Hardship fund 2024
When applying, you will be asked to select an amount requested from the SEB. This equates to the value of our different 1-year membership options as detailed below. If successful, you will be granted a free or discounted 1-year membership to the SEB and will not receive the money directly.
| Membership Option | Price | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Student | £22 | Anyone currently in full or part-time education, including PhD students |
| Early Career Scientist | £33 | Anyone who has graduated from their highest level of degree no more than 6 years ago |
| Full | £63 | Anyone who is part of the science or research community |
| Retired | £22 | Anyone who has retired from full-time paid work |
Overview
The SEB promotes inclusion at all levels by focusing on removing barriers to accessing the Society. To support our members during challenging times in their career, the SEB Hardship Fund provides a reduced or full fee waiver for one year of membership.
The purpose of this fund is to support our members who are experiencing periods of financial hardship by allowing them to continue to access the career development resources and research network provided by the SEB.
We also accept new applications from reserachers and students who have never been members of the SEB from war-torn countries who therefore may experience significant barriers to their career.
Applications will be judged periodically across the year.
A total of £1000 is available for this purpose.
Eligibility criteria
The current round focuses on supporting members who are currently experiencing financial hardship and is therefore open to lapsed members whose subscriptions have expired in the last calendar year, as well as active members whose subscriptions are due for renewal by the end of this calendar year (31st December).
- Applicants must be active or lapsed Student, Early Career Scientists or Full Members
- Applicants must have previously been a member of the SEB for at least 1 year at the time their membership expires
- Applicants can demonstrate a loss of income, for example by providing any of the following:
- Letter from funding body showing reduction or withdrawal of key funding
- redundancy letter/ pay-cut letter from employer
- Letter from institute detailing the displacement from workplace.
- If the evidence you have is different from the above, or if you do not have the evidence required, please include a supporting statement detailing the reason you are applying and your application will still be considered.
Alongside the form, applicants may also submit a short cover letter, no longer than 300 words, outlining any other reasons that have affected their ability to renew their SEB membership and how continued membership will support their research and career development. The more information you can provide, the more likely we are to be able to assist you.
Judging criteria
Applications will be judged using a points-based system, assessing level of impact to the financial and work situation of applicants. Please see our points system below, or download it here: points system download.
In the event that demand out-strips supply, preference will be given to:
- Members who have had a complete loss of income
- SEB student and early career scientist members
- Members from low-income and middle-income economies as defined by The World Bank according to their annual reporting (datahelpdesk.worldbank.org)
Applicants receiving the highest scores will be awarded a reduced membership fee or a full fee waiver for one year.
|
Question |
Points |
Suggested Evidence |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Have you experienced a complete or partial loss of your main salary/income?
|
None
|
0 |
Letter from employer detailing salary suspense or reduction, or a redundancy letter |
|
Partial |
1 |
||
|
Complete |
2 |
||
|
Have you experienced the loss of your place work (for example, the termination of lab space agreements)? |
No |
0 |
Letter from institute detailing the displacement from workplace. |
|
Yes |
1 |
||
|
Have you experienced a loss or reduction of key research funding? |
No |
0 |
Letter from funding body detailing reduction or withdrawal of funding. |
|
Partial |
1 |
||
|
Complete |
2 |
||
|
Have your circumstances prevented or delayed you from completing work (i.e. gathering data, publishing a paper) that was essential for upcoming grant applications or career progression (i.e. securing a permanent position)? |
No |
0 |
A supporting statement outlining details |
|
Yes |
1 |
||
|
Has your income/ work been affected by having to take extended sick leave? |
No |
0 |
No evidence required |
|
Yes |
1 |
||
|
Has your work/ income been affected due to caring responsibilities? (i.e. caring for a relative who became ill)
|
No |
0 |
No evidence required |
|
Yes |
1 |
||
|
Are you currently based in a low-income or middle-income country as classified by the World Bank? |
No |
0 |
Criteria only applies if demand outstrips supply. |
|
Upper-Middle |
1 |
||
|
Lower-Middle |
2 |
||
|
Low |
3 |
||
|
Are you classified as student or early career scientist (within 6 years of finishing highest level of degree) |
No |
0 |
|
|
Yes |
1 |
||
|
Have you been a member of the SEB for at least 1 year |
No |
0 |
|