Sino-British Fellowship Trust

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about Sino-British Fellowship Trust

The Sino-British Fellowship Trust (CIO) is a grant making charity. Its grants provide support to UK and Chinese academics and postgraduate students for study, conference and other research visits between UK and Chinese academic institutions.

SBFT grants are for travel and living costs; we cannot provide support for tuition fees. The SBFT also administers the Katherine Whitaker Bequest, following a generous legacy from Dr Katherine (Lai Po Kan) Whitaker.

SBFT is registered with the Charity Commission in England (Registered Charity No. 1174487).

Grant Awards; Please be aware most SBFT grants go to organisations. No individual grants are being awarded in 2024.

The Sino-British Fellowship Trust has been supporting researchers in the UK and China since 1948. From the first two Chinese scholars who travelled to the UK to study textile manufacture, SBFT has developed its support over the years; today it provides funding to 18 organisations in the UK and China.

Research topics have ranged from climate change to Chinese opera, from historic manuscript conservation and digitisation to the development of primary healthcare provision.

SBFT income comes solely from its investment portfolio – we will not ask you for donations.

years established

1531

scholars supported

organisations

individual grants

Over the last 10 years...

additional infromation

SBFT Grants

SBFT GRANT

The SBFT can consider grant applications from institutions for academic staff or students who fit the criteria for SBFT funding;

To help academic staff and postgraduate students at UK academic institutions fund travel and living costs while they undertake research or study visits to China;
To help academic staff and postgraduate students at Chinese institutions to fund similar visits to the UK;
To support academic staff and postgraduate students in their study of Chinese languages.

We give grants for a wide range of academic studies, and particularly welcome applications for projects which are outside the terms of other funding providers.

SBFT only provides grants for travel and living costs, not tuition fees or associated research costs.

THE KATHERINE WHITAKER BEQUEST

Grants from the Katherine Whitaker Bequest are for academics and post-graduate scholars pursuing studies in the fields relevant to the expertise of Dr Whitaker (Chinese Medicine, Language, Philology, Drama, Poetry, History and Literature, and Tibetan Buddhism).

We give grants for field trips, conference visits and other academic collaborations.

We accept applications all year round. Please contact us for detailed information on the SBFT Terms of Reference.

"The Sino British Fellowship Trust is one of our longest running and strongest private partnerships. Since 1989 we have awarded over 100 British Academy / Sino-British Fellowship Trust Small Research Grants. This has enabled scholars based across the UK to engage with topics as wide-ranging as managing tourism in the UK to China’s national security. Funding from the Sino-British Fellowship not only has a huge impact on individual researchers, but promotes the sharing of knowledge and cultural awareness through the enriching study and exchange of Sino-British research. There is nothing else quite like the British Academy Small Research grants within the research funding landscape and we are proud to partner with the Sino-British Fellowship Trust through this scheme."

Professor Sir David Cannadine PBA President - The British Academy

"The Royal Society is proud to have a long association with the Sino-British Fellowship Trust. Over the past thirty-five years the Trust has helped the Society support more than 100 scientists from China to visit the UK to conduct high quality research. I am delighted that the Sino-British Fellowship Trust continues to support scientific excellence in China through its support of Society’s highly competitive International Exchange Awards scheme, which supports UK-China collaborations with funds for travel, subsistence and research"

Sir Richard Catlow FRS Foreign Secretary - The Royal Society

Get in touch

contact us

Please email enquiries@sbft.org.uk and include your name, institution and brief details of your proposal.

The SBFT online office is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am – 2pm.

Legal Information

Sino-British Fellowship Trust (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Registered Charity No. 1174487
enquiries@sbft.org.uk

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