About the BIG Event Bursary 

BIG offers a handful of bursary places which will:

• pay registration fees for the BIG Event
• one year's BIG membership
• offer reasonable travel and accommodation expenses support your attendance at the Event

Eligibility

Applicants must

1. be BIG members at time of application; become a Member
2. be within the first 5 years of their professional career in the STEM engagement sector in the UK;
3. not have attended the BIG Event before.

Applications will be scored 1-5 on the following attributes:

• demonstrable commitment to professional development;
• demonstrable commitment to the STEM engagement sector;
• level of positive impact of attending conference on applicant's personal and professional development; and
• relevance of work experience.

Other assessment considerations

Special consideration will be given to applicants from smaller organisations and to applicants who adopt a creative and thrifty approach to their travel and accommodation costs (for in-person events) as BIG is a not-for-profit organisation supported by its members.

What will you have to do in return?

Following attendance of the BIG Event, you will need to submit an article (approx. 400 words) for BIG’s e-newsletter about your conference attendance or a related topic which would be of use and interest to the BIG community. Expenses will be issued following receipt of this article. We are also happy to accept photos of the event; blog posts; vlogs of your experience; or other creative content you can produce. 

We also hope you will be willing to give a hand at the conference where required; this gives you a great opportunity to create links with other delegates.

What happens next?

If you are successful with your bursary application and have already booked and paid for your conference place, BIG will refund your registration fee and extend your BIG Membership for one year (or refund your membership fee).  

BIG will assess each application and attempt to award bursaries to achieve a geographic and subject area spread. You will be notified either way in the w/c 27 May, 2024. Successful applicants will receive information about the bursary amount allotted for your reasonable expenses and how to claim these expenses.

You are responsible for organising and paying for your own expenses and you will need to produce receipts for each item in order to claim your expenses.

Any questions? Contact Ashley Kent at event@big.uk.com