Student-led Event Fund
The Grand Union Student-led Event Fund offers you the opportunity to organise a new initiative, network, or group, and gain leadership and organisational skills. You can apply for up to £1000 to support interdisciplinary activities such as seminars, non-academic collaboration, workshops, knowledge exchange initiatives, and networking events.
Applications must directly involve ESRC-funded students and the activities should be located within a DTP institution (even if there are hybrid options available). The activities must bring together students or researchers from different pathways / departments / institutions, and may also involve non-academic partners and non-DTP students.
Events must be interdisciplinary (i.e. involving topics and/or participants from two or more disciplines) and the application needs to outline the potential impact of the event (e.g. for attendees, a particular community, institution, society, stakeholders) and detail the anticipated outcomes/outputs (e.g. publications, resources).
Successful applicants must publicise Grand Union sponsorship and submit promotional text/description about the project for inclusion in the DTP student newsletter and on the DTP website. Convenors must provide a report on the activity and its outcomes within one month of the conclusion of the project.
You should apply to the DTP Office of your home institution at least 3 months before the proposed activity to ensure time for consideration and to give you plenty of planning time (if you have concerns about meeting this timeframe, please contact your local DTP office). Applications received within 3 months of the intended activity will be reviewed in exceptional circumstances and for applications we receive within 1 month we may not be able review or provide support for the activity. Please ensure you read the guidelines below for further details on the scheme and applying for support.
Neither honoraria, nor payroll and employment costs are payable. Speakers may only be invited to give single, unpaid, one-off talks. Please make these terms clear in advance to anyone invited to present at these activities.
Before inviting or approaching an international speaker, you must seek departmental advice about any potential visa requirements. It is not possible to carry out any work, even unpaid, on a tourist visa.
Applications must be submitted to the DTP Office of your home institution at least 3 months before the proposed activity, to ensure time for consideration and to give yourself plenty of planning time. However, if an opportunity arises with less notice, please do still contact the DTP Office for advice, as, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to consider these.
In all cases, applications must be submitted prior to the start of the proposed activity. Retrospective applications will not be considered.
Applicants should provide a detailed budget, naming proposed presenters and participation numbers, where possible. Applications will be assessed in part on their value for money, and proposed budgets will be scrutinised.
Approved grants cannot be used for expenses other than the ones detailed in the application. Any deviation from the approved budget requires separate permission.
If you wish to request that your department or a supplier charge the DTP Office directly, or that your department pays the supplier on your behalf, please liaise with your local DTP Office before you place an order.
Food/drink/refreshments For meals, you may claim up to £15 per participant and a presenter's full (and reasonable) meal expenses if the cost is higher than £15. For drinks receptions, you can claim up to £10 a head. Alcohol is permitted in moderation.
We expect you to ask your department about their internal arrangements and rates before getting quotes from different suppliers (your Department will usually be able to provide recommendations). Some facilities may not allow food/drink in certain rooms or may request the use of certain suppliers. You are responsible for checking any other restrictions that might apply to venues.
Participant travel expenses
Approved participants and presenters can claim travel expenses, provided the cheapest tickets and advance bookings are used. UK travel expenses (and in exceptional circumstances, international travel expenses) for non-local participants are payable up to a maximum of £100 per person. However please consider whether expensive travel is the best use of funds. For rail travel, ensure that booking forms, tickets, and receipts are retained. You cannot claim travel expenses if the ticket or receipt is not provided.
Accommodation costs
Accommodation costs for non-locally based participants are payable up to a maximum of £150/head/night.
Accommodation costs for guest lecturers, presenters and speakers are payable up to a maximum of to £200/head/night. Please try to keep costs down by using accommodation offered or recommended by your University in the first instance.
Venue booking costs
Where possible, venue room bookings are normally expected to be provided free of charge or at subsidised cost through the University, Department, or College. It may be that you need to book refreshments through your department, faculty, or school. Make sure to avoid additional costs incurred due to the timing of your event, for instance due to the need for out-of-hours cover, caretakers, and security.
The Grand Union DTP Hub at the University of Oxford is available and free for student-led events. Please contact granduniondtp@socsci.ox.ac.uk for availability.
If you are planning to request support for a virtual or hybrid event, seek the advice of your institution/Department. The DTB Hub has limited capacity for hybrid events and we cannot support costs specific to running a hybrid event.
Expense claims
- Approved expenses will usually be reimbursed after the payment has been made. Students may be able to request advance payment of large expenses. If you wish to request an advance, please highlight this in your application.
- You will need to submit copies of the original receipts and any other additional information required.
- All reimbursements must be settled within 3 months of the activity taking place, as per the relevant finance process at your home institution. If you believe your expenses will vary from what was initially approved please contact your DTP institution immediately to discuss this.
Record of participants
Please keep a record of the overall number of attendees.
Event report
Convenors must provide a report on the activity and any outcomes planned (e.g. publications or resources) within one month of the conclusion of the project. We will provide the report template alongside the approval. There is no need to include a contingency fund in your budget, but if you anticipate problems with your initial budget, please contact your DTP office as soon as possible.
Open University and Brunel University London students: ready to make a claim? Please contact your DTP Manager for guidance.
Oxford students: ready to make an expenses claim? You can find the claims guidance below and a link to take you to the eExpenses claims login page. You will need your single sign on (SSO) to log in.
