Bursary

At a Glance

We are committed to running an accessible and inclusive conference. This includes providing a rich remote experience for those unable to attend in person. However, we recognise that in-person attendance is a valuable experience for many so we will also be offering a limited number of bursaries for those who would otherwise be unable to attend the conference in-person.

• Number of bursaries available:
  • 10 x UK bursaries for domestic travel + accommodation (up to £500)
  • 5 x International bursaries for travel + accommodation (up to £1,000)
  • Up to 5 bursaries can also provide free conference registration
• Key dates:
  • Call opens: Monday 22 April 2024
  • Application deadline: Friday 31 May 2024
  • Awards made: Friday 14 June 2024

Deadline for bursary call extended to 30th June with applications to be reviewed and accepted every 2 weeks:

• Received by 31 May, decision by 14 June
• Received by 14 June, decision by 28 June
• Received by 30 June, decision by 14 July

Interested in applying? Read on for more details of the scheme, including our selection criteria and tips for applicants. If you have any questions or would like any help, please contact the conference equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility team at [email protected].

If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the application form.

Selection

Our bursary award is designed for those who are one or more of the following:

• An early career RSE/researcher (see below for definition)
• A student with an interest in RSE-related topics
• An RSE/researcher/student currently living/working outside of the UK

To qualify for this scheme, the applicant must fall into at least one of the above categories and be unable to attend in-person without the bursary. Note that we consider anyone who writes research software as part of their job to be an RSE, regardless of your formal job title. We define early career as within the first five years in an RSE role, including those in their first five years of returning to the role after a time away.

Bursaries will be awarded based on the following criteria:

• Widening participation – we wish to ensure that RSECon24 has a diverse range of attendees from across different backgrounds, skill levels, career backgrounds etc. We will therefore prioritise travel bursaries for applicants that come from under-represented backgrounds and who find it difficult or challenging to access travel money (e.g. because they don’t have access to funding).
• Encouraging interaction – we would like attendees of RSECon24 to share knowledge and expertise, e.g. via active participation in workshops, enthusiastic engagement with tutorials, by presenting excellent talks and posters and by fully networking and engaging with other attendees, the Society of Research Software Engineering and sponsors. Please indicate in your application how you anticipate being able to do this.

Bursary Award

The bursary is to be used for:

• The costs of transport to the conference venue
• Accommodation during the conference
• Subsistence during the conference

We can upgrade a limited number of bursaries to also include conference registration. This will be provided via a registration discount code so, if you are applying for free conference registration, please do not register for the conference until your bursary has been confirmed and you have received the registration discount code.

Terms and conditions are given in the Guide to Expenses: Guide to Claiming Expenses for Bursary holders 2024

We will pay bursaries on receipt of a completed copy of the Society’s expense claim form, emailed to [email protected]. In general we will require claims to be submitted after the expense is incurred, accompanied by supporting PDFs or scans of receipts.

We recognise the importance of prompt reimbursement for those receiving bursaries and will pay all valid claims within 2 weeks of receipt. Note that you can claim as soon as you incur the expenditure - you do not need to wait until after the conference.

We also recognise that not everyone will be able to pay in advance for their conference expenses and we will pay bursaries in advance based on estimated costs if needed. If your application for a bursary is successful and you need to receive funds in advance of purchasing your travel and accommodation, please let us know by emailing [email protected] once you receive confirmation of your bursary award.

If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the application form.