Special Bursaries and Funds
Financial assistance is available to existing Postgraduate students in certain instances. There are specific funds which can provide reimbursement for some expenses.
The Pillman and Cody Conference Fund is available to provide limited financial assistance, up to a maximum of £300 per academic year, to postgraduates presenting a paper or a poster at conferences related to their research. Applications should usually be made after the conference but must be attended in the same year of study as the application.
There are also limited funds (up to a maximum of £50) to assist with costs of attending local lectures/talks or exhibitions relevant to the student's course or to support membership of a relevant academic society.
You should inform your Tutor that you wish to make an application.
Applications to this fund will be considered twice a term and should be submitted for consideration by the Friday of Week 2 and Week 6 each term.
Postgraduate Travel Awards
University Travel Awards
These are available to Postgraduate and Undergraduate students and will open again in Michaelmas Term for applications. You can see whether you are eligible for one of these here
Travel Awards available only to Girton College students:
The Kythe Waldram Travel Award is awarded in alternate years to Undergraduate and Postgraduate students.
This will be awarded to an undergraduate in 2023-24 and alternates each year between undergraduates and postgraduates. It is intended for longer travel and not conference travel. The award has a value of £400.00.
The Sidney and Marguerite Cody Travel Studentship Awards are for a period of academic related travel and study in continental Europe. See below.
Who can apply?
The Sidney and Marguerite Cody Travel Studentship is for a period of academic related travel and study in continental Europe. It is open to Postgraduate students of any faculty, except English. The proposed travel has to be during the programme of study, for PhD students before the end of the 9th term and for Masters students before final work has been submitted or final exams. Students who have just completed their course will not be considered. Students on Taught Masters programmes are not eligible and students on Research Masters degrees will have to demonstrate that the proposed travel contributes to their degree.
Applicants for conference travel should not apply to this fund. Please apply here instead: Pillman and Cody Conference Fund
How do I apply for a Cody Travel Award?
Applications to the Cody Travel Awards will open at the start of each term and close on the 2nd Friday of term. This will be Friday 26th January in Lent term. Usually only proposed travel will be considered. However retrospective applications will be considered in the October round as well.
Here is the link to the Cody Travel Awards application form.
Applications must include a description of the proposed travel, estimated costs of travel and a risk assessment form as well as evidence that the applicant has applied to their Department. Students are expected to provide estimates for reasonable travel costs.
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 here.
If your Department does not have a risk assessment form, please complete this Risk Assessment form. If there is little risk involved with the proposed travel, complete the low risk form.
Please also check with your supervisor to see if an ethical clearance form is required.
Guidance for Applicants and Tutors
The length of travel can be from several weeks up to 12 months. Examples of eligible travel and study include fieldwork and other research related travel, attending summer schools and training workshops.
At the initial application stage the candidate needs to submit the estimated and itemised cost of the travel (with evidence). Once an award has been granted in principle, the final sum should be calculated based on precise information about travel and accommodation costs. Students should submit receipts after their travel within one month to the Financial Welfare Officer.
If travelling as part of an academic-related working away period longer than two weeks in length, you must apply to work away separately via your Camsis self-service.
If you have any other questions about these Travel Awards, email the Financial Welfare Officer.
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
Students are encouraged to take one of the language programmes organised by CULP. 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.
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.
See also Girton College information for students with partners and families including the Partner Card: https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/postgraduates/families-and-partners