In recognition of the fact that the limited availability of awards under the Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV) scheme, the Overseas Visit Bursaries (OVB) initiative provides additional support for short-term international visits that contribute meaningfully to a student’s doctoral research.
The SCDTP offers up to four bursaries per year, each valued at up to £2,000, to support visits lasting up to one month.
The preparation of an OVB application is expected to follow the same principles and guidance as the OIV scheme, including the purpose of the visit, eligibility criteria, application requirements and process, and submission deadlines, as outlined in the OIV additional funding guidelines.
However, unlike the OIV scheme, the OVB does not include a funded extension to the studentship or registration period.
Application Process
Applications should be made using the SCDTP OVB Application Form.
Students are strongly encouraged to discuss their plans with the SCDTP Manager (scdtp@soton.ac.uk) at an early stage.
The SCDTP runs four calls for OVB applications per academic year, with deadlines on:
– 31 October
– 30 April
Applications are reviewed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team (SMT) and assessed against:
– Academic value of the visit
– Feasibility and planning of the proposed activity
– Strategic alignment with the student’s research and development
Outcomes will be communicated no later than:
– 30 November (for October deadline)
– 31 May (for April deadline)
Approval Process
You will receive written confirmation if approved, including an OVB approval reference number. Keep this safe as you will need it to access the funds or for reference in your claims.
Need Help?
If you have questions or need support at any stage: 📧 scdtp@soton.ac.uk.
Please download the application form below. The form is provided in Word format and should be returned to SCDTP in the same format. Kindly ensure it is not converted to any other file type during editing or submitting. Refer to Finance page for guidance.
