Discover Funding Opportunities

Chevening Scholarships

Chevening Scholarships are funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations. They are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential and strong academic backgrounds. The scholarships offer full financial support to study for any eligible master's degree at any UK university. Since the programme was created in 1983, nearly 60,000 outstanding professionals have had the opportunity to develop in the UK through Chevening. There are more than 1,000 scholarships on offer each year, demonstrating the UK's ongoing commitment towards developing the leaders of tomorrow. Chevening is one of the most prestigious and competitive UK scholarships available to international students. It is designed to support Britain's public diplomacy overseas, providing scholars with the knowledge, confidence and connections they need to make a positive global impact. Additionally, Chevening scholars gain access to a wide range of exclusive academic, professional, and cultural experiences. As a fully funded scholarship, tuition fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK are all covered. Scholars also gain access to exclusive networking events, workshops, talks, internships, and volunteering opportunities, giving them a diverse introduction to life in a global role. The programme is designed for ambitious leaders in the making who are looking for a postgraduate experience that will give them the very best preparation for success.

Lieutenant Governor's Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation

The Lieutenant Governor's medal program was established in 1979 to recognize students enrolled in vocational and career programs at public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. The medal program was created to recognize students who excel in their studies and contribute to the life of their institution or community. For nearly forty years, British Columbia's Lieutenant Governor has awarded the medal to outstanding students who have distinguished themselves through their post-secondary education. Effective 2019, the award was modernized to also recognize B.C. public post-secondary students in two-year diploma programs and four-year undergraduate programs. The program criteria now recognizes students who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of inclusion, democracy and/or reconciliation within their campus community. Recipients are chosen by their institution and receive a commemorative medal.

Step Change Fund

The Step Change Fund focuses on capacity building and strengthening of Oxfordshire's charitable sector. This fund is for charities with visionary leadership that realise they need to transform the way they are organised in order to create a more solid basis for delivering their core work. The Step Change Fund enables the local charitable sector to be stronger and more sustainable, and therefore better equipped to deal with the hard-hitting social problems faced by Oxfordshire communities. Step Change offers a unique proposition to grant applicants, with the support of a volunteer project manager included with every grant. The project manager, usually someone experienced in business strategy or management, will help you to develop a clear and fully costed plan to realise the step change that you desire. They will work alongside you through the duration of your project to support you in hitting targets and milestones. This fund does not offer core funding simply for the continuance of existing services; grants will be given for projects that can demonstrate realistic plans for increasing reach and impact and for building longer-term resilience for the future. The fund is particularly interested in projects that enable a 'step change' in impact or financial terms, and only funds projects that can demonstrate they bring substantial benefit to the lives of people in Oxfordshire who are facing disadvantage. The Step Change Fund has a three-stage application process, starting with an Eligibility Questionnaire, followed by an Expression of Interest Form, and finally a Detailed Bid Form before any grant is awarded.

Ulysses Trust Expedition and Adventurous Training Grant

The Ulysses Trust provides financial support for members of the UK Volunteer Reserve Forces, University Officer Training Corps (UOTC), and Cadet Forces to undertake challenging expeditions and adventurous training activities. The Trust aims to help units organize expeditions and adventurous training experiences that build leadership skills and resilience. Applications are accepted from units rather than individuals, and the Trust has been supporting expeditions worldwide for many years. The grant program requires submission of an expedition report following the activity, demonstrating the Trust's commitment to documenting the impact and outcomes of funded expeditions.

The Gino Watkins Fund Awards

The Gino Watkins Fund Awards support expeditions guiding and inspiring enterprising people towards scientific research and exploration in the polar regions. The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund gives grants annually of up to £4,000 towards expeditions that meet its objective of the diffusion and improvement of knowledge of the polar regions. The Fund endeavours to increase our knowledge of one of the least known, but most important parts of our planet, and also to stimulate the lasting qualities of enterprise, endurance and leadership gained in this uniquely arduous environment. The Fund was established in 1933 in memory of Henry George ('Gino') Watkins, who revolutionised polar exploration. Expeditions supported by the Fund visit Greenland and other high Arctic lands, as well as the Antarctic. Applications come from researchers, expeditioners, adventurers and organised groups, with particular favour given to expeditions that bring experience and training to young people or those early in their career.

Andrew Croft Memorial Fund Grants

The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund was established in 1998 to preserve and promote the life, spirit and hopes of Colonel Andrew Croft DSO OBE, Arctic explorer and wartime commando. The Fund provides grants annually for expeditions and research in the Arctic regions, as well as supporting other initiatives within its charitable objectives. The Fund advances education of young people below the age of thirty in subjects which can be advanced by research and field work particularly in the Arctic, by providing grants to enable participation in scientific expeditions. The Fund also supports charitable purposes for the benefit of Arctic communities and assists members of Her Majesty's Constabulary with the cost of further education and training to enhance their effectiveness within the community. Grants are approved annually in March/April each year. The Fund operates as a registered charity (number 1078106) and evaluates applications at the discretion of its Trustees, supporting expeditions and initiatives that align with Colonel Croft's legacy of developing talent, leadership, and Arctic exploration. Applications are welcomed from young people seeking to participate in Arctic research and field work, as well as from police officers pursuing further education and training opportunities.