PhD Travel Funding 2025-26
Scope
SICSA can support conference funding for PhD students who are currently studying Informatics/Computing Science within a SICSA institution.
Funding of up to £500 is provided to support travel for presenting accepted conference publications. We particularly encourage applications involving collaborations between SICSA institutions.
You can apply for up to £500 towards any costs related to attendance at a conference where you are presenting accepted works, including registration, travel and accommodation.
Eligibility & Conditions
- Applicants must be current PhD students studying Informatics or Computing Science at a SICSA institution.
- All awards will be made retrospectively (after your trip) by invoice from your institution or via direct expense claim. You should produce receipts for all expenditure claimed, as well as proof of attendance at the conference. In some cases, SICSA may be able to book travel or conference registration on your behalf.
- Successful applicants will be invited to a special travel awards session at the SICSA PhD conference where they can present their work.
- SICSA should be acknowledged in any communication or documentation.
Application Process
Applications can be made for a conference in the three months prior to or after an application deadline. In other words you can apply for funding 3 months in advance of a trip or 3 months after a recent conference trip providing your expenses have not been covered from other sources.
You supervisor should provide a supporting statement to be included in the application form.
There are four deadlines throughout the year: 1st August, 1st December, 1st February and 1st May.
Applications received up to a deadline will be considered by the SICSA Graduate Academy Director and Deputy Director after the deadline for funding in that round and you will receive a decision within two weeks of the deadline.
Applications to present work that involves more than one SICSA institution will receive priority.
Please submit your application via webform.
| Period start | Period end | Application deadline | Awards announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 01- | 15 | ||
| 01-02-2026 | 01-08-2026 | 01-05-2026 | 15-05-2026 |
FAQ
Can two students apply for funding for the same paper?
No. We would like to distribute funding as widely as possible. So we ask that if there are two students interested in funding, that only the student who would be presenting the paper apply. Students presenting different work at the same conference may both apply.
Can the funds be used to support anyone else (e.g. if my supervisor is also attending the conference)?
No. The funds should only be used for the student applicant.
How do we acknowledge SICSA?
Ideally you should acknowledge SICSA funding in your presentation. But if you are applying for funding after the event, then this would not be possible. If so we encourage you to attend the SICSA PhD Conference so that we can recognise your research contribution.
Q: Can two students apply for funding for the same paper?
No. We would like to distribute funding as widely as possible. So we ask that if there are two students interested in funding, that only the student who would be presenting the paper apply.
Do I need to be Scottish to apply?
No. Any Computer Science doctoral research student in a SICSA institution can apply. There are no nationality restrictions.
Is the funding only for PhD students?
No. Any doctoral research student in a SICSA department (see previous question) can apply. So this includes for instance EngD and DPhil students. This funding is only available to current, registered students at Scottish universities and is not aimed at staff.
What do you mean by SICSA collaboration?
We would like to encourage collaboration between SICSA institutions. We will prioritise papers that involve more than one
SICSA institution. This does not mean that all collaborators have to be computer scientists though. A paper co-written by a computer scientist in one SICSA institution and someone in a different discipline at another SICSA institution would be eligible. But the applicant must be a computer science student.