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Our Travel Award: supporting the next generation of breast cancer researchers

Breast Cancer UK is committed to transforming our understanding of breast cancer risk factors and the role environmental chemicals may play in its development. Achieving this depends on supporting researchers driving new discoveries, and generating crucial evidence needed to inform policy changes. 

Whilst our previous funding rounds have focused on funding research projects and longer-term studies, this year we are doing things slightly differently, with a new funding stream on offer which aims to assist researchers promote their research and widen the impact.  

Our new Travel Awards will support early career researchers to attend scientific conferences and present their findings, learn from leaders in the field, and develop future collaborations.

Applications now open. 

The Breast Cancer UK Travel Awards are now open for applications! Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all allocated funds have been awarded. 

We therefore encourage applicants to apply as early as possible. 

What funding is available? 

Applicants may apply for funding to attend and present at relevant scientific conferences, nationally and internationally. 

• The amount available is dependent on the location of the conference: 
• UK conference: Up to £500 
• European conference: up to £800 
• Rest of the world: up to £1000 

Eligible costs 

Funding may be used to cover: 

• Conference registration fees 
• Standard/economy travel fares 
• Standard accommodation costs 
• Visa fees 
• Sustenance expenses (excluding alcohol) 

Funding cannot be used for travel insurance.

Who can apply? 

To be eligible for a Travel Award, applicants must: 

• Be a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher within three years of receiving their PhD 
• Be studying or employed at a UK Higher Education Institution 
• Have had an abstract accepted at the conference* 
• Be presenting research focused one or more of the following areas: 
  • Breast cancer risk or prevention 
  • Breast cancer screening or early detection 
  • Environmental chemical assessment methods 
  • Human exposure assessment to environmental chemicals 
• Not currently be receiving any other form of funding from Breast Cancer UK 
• Not be submitting an application retrospectively for conferences that have already taken place 

*Applicants must present a poster and/or oral talk at the conference to be eligible for funding. Applications can be submitted prior to abstract acceptance and be 'approved in principle'. Funds will only be available to use once Breast Cancer UK has received confirmation of abstract acceptance and the award fully approved. 

What are the conditions of funding? 

Applications must satisfy the following conditions: 

• Applicant must be presenting an oral talk and/or poster. Abstracts approved for publication only will not be accepted.  
• Applicants cannot apply to present research that involved the use animal experimentation. Any work presented must satisfy our policy on animal experimentation.  
• Awardees must acknowledge funding from Breast Cancer UK in any conference presentations or posters using the communications and branding materials supplied. 
• Successful applicants are required to submit a short report within six weeks of attending the conference. 
• Award holders will also be asked to provide two photographs of themselves attending the conference for use by Breast Cancer UK’s communications team. 

Please note that unsuccessful applicants may not submit another application for funding for the same conference unless specifically invited to do so.

How funding is paid. 

The Travel Awards will be paid through a reimbursement process of eligible costs. 

Successful applicants will be able to submit expenses claims as soon as their application has been fully approved. Payments will be made by the Charity as soon as is reasonably practical. 

All expenses claims and receipts must be submitted no later than three weeks after the conference end date. 

How to apply. 

Before applying, please review our application guidelines and criteria, terms and conditions and policy on animal experimentation. 

Applications must be submitted through our grants portal. 

Application process 

1. Register your details via the ‘Start Application’ button below. 
2. You will receive an email containing a link to access the portal. 
3. Complete your application in the portal. You can save and edit drafts if needed prior to submitting.  

Please click the ‘Continue Application’ button to continue editing an application.

Applications will be assessed on a monthly basis and outcomes communicated directly to applicants.  

Need help? Feel free to reach out to Dr Kerri Palmer-Quinn, Science Manager, by emailing: [email protected]. 

Additional information:

We at Breast Cancer UK do not fund research or the presentation of research involving the use of animals. However, as a member of AMRC, we support the principle of using animals in research when it is necessary to advance understanding of health and disease and to develop new treatments. This research only takes place where there is no alternative available. All AMRC member charities support this principle, as outlined in this statement.  

Our strategy for our science programme is outlined here.