College announces new research scholarships, grants and bursaries are open for applications

The College has a long history of providing financial and practical support to students, early career academics and researchers as part of its commitment to building the evidence base for optometry.

The College’s Small Grants Scheme provides funding for College members to develop research expertise by undertaking small-scale research projects that take place in practice settings. The College’s research advisors team also provides support with grant applications, as well as advice on all aspects of planning, undertaking and reporting on research projects. 

Previous projects that have benefited from the Small Grants Scheme include projects conducted research into:

• the clinical value in obtaining a macular and optic nerve head scan in patients with a family history of glaucoma
• clinical validation of a new picture-based visual acuity test in children with amblyopia
• the visual requirements of British Sign Language (BSL) and the subsequent impact of visual impairment

The College’s travel bursaries provide financial assistance of £2,000 to postgraduate student College members to enable them to present their research papers at academic conferences, either in the UK or overseas. The bursaries can be used for travel, accommodation, food and subsistence while attending a conference. 

Recipients must provide proof of acceptance of their abstract at the conference to receive the funding, and bursaries are awarded on a first come first served basis. 

Grants are available throughout the year, but funding is limited so postgraduates should apply as early as possible. 

The new Angela Bishop Undergraduate Research Scholarship provides two scholarship awards of £2,000 in funding to cover maintenance costs during a period of work experience in an active research laboratory for undergraduate student College members who have a specific interest in paediatric optometry or binocular vision. 

These new grants are sponsored by Angela Bishop FCOptom, who was awarded Life Fellowship of the College in recognition of her outstanding contribution to children’s vision alongside her many other services to optometry, to support others to develop their careers and research interests in these areas.

Two further College Undergraduate Research Scholarships of £2,000 are also available for high performing undergraduate students studying in the UK who have an interest in other areas of research, to fund maintenance costs during research laboratory work experience projects. 

Supervisors should make the application on behalf of the undergraduate applicants, with input from the student. Supervisors do not need to be College members to submit an application.