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.

Dudley Stamp Memorial Award

The Dudley Stamp Memorial Award offers grants of £500 for PhD students or postdoctoral researchers to support geographical research. Preference is given to research that leads to the advancement of geography and to international co-operation in the study of the subject. Applications are particularly welcome for projects which will strengthen links between geographers in the United Kingdom and those overseas. The award was established in 1967 to enable geographers in the early stages of their careers to travel in support of their research. It honors Lawrence Dudley Stamp (1898-1966), an internationally renowned British geographer who served as President of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers. His Land Utilisation Survey of Great Britain in the 1930s and 1940s sought to classify land use in Britain with the help of teachers and school children. Dudley Stamp worked to popularise geography and played a key role in promoting the teaching of the subject in schools. He travelled widely, assisting in the setting up of numerous land use surveys, while his reputation drew postgraduates from around the world to work on his projects. In 2016 the Dudley Stamp Memorial Fund became a linked charity of the RGS-IBG. The award is administered through the RGS-IBG Postgraduate Research Awards scheme.

Hong Kong Research Grant

The Hong Kong Research Grant is an annual award of £2,500 for PhD students undertaking geographical research in the Greater China region. The grant was established in 2003 and is supported by the Hong Kong branch of the Royal Geographical Society. It is awarded as part of the RGS-IBG Postgraduate Research Awards scheme. Comparative studies are encouraged and preference is given to applicants who have not previously had an opportunity to study in the Greater China region. Applicants must be registered at a UK Higher Education Institution, and preference is given to students who do not receive full funding from a Research Council, university or comparable levels of support from other sources for fieldwork and data collection. The grant supports geographical research and field work in the Greater China region.

Frederick Soddy Postgraduate Award

The Frederick Soddy Postgraduate Award provides up to £6,000 to support PhD students carrying out research on 'the study of the social, economic and cultural life of a region' - anywhere in the world. Born in 1877, Frederick Soddy was a Nobel Prize winning atomic scientist, who later in his life developed economic and sociological interests. Frederick Soddy was one of the early pioneers of what today is considered 'interdisciplinary research'. Through the foundations of the Frederick Soddy Trust, he sought to encourage research that would provide a holistic view of an area, environment, or community encompassing elements of both human and physical geography. Applicants are encouraged to make clear how their research relates to this specific objective, and are expected to engage with both physical and human geographical components in their projects. The award is open to individual PhD students or teams of PhD students. One or two awards are given every year.

RGS-IBG Postgraduate Research Awards

The RGS-IBG Postgraduate Research Awards were established in 2008 to support PhD students undertaking research and fieldwork. The Society offers awards of up to £2,500 for PhD students undertaking fieldwork and data collection to advance geographical knowledge. These awards are offered to individuals and aim to help students establish themselves in their particular field. Applicants must be registered at a UK Higher Education Institution. Preference is given to students who do not receive full funding from a research council, university or comparable levels of support from other sources for fieldwork and data collection. The awards include the Albert Reckitt Awards, Walters Kundert Grants, the Geographical Club Award, Hong Kong Research Grants and the Dudley Stamp Memorial Award. Successful applicants may be given a named award based on their research discipline. Fieldwork should not begin before 1 April 2026 except under exceptional circumstances, and the Society cannot support fieldwork that has already taken place.