Research, Research Assistant, and Student Travel Grants
About Our Grants
BIPS supports UK-based post-doctoral researchers and UK-based students through the award of research and travel grants to carry out humanities and social science research into the Persianate world, particularly Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Transcaucasia, Iraq, the Persian Gulf littoral and South Asia. Subject areas include, but are not limited to: Art, Anthropology, Archaeology, Classics, Cultural Studies, History, Language, Literature, Politics, Religious Studies, and Sociology.
BIPS usually invites grant applications twice a year.
Research grants range in size from £1,200 to £5,000.
In the financial year 2024-25, grant calls will open on 25 March and 1 July.
Eligibility
Applicants for all grants must be affiliated to a UK Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). BIPS cannot fund travel to any destinations when the FCDO advise against travel. All applications involving travel must be accompanied with a risk assessment.
To qualify for a Research or Research Assistant Grant, applicants must have been awarded a PhD. Research and Research Assistant applicants must also seek permission from their HEI to receive a BIPS grant before applying. This should include performing a risk assessment.
At the time of commencing their grant project, successful applicants must be members of BIPS.
Type of Grants
Research Grants
Research Grants can be used for a range of purposes including fieldwork, archival research and to support the organisation of conferences or workshops, where there is an intended academic publication output. Research grants are not awarded for publication subventions, office overheads, or subsistence. Applicants are encouraged to seek sources of additional or matching funding.
Applications are currently closed.
Research Assistant Grant
Research Assistant Grants may be used by a UK research institution to employ short-term doctoral or post-doctoral research assistants. This initiative may assist early career researchers in starting a research project or established academics to finalise a research output. Awards of up to £5,000 will be made. Interdisciplinary and collaborative projects are encouraged. Applicants (in the position of Principal Investigator) must be able to supervise the research assistant with the permission of their home institution. Research Assistant grants may only be used to cover directly incurred salary costs. This is usually an hourly rate and must be paid through the host institution, not BIPS.
Applications are currently closed.
Travel Grants
To qualify for a travel grant, applicants must be currently enrolled as a student (undergraduate or post-graduate, including doctoral candidates) at a UK HEI. The number of travel grants awarded are small, and the amount awarded to any one applicant is limited to a maximum of £1,200. All applicants will be asked to undergo and supply to BIPS a risk assessment from their university, if they are travelling outside the UK, before funds are transferred.
Applications are currently closed.
Supporting Documents
All applicants are requested to submit the following documents:
- BIPS application form
- 2-page academic CV
- Two letters of reference from academics not involved in the research project for which funds are soughts.
In addition:
- Applicants for Research Grants and Research Assistant Grants are requested to submit a letter of support from the hosting institution stating that they agree to receive the funds;
- Applicants for Student Travel Grants and Research Grants (where travel is involved) are requested to submit a risk assessment. Applicants should enquire with their institution.
Process
All grant applications are considered by the Research Committee. The Research Committee’s recommendations are reviewed and ratified by the BIPS Council. This process can take up to a month after each application deadline.
All applications must include detailed estimated costs and realistic budgets.
All funds must be paid to a UK bank account. Research Grants and Research Assistant Grants are paid directly to the PI’s HEI.
Award holders must provide a financial report to BIPS which may be used in its Annual Review. Student travel grant financial reports are for internal office use only. Award holders must provide a narrative grant report which can be published on our website. BIPS also aims to invite all recent grant recipients to give a workshop presentation about their BIPS-funded research.
A full list of awards made in each financial year are available in our Annual Review. A selection of reports of the past projects supported by BIPS can be found at this link.
Publication of the supported research is a condition of the award and BIPS should see and approve the appropriate acknowledgement of BIPS’s funding in any proposed publication prior to its appearance.
To apply for the BIPS Research Grants, Research Assistant Grants, or Student travel Grants please download the form using the button below.
The application form and relevant supporting documents should be emailed by the deadline to the General Manager (email).
Please download and read the Terms of Reference and the Terms and Conditions of Award.