Apply for British Science Week Kick Start Grants (UK)

The British Science Week is an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and maths that is coordinated by the British Science Association (BSA) and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Types of Grants

• For British Science Week 2024, there are four levels of grants that schools can apply for:
  • Kick Start Grant
    • A grant of £300 for your school to run an activity during British Science Week.
  • Kick Start Youth Grant
    • A grant of £150 for a group of three or more students aged 10-19 to organise and lead an event or activity in your school during British Science Week. The event should involve other students in the school or the local community. You can apply for this grant in addition to a Kick Start or Kick Start More Grant if you wish.
  • Kick Start More Grant
    • A grant of £700 for your school to host a science event or activity which involves your students and the local community.
    • The community can comprise families/careers, children at other schools, members of local community groups or local businesses. There are a very limited number of these grants available, and they are looking for proposed events which engage with the wider community in innovative and effective ways.
  • Combined Kick Start Grant and Youth Grant
    • A grant of £450 for your school to run an activity during British Science Week and an additional event or activity organised and led by a group of students aged 10-19. They may offer your school either a Kick Start grant or a Kick Start Youth Grant if you are not successful in your application for both.

What type of event/activity could you run?

• There are no restrictions on the activities or events you could run using the funding, but they could include the following ideas:
  • Activities from their home-based activity packs and their activity packs.
  • Online presentations from invited speakers on science and/or engineering topics.
  • Field trips to local science centres, museums or university science departments.
  • Student-led interactive displays, online demonstrations or investigations for parents or other schools.
  • Zoom family days where family projects and initiatives are showcased.
  • Mini festivals or science fairs.
  • Activities of engagement with local organisations and wider community e.g., writing letters to a care home.
  • Student-led building projects such as a school garden, community lab or pond.

Criteria

• You must be a state-funded, non-selective school or college, in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. They cannot accept applications from non-school organisations or from private schools.
• To be eligible for a grant, your school must meet at least one of the following criteria
  • over 30% of pupils eligible for pupil premium, early years pupil premium or equivalent
  • over 30% of pupils who are from ethnic minority backgrounds
  • small school based in a remote and rural location.

For more information, visit British Science Association.