How to apply
The Exploration Board meets twice a year to consider proposals for student expeditions, and administers funds to assist with expedition costs. Expeditions must be adventurous in nature, commensurate with the ability level of the group undertaking them. They provide opportunities to live and work with other people, including those from different cultural backgrounds. They must involve self organisation and preparation but could include participating in an activity with other groups such as a remote race/rally or extra-curricular field-based scientific study, especially where this facilitates access to a restricted area. All expeditions supported by the Board are extra-curricular, are not for degree credit and can articulate how they are different from a holiday.
- Adventurous activities undertaken
- Achievability of the expedition objectives
- Interaction with local communities
- Self-organisation required
- Safety
- Remoteness and exploration
- Skills to be developed or enhanced by the group
- Scientific Study
The Board will look favourably on expedition proposals which aim to minimise their environmental impact.
Submit your proposal
Proposal documents
Submit your proposal
Every student expedition that wishes to use the College’s name must submit detailed proposals including a budget, itinerary, training schedule, risk assessment to the Exploration Board.
Every expedition is normally questioned on their submission on three occasions, twice by the full Board and lastly by the officers of the Board in the summer just prior to the departure of the expedition.
The Board will give approval only if it is satisfied with the planning and preparation and readiness of the students and the viability of the proposals. Approval usually involves making a grant towards the costs of the expedition.
Students have to make a personal contribution of at least £500 each to the expedition and are responsible for raising the balance of the costs. This will involve presentations to other bodies such as the Royal Geographical Society, a task that is enhanced with the support of the Exploration Board.
Expeditions will primarily comprise current Imperial College students but the Board may approve the inclusion of students from other universities, former Imperial students and other appropriate persons. Expeditions will sometimes include College staff, but the expedition must primarily be student oriented.
The Board reports regularly to the Provost's Board.
Application information
Dates of meetings
The Board meets twice a year to consider proposals submitted to it and decisions to recognise expeditions as official College ventures are usually made at a meeting held in the autumn term.
In many cases recognition carries with it a grant towards the cost (most expeditions also receive support in the form of money or equipment from sources outside the College). A variety of equipment is held for loan to approved expeditions and the Board accepts responsibility for adequately insuring the personnel and equipment for these expeditions.
Please note: Proposals for expeditions must reach the Secretary as follows.
- 17.00 Wednesday 03 February 2021 for the February 2021 meeting
- 17.00 Wednesday 17 November 2021 for the December 2021 meeting
- 17.00 Wednesday 02 February 2022 for the February 2022 meeting
The next few meetings will take place at 14.00 on:
- Wednesday 17 February 2021
- Wednesday 01 December 2021
- Wednesday 16 February 2022
Board equipment list
Tents
Stoves
|
Other assorted equipment
|
Sources of funding
Once the Exploration Board has granted full approval to a student expedition, a financial grant will normally be made by the Board.
This will usually facilitate application to other potential sources some of which are listed here:
- The Alpine Ski Club
- The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund
- British Canoe Union
- The British Mountaineering Council
- Captain Scott Society - Spirit of Adventure Award
- The Lord Mayor's 800th Anniversay Awards Trust
- Mount Everest Foundation
- Old Centralians (for students in the Faculty of Engineering, apart from the departments of Materials or Earth Science and Engineering)
- RCSA application form [pdf] (for students in the Faculty of Natural Sciences)
- Royal Geographical Society
- RSMA Trust (for students in the departments of Materials or Earth Science and Engineering)
- Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Other potential sources of funds and support will be industry, firms supplying expedition equipment, BBC, Newspapers and Radio Stations local to expedition participants' home towns, former schools of expedition participants.