Research Funding & Awards

Value: up to £5,500 (c. $7,300; c. €6,200)

Applications open early 2026
Application Deadline (Expression of Interest): 3rd March 2026

This grant aims to reward excellence and support outstanding individual researchers on a topic related to regional studies and regional science. It is intended primarily to provide opportunities for scholars who have already published in the field of regional studies and/or regional science and who are currently individual members of the RSA. The award has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. The full Terms and Conditions governing the grant are available in the MeRSA Handbook.

Value: up to £8,250 (c. $10,900; c. €9,400)

Applications open early 2026
Application Deadline (Expression of Interest): 3rd March 2026

The RSA Fellowship Research Grants (FeRSA) are provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research. The award has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. This award is open to Fellows of the RSA only. The FeRSA was introduced to support the research of established researchers and long-term RSA members. RSA Fellows are individual members who have been continuous members for a minimum of 5 years and who have contributed to the life of the Association.

Value: up to £11,000 (c. $14,600; c. €12,500)

Applications open early 2026
Application Deadline (Expression of Interest): 3rd March 2026

This award is open to individual applicants in their early career (with no more than 5 years between the date shown on the certificate and the application deadline). Applicants must be based within an eligible higher education institution. This funding is provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research. The grant has a maximum time span of 18 months, and reporting conditions apply.

Value: up to £1100 (c. $1250)

Applications open early 2026
Application Deadlines: 3rd March and 15th September 2026

The Regional Studies Association (RSA) is dedicated to supporting regional and urban research efforts globally and to disseminating research evidence. As part of these commitments and in celebration of its 60^th anniversary year, the RSA has launched the Start-Up Grant Scheme to build research capacity in emerging economies and the global south. These grants are available to regional and urban researchers in RSA membership Bands C and D.

Value: up to £16,500 (c. $21,800; c. €18,700)

Applications open early 2026
Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 24 November 2026

The Association seeks to support Expos that address issues that are important, current, and have an impact on society. These Expos will investigate how the communities of regional studies, regional science, urban studies and related fields can respond to new societal challenges and opportunities. Expo teams will produce a policy-facing book of approximately 30,000 words (and an article) that addresses policy-relevant questions and outlines avenues for influencing policy and practice.

The maximum funding for Research Networks is:

• £11,000 (c. $14,600; c. €12,500) for newly established networks

• £8,250 (c. $10,900; c. €9,400) for renewing networks.

Applications open early 2026
Application deadline: 12 October 2026

RSA Research Networks are formed by RSA members interested in collaborating to examine an issue that responds to the Association’s aims and goals and is of interest and concern to both members and non-members. These issues need not necessarily have a direct policy focus, but the examination would normally lead to policy-related conclusions.

Value: up to £550 (c. $730; c. €620)

This grant scheme offers funding towards travel costs when attending an RSA or non-RSA event within the field of regional studies and/or regional science.

Applications open early 2026
Application deadline: 1st April 2026 and 15th September 2026

Conference bursaries take the form of reduced conference fees or fee waivers and are available for most RSA conferences*. Applicants must be RSA members, and precedence may be given to new researchers or to those from countries with recognised funding difficulties.

*Depending on funding availability.

Applying for grants can be a stressful and difficult. One this page, some of our our members who have successfully applied for grants share their top tips for applications.

Value: up to £4,000 (c. $5,300; c. €4,700)

The Regional Studies Association (RSA) is committed to supporting the global community in researching and disseminating evidence on how regions, cities and industry are addressing the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In offering this funding, the RSA is seeking to promote and encourage research and dissemination activities, both within and across trans-national borders, and to further the overall aims and objectives of the Association. The grant scheme closed in 2022.