ACU Early Career Conference Grants 2026-2027

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) offers Early Career Conference Grants to support emerging researchers attending conferences abroad. These grants cover registration, flights, accommodation, visa costs, and travel/health insurance for in-person events in Commonwealth countries between February 2027 and January 2028. Applicants must be early-career academics within 7 years of their career start (or with career breaks) and chair a session, present a paper, or present a poster at the target conference. Seven grants of up to GBP 2,000 are available per applicant.

What it offers

The grants provide financial support for attending conferences abroad, including conference registration fees, flights, accommodation, visa costs, and travel/health insurance. Awardees must submit a report after completing their award.

Who can apply

Early career researchers/academics at ACU member universities who are within 7 years of their academic career start (or have career breaks) and plan to chair a session, present a paper, or present a poster at a Commonwealth-country conference between February 2027 and January 2028. Applicants must not have previously traveled for work outside their region since their career start and cannot be previous grant recipients.

How to apply

1. Identify a conference meeting the criteria and confirm you will chair a session, present a paper, or present a poster.
2. Submit an application through the online form (requires a MyACU account; registration may be needed).

Good to know

• Deadline: 2026-10-13 at 15:00 UTC.
• Maximum grant amount: GBP 2,000 (for travel, registration, and related costs).
• Location: Conferences in Commonwealth countries outside the applicant’s country of work.
• Report requirement: All awardees must submit a post-award report.