity to come to the Little Event and how you think it will benefit your personal and professional development. Complete the application form no later than the deadline.
Apply for the 2024 Little Event Bursary when it opens in December 2023
What will you have to do in return?
Nothing, just come and enjoy the event!
How to Apply for our Bursaries
When our bursaries open you can apply for them from our
Event Booking page. If you are on our BIG mailing list or
BIG-Chat, you should also receive an announcement via email.
Conditions
All bursaries are paid to the applicant in pounds Sterling; you will be expected to provide evidence of the bursary being spent as intended through production of receipts or equivalent.
Successful applicants will be expected to acknowledge BIG’s financial support in any publications arising from the professional development opportunity.
