Student funds & awards

The School offers small grants to contribute to the costs of certain skills training for SAME-registered research students preparing to do major fieldwork (i.e. PRS/DPhil students and Year 2 MPhil students, but not undergraduates, MSc students or Year 1 MPhil students). Examples of eligible training include language-training at the University Language Centre (at 12 Woodstock Road) or (with good reason) elsewhere, and specialised training in the use of specific equipment or methods.

 Research skills awards are subject to the following conditions: 

• The applicant is a SAME DPhil or MPhil 2nd year registered student
• The applicant not have been a previous recipient of the award
• The training is essential for the degree and research being undertaken
• The applicant has obtained their supervisor’s approval
• The costs involved are reasonable, up to a maximum of £750 per application.

Only one application per student is permitted across the duration of their programme, unless there are exceptional reasons justifying a further application in a subsequent year.

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in MT, HT and TT each year. Applicants will be notified by the end of 2nd week at the earliest.

The scheme is subject to a budget maximum in any given year. It is concessionary, not statutory, and therefore may be withdrawn at any time at the School’s sole discretion. Students have no automatic entitlement to these funds and have to apply for them in each case in the manner outlined above. The Awards Committee reserves the right to offer awards for less than the sum requested in order that as many applicants as possible may benefit

Apply for the SAME Research Skills Award 

Limited funds are available to support SAME-registered students wishing to accept an invitation to present a poster or paper at a conference.

Conference presentation awards are subject to the following conditions:

• The applicant is a SAME registered student at the time of the conference
  The applicant will be giving a paper at the conference
• A copy of the invitation to present is supplied
• The costs involved are reasonable, up to a maximum of £250 per application
• Only one application per student is permitted in any academic year
• The applicant cannot apply for this award retrospectively
• The applicant is unable to secure other full funding (e.g. college or conference funds)

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in MT, HT and TT each year. Applicants will be notified by the end of 2nd week at the earliest.

The scheme is subject to a budget maximum in any given year. It is concessionary, not statutory, and therefore may be withdrawn at any time at the School’s sole discretion. The Awards Committee reserves the right to offer awards for less than the sum requested in order that as many applicants as possible may benefit.

Apply for the SAME Conference Presentation Award

Applications are invited for research-related travel expenses in the field of anthropology, broadly conceived. 

DPhil - up to a limit of £1000

MPhil and MSc students – limit TBC for 2025/6

Human Sciences students - up to a limit of £720

Travel awards are subject to the following conditions:

• The applicant is a SAME registered student 
• Only one application per student is permitted in any academic year, priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received an award
• The applicant cannot apply for this award retrospectively
• The applicant is unable to secure other full funding (e.g. college)
• The applicant is able to supply receipts on their return

DPhil students: The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in MT, HT and TT each year. 

Masters and Undergraduate students: The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in TT each year. 

Applicants will be notified by the end of 2nd week at the earliest.

The scheme is subject to a budget maximum in any given year. It is concessionary, not statutory, and therefore may be withdrawn at any time at the School’s sole discretion. The Awards Committee reserves the right to offer awards for less than the sum requested in order that as many applicants as possible may benefit.

Apply for the SAME Travel Award

The School wishes to offer a small number of writing-up bursaries to those writing up their DPhil theses in order to enable them to submit in a timely manner.

The maximum amount available will be £1,000 to students on the completion of their fieldwork.

Whether your research involves a longer period of sustained fieldwork or is based on archival or lab work within Oxford, the award may not be applied for any earlier than your 4th term as registered DPhil student (MPhil to DPhil: 4th term, PRS to DPhil: 7th Term).
 

In order to qualify the student must:

• be a SAME DPhil registered student
• not have been a previous recipient of a writing-up bursary
• have completed their fieldwork research or data collection
• obtained their supervisor’s approval

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in MT, HT and TT each year. Applicants will be notified by the end of 2nd week at the earliest.

The Awards Committee reserves the right to offer awards for less than the sum requested in order that as many applicants as possible may benefit. Only one application per student is permitted.

Apply for a SAME Writing-up Bursary

The School wishes to offer a small number of writing-up bursaries to those writing up their DPhil theses in order to enable them to submit in a timely manner.

The maximum amount available will be £1,500 to students on the completion of their Confirmation of Status milestone. This award is offered to support students in the final stages of writing up their DPhil.

In order to qualify the student must:

• be a SAME DPhil registered student
• not have been a previous recipient of the prize
• have successfully completed the Confirmation of Status milestone
• obtained their supervisor’s approval
• provide a timetable towards completion (which should be within 3 terms)

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Monday of 1st week in MT, HT and TT each year. Applicants will be notified by the end of 2nd week at the earliest.

Only one application per student is permitted
 

Apply for the David Gellner Thesis Award 

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is committed to playing a leadership role in anthropology. We help anthropologists advance anthropological knowledge, build sustainable careers, and amplify the impact of anthropology within the wider world. They provide grants, fellowships and conference and workshop grants. For Doctoral students only.

Further information here.