The Abercromby Fund
Funding intended for undergraduate and postgraduate Archaeology students to support travel related to their degree studies.
The Abercromby Fund was established in the benefaction of Lord Abercromby of Aboukir and Tullibody (1841 - 1924), whose bequests to the University of Edinburgh led to the establishment of the Abercromby Chair of Prehistoric Archaeology in 1927. Lord Abercromby himself was a significant figure in prehistoric archaeology at the turn of the century; as the Hon. John Abercromby he published 'Bronze Age Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland' in 1912, and is credited with the introduction of the term 'beaker' and the first classification of Beaker pottery.
Who is the Fund intended for?
The Abercromby Fund is intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh who are registered for degrees in Archaeology, to support travel related to their degree studies in Archaeology, including travel relating to the research for undergraduate dissertations, and for post-graduate intermediate degrees (MSc) and research degrees (MSc, MPhil and PhD). In the case of postgraduates, this might typically entail travel for the purposes of collecting field data or visiting museums, consulting specialists or colleagues in other institutions, and participating in research workshops.For attendance at conferences students should normally apply to the School postgraduate fund. Awards will not normally be made to full-time doctoral students beyond their third year of study. In the case of undergraduates, grants will not normally be awarded towards the costs of travel in fulfilment of the vacation fieldwork requirement, since this is the purpose of the Vacation Grant fund. Although other applications are not excluded, the primary use of the Abercromby Fund for undergraduate support in recent years has been to contribute towards the cost of travel in preparation of the dissertation, normally in the long vacation between third and fourth year. Where vacation fieldwork and preparation of a dissertation involve travel to the same or nearby destinations, application to the Abercromby Fund may be admissible, but students will not be supported from both the Vacation Grant and Abercromby Funds in respect of the same travel costs.
What conditions need to be fulfilled?
With increasing demands upon the Abercromby Fund, applicants should not expect to receive the full cost of their travel, and should note that subsistence and accommodation costs are not included in the terms of the Fund. The maximum amount available to any eligible student over the course of one year is normally £750. A limit of three applications per doctoral postgraduate student is the normal level, though out of equity the number and size of any previous awards will be taken into account when applications are considered. Students whose requests for travel costs are supported will be expected to submit evidence of their expenditure (simple balance sheet plus receipts) and a short academic report (c.500 words) within one month of the completion of their travel programme, when their expenditure will be reimbursed to the agreed level. All expenditure in foreign currencies will be reimbursed at the rate prevailing when the purchase was made. Students seeking support for work related to their undergraduate dissertations should discuss their applications with their dissertation supervisors, who must agree in writing that the proposed travel is necessary to the project. For any other application, students should first consult their primary supervisor, who will be expected to comment briefly as to whether the travel is essential to the student's project. Students with financial support for their research programmes from funding sources that allow for travel (e.g. AHRC, Margaret Stewart Fund) should in the first instance apply to these sources. Awards will not normally be made retrospectively.
How do I apply?
The Fund is administered by the Abercromby Fund Committee, currently Dr Manuel Fernandez Gotz (chair), Dr Jon Henderson and Dr Linda Fibiger. All applications should be submitted by email to Claire Brown (Claire.Brown-2@ed.ac.uk).
Application forms
When do I apply?
- 17 October for travel undertaken before 28 February 2023
- 13 February for travel undertaken before 31 May 2023
- 8 May for travel undertaken before 31 July 2023