Research Activities Fund

The Research Activities Fund (RAF) 2024 is now closed. The RAF will open on 1st January 2025.

The Society of Legal Scholars supports legal research and scholarship through the Research Activities Fund (administered by the Research Grants Committee).  This fund was established to support research projects or activities by members which fall within the charitable objects of the Society*.  Each year the Society sets aside a fund (currently £30,000) available for research grants in the coming year.

Please note the general principle that the Fund is not designed either to meet or contribute towards the normal costs associated with undertaking postgraduate research. ‘Normal costs’ include living costs and the costs of essential fieldwork. However, Postgraduate researchers may apply for funding for worthwhile enrichment activities, such as speaking at a conference or workshop attendance. An additional £5,000 is available to support such activities.

Applications are invited each year from members of the Society. Applications will be invited for the next round as from 1 January and must be received by the Administrative Secretary, by email admin@legalscholars.ac.uk, no later than 5.00pm on the first Monday of March.

Notes for Applicants

Please read the RAF Application Rules and the Guidance Notes before you apply. The Proforma-referee-form-for-RAF should be used. If you are awarded a grant you will be required to send a report to the Administrative Secretary, using the Report Form, not more than 18 months after the receipt of the award. This will be published in The Reporter and on the website.

Applications must be made in accordance with the rules on the standard application form.

When making your claim, please use the standard Claim Form.

*The charitable objects of the Society are the advancement of legal education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Society is of the view that research projects and activities focussed on the law of another jurisdiction can advance these objects, for example where it compares the position with that in one or more of the jurisdictions of the UK or, more generally, it addresses a legal problem also found in one or more of those jurisdictions.