BES Facebook groupUndergraduate Ecological Project Support (UEPS)
It is possible to apply for both an Undergraduate Ecological Project Support and a Small Ecological Project Grant for the same project but being awarded one does not guarantee being awarded the other and so the applicant must ensure that he or she makes it clear in the application whether the project will be achievable if only one of the applications is funded.
This grant is intended to include a stipend to cover the time taken doing ecological research work for up to a maximum of eight weeks. The grant can include travel and subsistence in addition to the stipend (but the same costs can not be requested in any accompanying Small Ecological Project Grant application). Work can be undertaken up-to 6 months after graduation, but cannot be part of an honours project. Successful applicants will be encouraged to present their work at the BES annual meeting within 18 months of commencing the work. Any resulting publications from the research must have the applicant as the principal investigator.
The work can be carried out in the UK or overseas.
Eligibility
The criteria that need to be met to qualify for this grant are:
This project should not be intended for submission as part of a degree course (e.g. honours project) but the applicant is encouraged to submit the results for publication
The research should be distinct from timetabled teaching activities and should primarily have been planned and organised by the applicant.
Applications must be supported by two academic referees at least one of which should be a member of staff of the institution where the applicant is a student. This referee should verify that the proposal is not part of an honours project.
UEPG's are given to an individual student who is responsible for completion of a report to the BES. There is, however, no objection to any subsequent paper having co-authors.
There is no objection to the applicant doing the work whilst part of an expedition but the applicant has to take the responsibility of completing their own part of the expedition, as a stand-alone activity.
Several individuals may submit applications for the same expedition providing their projects are distinct.
Value:
The maximum grant, including stipend and subsistence shall be £2000. Stipend to be calculated at a rate of £250 per week. This may be applied for in addition to an SEPG grant, though costs cannot be repeated.
Closing dates:
1 April, 1 November
Application:
This grant is only available by applying using the BES online application form.
To view or download the online questions before filling in the online form click here (this form is only for guidance and applications will need to be submitted using the online form).
To apply for this grant click here
Two accompanying referee statements will be required before the online form is completed. Applicants are therefore advised to fill in and to submit their application form well in advance of the application deadline and to make sure that their referees are contactable by email as referee forms will be automatically sent to referee email addresses when the applicant has completed (and submitted) their online application. Forms fully completed with both references after the deadline will go into the next application round dependant on the stated start dates of the project. Applications can not be awarded in retrospect for research that has finished or already started by the grant deadline.
Conditions:
The Small Ecological Project Grant and the Undergraduate Ecological Project Support Grants are only open to current BES members and to applicants from a country classified as having a 'low and lower-middle-income economies' according to the World Bank categorization.
All grantees will be expected to submit a report on the work undertaken. Preferably in electronic format. Information about the timing of reports will be given to successful applicants.
Published papers, reports to other organisations, etc., should include an acknowledgement of the support from the BES.
Other conditions, which may be deemed necessary, may be attached to the grant award.
To view previous grant reports and to download a report template please visit the reports section of our website.
