About the award

The Knowlson Trust Travel Award helps fund overseas travel experiences unrelated to your University of Bristol degree. These awards help to fund 'life-changing' travel unrelated to your studies or career development. The experience should broaden your general knowledge and outlook.

The Knowlson Trust Award Committee aims to encourage wider non-academic interests. Rather than funding holidays to exotic locations, the committee favours experiences such as:

• travel which can benefit society (such as voluntary work)
• travel involving a physical challenge. 

You can use this award If you find your own international opportunity. You cannot use this award if you are applying to a University of Bristol partner summer programme.

Award amounts

There are up to 15 Knowlson Trust Travel Awards. The amount awarded typically depends on the destination:

• Europe: £100 to £200
• Middle East and Central America: £200 to £250
• Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America: £250 to £300.

Awards of £500 are available for outstanding applications. 

This award is made from a bequest from John McKerrow Knowlson, who was a mechanical and electrical engineer in Bristol.

Eligibility criteria

You are eligible to apply if you meet all of the following criteria:

• you are an undergraduate or postgraduate student
• the travel takes place before your course end date
• the destination is not in your home country.

If you have received a Global Opportunities Scholarship or Knowlson Trust Travel Award in the past, you may not apply again. 

You also cannot apply for both this Scholarship and the Alumni Foundation travel grants.

Successful applicants

Before you go

If you are offered an award you will be required to sign a set of terms and conditions for the funding. The terms and conditions will be sent to you via email. 

You will also need to provide the Bristol Abroad team with:

• proof of travel insurance
• proof of participation, such as an acceptance letter.

If you are unable to complete the overseas experience, you will need to refund the award to the University.

After you get back

Within four weeks, you will need to provide a written review of the experience (of up to 1,000 words). You will also need to submit a few photographs and a shorter 200-word summary of your review for our website. These reviews should be sent to student-funding@bristol.ac.uk. 

A prize of £100 will be given to the best report, and there will be runners-up prizes of £50. The Bristol Abroad team may also ask you to contribute to the promotion of international opportunities by attending events, speaking to fellow students or posting on social media.

How to apply

Applications closed 30th April 2023.