Research Bursary

The Society of Antiquaries of London has received an extension to its funding stream from the Headley Trust in order to augment our research support for British archaeology. This Headley Trust Research Bursary will be awarded for 2007 and 2008, and we hope to offer a new programme in 2009-10, once these programmes have been evaluated (and subject to Headley Trust funding).


The Research Committee has decided that this funding can best be used to assist in the synthesis and communication of research or outputs from excavation or field work that will make an important contribution to British archaeology. In addition to supporting the analysis of results of research projects, the scheme aims to support those working in the independent and commercial sectors who wish to bring important new discoveries to full academic publication.

The total grant available for distribution is £30,000 over two years. The Research Committee will look to awarding a total of £15,000 in each year of the award. Depending on applications, one or multiple awards may be granted in each year.

The aims of the Headley Trust Research Bursary are to:

  • encourage archaeological research in the United Kingdom;

  • encourage younger scholars and practitioners;

  • encourage contacts and exchange between the independent, academic, public and commercial sectors of archaeology;

  • enable the publication of archaeological information and material generated through research excavation or fieldwork, development work or through other primary research;

  • bring to press projects that are already near completion or that can be completed within one year.

In furtherance of these aims applications are invited only for works leading to full academic publication . This means either:

  • a research bursary to fund a short-term piece of research from fieldwork to a state where it is submitted for publication by a date (to be agreed with the applicant ) prior to May 2009; or

  • a bursary to enable archaeologists in the public, commercial or independent sectors to have time to work within an academic context on the synthesis of largely unpublished material from archaeological excavations and/or fieldwork. The award can either be to a self-funded individual or to an organisation to allow it to give a sabbatical or special leave to an individual. The work undertaken must be submitted for publication by a date (to be agreed with the applicant) prior to May 2009.

Applications and referee reports (twelve copies of each) must be submitted by the Friday in the first full week of January in the year of application. This deadline will be strictly adhered to and late applications, or those with a late or missing referee report will not be considered. It is your responsibility to ensure your referee report arrives at the Society by the deadline.

All answers must be made on the application form provided. Your application will be considered solely on the basis of the information you provide on your application form. Font size must not be smaller than 10 point and your application should not exceed four A4 pages.

Members of the Research Committee are debarred from acting as referees. Their names are available from the Secretary. Grants will not normally be awarded for research that is part of work for a degree.

The Research Committee will meet to consider applications and the results of their recommendations as confirmed by the Council should be notified to all applicants by the end of March.

Applicants awarded a grant will be expected to submit a satisfactory report, of no less than 500 and no more than 5,000 words, as appropriate to the scale of the project, setting out how the research objectives were met. There should also be a separate financial statement detailing how the Society's money was spent. Both reports must be submitted no later than 28 February of the year following that in which the grant is made. No further grant will be made to any applicant who fails to meet this requirement by the stated date.

Download the Application form and the Referee form