James Dyson Foundation Undergraduate Bursaries

Supporting IIB projects in problem solving and design

Introduction

The James Dyson Foundation Undergraduate Bursaries were established in 2011 to support IIB student projects in Engineering. The James Dyson Foundation fund these bursaries through a gift to the University. The bursaries are targeted at projects that focus on problem solving and design, and which offer excellent opportunities for outreach work in schools. The intention is to award six or more bursaries each year.

Each bursary has a total value of £1000. This sum is made up of £700 which is available for project-related expenses, and a £300 payment to the project student. The outreach component is central to the wishes of the Foundation, and those awarded a bursary are obliged to participate in a special CUED outreach event on the last Friday of the Easter term once their projects are completed. Students also prepare an online case study resource that describes the project in a way that will inform, educate and inspire schoolchildren.

Note: IIB projects are also eligible for the James Dyson Award  (for that scheme, applications for 2024 closed, see details for 2025 competition when available) an international student design award. Students with relevant projects are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications for James Dyson Foundation Undergraduate Bursaries will only be considered if the following criteria are satisfied.

 1. The proposed project must be a CUED IIB (Fourth Year) Engineering project.
 2. The proposed project must not include any significant corporate involvement.
 3. The proposed project should focus on either engineering design, product design or advanced problem solving.
 4. The project should have the potential to inspire schoolchildren to pursue a career in engineering.

Application Procedure

Applications for the James Dyson Foundation Undergraduate Bursaries opens on 19 October 2024 (at 17:00) this year. Applications close two weeks later on 2 November 2024 (at 17:00). It is hoped that the bursaries will be announced during December 2024.

Applications should only be made with the consent of the project supervisor who should be made aware of the information contained in the Information for Supervisors section below. All applications must be submitted using the form and process detailed at the bottom of this page.

Information for Supervisors

Upon a bursary being awarded to a project, project supervisors will be given spending privileges on a CUED job number credited with £700. The funds can be used for project-related expenses such as student travel, equipment, consumables and software. All expenses must be directly related to the project that has been granted the bursary and are subject to the Engineering Department's normal purchasing rules. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the project is not overspent. Supervisors can spend against the associated job number during the academic year in which the project runs. Accounts will close on 1 August each year, with any unspent funds being used to fund extra projects in future years.

Those students who are awarded a bursary must confirm their receipt of the award by completing an agreement that they sign with their supervisors/s.

Application Form

An application for a James Dyson Foundation Undergraduate Bursary is made by completing and emailing in the form found on the application form page - (details of where to email your completed to application are also on that page).

Early applications are encouraged. Submissions can be emailed in at any time prior to the deadline. When the submission window has closed, the most recent submission from each student will be forwarded to the James Dyson Foundation for their assessment. The Foundation will decide on which projects are to be granted an award. The decision of the Foundation is final.

If you have any questions or problems, please contact Dr Richard Roebuck.

Previous Funded Projects

A page showing previous funded projects can be found here.

RLR, 04 November 2024