Research Grants

The Royal Archaeological Institute has research funds available each year as follows:

  • RAI Research Fund Awards up to £5,000 are available each year.

  • The Tony Clark Memorial Fund Up to £500 is available each year for scientific elements of archaeological projects.

  • The Bunnell Lewis Research Fund Up to £750 is available each year for projects which preferably involve the excavation and exploration of Roman sites.

Eligibility

Applications will be considered for archaeological fieldwork, survey, aspects of excavation and post-excavation research; architectural recording and analysis; and artefact and art-historical research. Documentary research per se will NOT be eligible, but can be considered as an element of the other categories. Preference will be given to projects within the British Isles which have significant part-time/amateur involvement.

The 2014 grant application form will be available in a few months.

Recent Grants

Research grants for 2013 have been awarded to the following:

  • Murray Cook and Fraser Hunter: Strathdon Material Culture Review
  • Sue Hirst and Tania Dickinson: The archaeology of Bidford-on-Avon
  • Joanne Kirton: Investigation of Pre-Norman masonry in the Inner Ward Bamburgh Castle
  • Michael McCarthy: Carlisle Cathedral (conditional)
  • Jude Plouviez and Chris Scull: Survey and excavation at Rendlesham, Suffolk
  • David Roberts: Teffont Archaeology Project 2013 - fieldwork and post-excavation analysis (conditional)
  • Kieran Westley: Submerged archaeological landscape investigation, Greencastle, County Donegal

One of the conditions attached to the awarding of a grant is that the recipient must produce a report of the work undertaken. A shortened version of the report is published in the RAI Newsletter.

RAI Dissertation Prizes

The RAI awards a dissertation prize each year for either an undergraduate (Tony Baggs Award) or master's dissertation, on a rotating basis. The award goes to the best dissertation on a subject concerning the archaeology or architectural history of Britain, Ireland and adjacent areas of Europe. The chief criteria considered are (a) quality of work and (b) appropriateness to the interests of the RAI as reflected in the Journal. The winner receives £500 and one year's membership subscription. All university departments are informed of these awards and are encouraged to nominate one applicant each. Please contact the Administrator if you would like further details.

In 2012, the Tony Baggs Award (undergraduate dissertation prize) was awarded to Isobel Walker of the University of Edinburgh for her dissertation on A Study of Fracture Patterns in Roman and Medieval British Populations.

Cheney Bursaries

As a result of a bequest left by Frank Cheney, the Institute has a fund to enable students to attend RAI meetings and conferences. An allocation is available annually from which individuals can apply for a maximum sum of £200.

Students who wish to apply for a bursary should email or write to the Administrator, at least six weeks before the event you wish to attend. You should state:

  • the institution where you study
  • the event that you wish to attend
  • the sum of money requested
  • a breakdown of how the money would be spent
  • a summary (up to 250 words) of why you would like to attend the event and in what way this will be useful to you

Successful applicants may be asked to produce a brief report of the event for the Institute.