The QRA provides grants to its members with the aim of promoting high quality Quaternary research, training and dissemination of results, as widely as possible. Discover more about our range of grants here.
Undergraduate & postgraduate grants
Bill Bishop Award
Award maximum: £950 (up to one award per year)
Eligibility: Full or part-time MPhil/PhD students
Field-based research in the fields of: (i) Cenozoic stratigraphy, palaeo-environments and chronology in relation to hominid evolution; and (ii) British Quaternary stratigraphy, palaeoenvironments and geomorphology
Deadlines: 15th February 2024
New Research Workers Grant
Award maximum: £1650 (multiple grants awarded per year)
Eligibility: Postgraduate taught & research students
Research activities, e.g. field expeditions, geological surveys, visits to laboratories, purchase of essential field equipment and laboratory analyses
Deadlines: 15th May 2023, 15th September 2023, 15th February 2024, 15th September 2024
Postgrad Quaternary Conference Fund
Award maximum: £900 (multiple grants awarded per year)
Eligibility: Postgraduate taught & research students
Supports postgraduate attendance at conferences and field meetings.
Deadlines: 15th May 2023, 15th September 2023, 15th February 2024, 15th September 2024
QRA-Oxford Radiocarbon Dating Short Course Bursaries
Award maximum: Up to 3 bursaries offered per year
Eligibility: Open to all, excluding undergraduate students. Preference given to Year 1 PhD students without Research Council funding
Enable members to participate in two days of the radiocarbon dating short course run jointly by NERC, AHRC and the University of Oxford. Covers course fees.
Deadlines: TBC 2024
Grants for all other members
Quaternary Research Large Grant
Award maximum: £5500 (one grant awarded per year)
Eligibility: Full members only
To support an outstanding application of scientific excellence for fieldwork expeditions and/or innovative laboratory-based projects
Deadlines: 15th September 2023, 15th September 2024
Quaternary Research Small Grant
Award maximum: £1650 (multiple grants awarded per year)
Eligibility: Full members only
Any research costs deemed suitable by the Awards Panel (e.g. fund field expenses, hire equipment, etc.); not 14C dating or labour costs.
Deadlines: 15th May 2023, 15th September 2024, 15th February 2023, 15th September 2024
QRA Outreach Funding
Award maximum: Typically up to £1000
Eligibility: All QRA members and organisations
For individuals and organisations to organise public engagement events and/or develop/disseminate outreach materials on a Quaternary theme.
Deadlines: 1st September 2023, 15th September 2024
QRA-Oxford Radiocarbon Dating Short Course Bursaries
Award maximum: Up to 3 bursaries offered per year
Eligibility: Open to all, excluding undergraduate. Preference given to Year 1 PhD students without Research Council funding
Enable members to participate in two days of the radiocarbon dating short course run jointly by NERC, AHRC & the University of Oxford. Covers course fees.
Deadlines: TBC 2024
QRA INQUA Congress Fund
Award maximum: £900 (multiple grants awarded in INQUA year)
Eligibility: Open to all
Attendance at the INQUA Congress, with priority to those with limited sources of funding, especially PG and ECR researchers; once every 4 years
Deadlines: Applications for INQUA 2023 are now closed. Future dates for INQUA 2027 ate to be confirmed.