Bursary Fund

Raleigh International is committed to ensuring that our Expedition programme is accessible to young people from a range of backgrounds. Our Bursary Fund has been established to help support young people who might otherwise find it difficult to fundraise the full cost of a 10 or 7 week Expedition costing £3,800.

If your household income is £23,000 or under you could be eligible for our Bursary Fund. You will be asked to fundraise £800 towards the programme and Raleigh will cover the remaining fundraising costs, plus your travel, visa and vaccination costs. Please see the guide for more information.

Raleigh Expedition brings young people together from all over the world to impact change for the communities you will work with, environmental change, and change in yourself.

It’s a volunteer experience that you will never forget. You’ll build memories and develop leadership and teamwork skills to apply to your future career and personal life.

During the Expedition you will meet new people, become part of the local community and learn first-hand about local culture. We ensure that communities have the skills and knowledge to continue work done together after you leave.

What does the bursary cover?

• A reduced fundraising target
• Cost of flights
• Visas and vaccinations

Bursary criteria

This opportunity is available to young people aged 17 to 24 who:

• Are from a household earning £23,000 or less
• Are enthusiastic about fundraising (but would find fundraising a challenge).
• Are passionate and understanding about what Raleigh International is and how an Expedition could develop their skills
• Are a UK national currently residing in the UK, or can prove 2 years of residence in the UK
• Are ready to spend 10 or 7 weeks away from home in a remote environment
• Will follow Raleigh’s Code of Conduct
• Have had limited opportunity or experience to travel, volunteer, or work abroad (which has not been an ICS or Raleigh programme)

You can read more about this in the Bursary Guide.

Successful applicants will be required to attend a Bursary Application Event online or be invited to a telephone interview.

Sheikha – Bursary Fund Recipient

Sheika participated in a Raleigh Nepal Expedition in 2017. In her application, she eloquently expressed a desire to learn from and support Nepalese communities as they rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake in April 2015. Her passion for volunteering and helping others was demonstrated through her involvement in various voluntary roles in her school, community and a youth homeless shelter.

Having returned from her placement, Sheikha has entered the final year of her Social Work degree and planning how best to apply her education and experience in Nepal to have the most impact as a graduate. Sheikha is keen to be an ambassador for Raleigh’s Bursary Programme, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.

Sheika, back row, 2nd from left with her 19-day Trek group

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity. It was the highest highs and lowest lows. No one in my community has done anything like this. I learned about myself, developed leadership skills being Day Leader, and I could see the impact I had in our community. The impact I was making towards the SDGs, will last for years.”

– Sheika

How to apply

Before applying, please check the following three steps.

Step 1 – Check your eligibility

Before you sign up, read our terms and conditions so there are no surprises when you get started.

Step 2 – Check it’s safe for you to take part

We are well equipped to support volunteers with different medical needs and requirements. However, before applying please read our medical form to check if we can support your needs. You do not need to complete this form until you have applied for the programme. If you have a concern or question about your ability to take part in an Expedition, contact our Medical team for a confidential chat on raleighmedic@raleighinternational.org or +44 (0) 207 183 1291.

Step 3 – Check that Raleigh is for you

Raleigh operates a no alcohol and no drugs policy on all our programmes. To understand why we do this, we ask you to read our Raleigh Code of Conduct in full before applying.

Step 4 – Complete the Eligibility Form

Please complete the Eligibility Form. Once we receive this, we will be in touch with the next steps of the application process. Bursary Applications are now open for Expeditions between July and September until 4 February.

Need additional help or have a question?

If you have any additional needs or disabilities that require reasonable adjustment to the application process or if you have any questions, please contact info@raleighinternational.org.