Girton College Funds and Grants
Girton College is committed to supporting its postgraduate students through a wide range of dedicated funding opportunities. Whether it’s for academic travel, conference participation, or fieldwork, Girton offers targeted financial support designed to enrich the academic experience and professional development of its postgraduate community.
Who can apply?
This fund is open to Postgraduates, including both Masters and PhD students.
Which activities are considered?
A committee of Postgraduate Tutors will determine whether applications are appropriate for an award.
The Academic Development Fund aims to support the following activities and more:
• Attendance and presentation at key subject conferences
• Travel to gather data or to study source material essential for research
• Participation in research and course-related workshops
• Financial support for student-led seminars and workshops in Cambridge, bringing together experts in their research field
• Public engagement activities to widen research horizons and impact
If PhD candidates need to undertake more extensive fieldwork trips (such as spending some time in another lab abroad etc.), they may apply for additional support from the Academic Development Travel fund.
How to apply?
Applications will close for consideration on the Friday of week 2 and week 6 of each term. For Easter term 2025 this is 9 May and 6 June 2025.
Apply online: application form.
What is the value of these Awards?
At the discretion of the committee of Postgraduate Tutors, the following Awards are available::
• £300 maximum for students on one-year courses
• £1000 maximum for PhD students throughout their studies
If you have any questions about these Awards, please email the Financial Welfare Officer.
Who can apply?
The Academic Development Travel Fund is for PhD students undertaking academic related travel that goes beyond conference travel. Examples of eligible travel and study include fieldwork, archival work and other research related travel, attending summer schools and training workshops.
Students on Masters programmes are not eligible for this fund, but should apply to the Academic Development fund.
PhD students seeking funding for conference travel should apply to the Academic Development fund.
The proposed travel must be during the programme of study, and for PhD students before the end of their ninth term. Students may apply for support for these activities up to £1,500 during their programme of study. This is in addition to the £1000 (maximum) that students can apply to the Academic Travel Fund for conferences.
How to apply?
Applications will close for consideration on the Friday of week 2 and week 6 of each term. For Easter term 2025 this is 9 May and 6 June 2025.
Please apply online: application form
Guidance for Applicants
Before applying to the Fund, applicants need to discuss their plans with their tutors as well as their supervisors and provide evidence that the proposed travel exceeds the standard support typically provided by their department or research group. Please check with your supervisor if an ethical clearance form is required.
At the initial application stage the candidate needs to submit the description of the proposed travel, estimated costs of travel (with evidence of cost), a risk assessment form and evidence that you have applied to your Department. Once an award has been granted in principle, the final payment will be calculated based on precise information about travel and accommodation costs. Students will be expected to submit receipts for their travel to fwo@girton.cam.ac.uk within one month following the end of their travel and over estimates are to be refunded.
You will need to complete a Risk Assessment. Please contact your Department’s Postgraduate Office for the appropriate risk assessment form. Useful information on assessing risk and other safeguarding measures can be found at https://www.safeguarding.admin.cam.ac.uk/.
Applications to Work Away from the University
If your travel application is for a period longer than two weeks, you need to apply for permission to work away via your Camsis self-service. You should complete your Camsis application least two months before you leave to give time for the levels of approval needed (Supervisor, Head of Department, College and Degree Committee). Do check to see how long you can be away and what action to take: https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/postgraduate-study/your-student-status/work-away.
If you have any questions about these Travel Awards, please email the Financial Welfare Officer.
The Pillman Completion Grant is intended for students writing up their PhDs. Applicants for a completion grant must be beyond terms (already completed nine terms of their PhD) and have run out of funding. The successful applicant will normally be expected to complete their thesis within four months of the award being made. Academic progress will be considered when reviewing applications, as will any extension funding granted. Awards are usually around £500 and may be up to (but no more than) £1000.
Please discuss this application with both your supervisor and tutor. We will contact your supervisor to comment on your application.
Apply online: application form
Applications will close for consideration on the Friday of week 1 and week 5 of term. For Easter term 2025 this is 2 and 30 May 2025.
If you have any questions about these Awards, please email the Financial Welfare Officer.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the language programmes organised by Cambridge University Language Programmes. Students may request partial reimbursement from their College for the fees, for one programme during their undergraduate and/or postgraduate course.
Please apply here with your completion certificate and receipt.
Girton College provide extra support for students with partners and families including the Partner Card: https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/postgraduates/families-and-partners.
Cambridge University Funds and Grants
Further financial assistance is available to support existing Postgraduate students form Cambridge University.
The University has launched a Humanitarian Response Fund to provide further financial support for current students who are affected by conflict or humanitarian crisis. Details of the application procedure have now been published online, including eligibility criteria and an application form.
Humanitarian Response Fund eligibility criteria and guidance | University of Cambridge
Any student displaced by the war in Ukraine who is in financial need can apply for extra support.
Details of this support can be found here: https://www.ukraine.cam.ac.uk/schemes.
University Travel Awards
These are available to Postgraduate and Undergraduate students and will open again in Michaelmas Term for applications. Check your eligibility here.
The University may be able to provide financial assistance towards confirmed Ofsted-registered childcare costs for students in exceptional, unforeseen financial difficulty . The University Childcare Support Fund is open to registered home student parents and the Central Childcare Bursary Scheme is open to registered EU and overseas student parents.
In addition, here are the details of the UK government support for childcare.
The Childcare Office offers information on family related issues including childcare, schooling, health care, financial support and local community resources.