Funding Calls
The PSAI offers five funding schemes, which are detailed below: General Funding, Postgraduate and Early Career (PEC) Travel Funding Support, PSAI Conference Inclusion (Domestic and International Schemes), Specialist Group funding, and Book Launch funding.
Funding for attendance at the 2025 PSAI Annual Conference in Galway
The PSAI has three funding pathways available for those who wish to seek financial support to attend. Those applying must be PSAI members and you will need to provide a copy of your membership receipt as part of the application process.
The PSAI operates the PEC funding scheme for postgraduates and early career researchers. You can apply using this form here: PEC Travel Funding Support Scheme – Annual Conference 2025. Please read the terms of the PEC fund below, as they have been amended in 2025.
There are also two inclusion schemes, one for domestic applicants and one for international applicants. You can apply using the form here: PSAI Conference 2025 Funding Application.
Deadline: Applications for all funding pathways close on 19 September at 5pm sharp. Late submissions will not be facilitated due to the numbers that apply. It is expected that decisions will be made and communicated by 3 October 2025.
Funding is granted on a competitive basis and the various committees reserve the right to fund as many applicants that meet the criteria of the schemes and reserve the right not to fund any applications. Higher weighting will be given to those that are presenting papers.
All other funding applications
Applications are processed on a monthly basis. Please ensure that you have submitted your application (including your most recent membership payment receipt) by the first Wednesday of the month.
General Funding
The PSAI General Funding Application scheme is designed to promote scholarly networking and research activity in Political Science across the island of Ireland by means of financial support for workshops and other occasional events.
€1250 is the maximum award and also the normal award amount. The intention is to give 2 or more €1250 awards per annum, rather than a larger number of smaller awards. PSAI retains the right to fund fewer or no awards in any funding round.
Full details, terms and conditions and the application form are available here.
The applications will be reviewed by the President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Any enquiries and the application form should be sent to the PSAI President at the following address: psaipresident@gmail.com
PSAI Expense Reimbursement Form
PEC Travel Funding Support Scheme
The PSAI supports members of the PSAI who are postgraduate students and Early Career Researchers through the Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher (PEC) Funding Scheme. Early Career Researchers for the purpose of this scheme are considered as those who have been awarded their PhD in the last three years (from the date of graduation).
Eligible applicants will be PSAI members based in institutions on the island of Ireland or will work on topics related to the study of Irish politics, broadly defined, and funding will be awarded on a competitive basis. The PSAI will offer an award of up to €400.
The scheme will support PEC members seeking to attend academic conferences (usually to present a paper) and training programmes (including summer schools). The PSAI will not accept applications to fund participation in past events.
Applications to the PEC scheme should be made through this application form. You will need a Google account in order to complete the application form. Ph.D. students’ applications must be endorsed by the student’s Head of Department/School or Supervisor. All applications are reviewed by the PSAI Secretary, Treasurer, and Postgraduate Representative.
If an application is successful, reference to PSAI sponsorship must be noted on any consequent relevant publications. The PSAI should be supplied after the conference with proper receipts documenting expenditure, along with a completed PSAI Expense Reimbursement Form.
The following additional conditions apply to the PEC funding scheme from September 2025:
- Priority is given to attendance at the PSAI Annual Conference and the PSAI Postgraduate Conference, which is held every second year.
- Where there is a PSAI Annual Conference and a PSAI Postgraduate Conference in the same year, PEC funding will be curtailed to PSAI-organised events only in that year.
- Postgraduate students can be awarded PEC funding a maximum of three times before they are awarded a PhD.
- Early Career Researcher applicants may be awarded PEC funding twice in the three years after their PhD graduation.
These changes will apply to applications for PEC support for the 2025 Annual Conference.
PSAI Conference Inclusion Scheme – Domestic Award
The PSAI has established a special scheme to support attendance at the Annual Conference for scholars from non-traditional backgrounds on the Island of Ireland who face challenges in accessing institutional support. The scheme is intended to increase diversity and broaden the participation at our conference by supporting those not in established academic posts from underrepresented groups including racial, religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities, LGBTI+ individuals, members of the Traveller community, scholars with disabilities, and independent non-academics (without an academic affiliation) who wish to attend the conference.
Applicants should be registered members of the PSAI at the time of application and be presenting research at the conference. The PSAI will offer an award of up to €400 for the purposes of travelling and presenting a paper. Early Career Researchers meeting the above criteria are particularly encouraged to apply. The PSAI will not accept applications to fund past events.
Applicants should use this application form. You will need a Google account in order to complete the application form.
Any enquiries should be sent to the PSAI President at the following address: psaipresident@gmail.com.
PSAI Conference Inclusion Scheme – International Award
The PSAI has established a special scheme to support attendance at the Annual Conference for scholars and postgraduate students from traditionally underrepresented or underserved global scholarly communities by awarding a grant covering airfare and accommodation (in full or in part) to researchers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
The PSAI will offer an award of up to €1500 for the purposes of travelling and presenting a paper at the Annual PSAI conference. Postgraduate students and Early Career Researchers meeting the above criteria are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applicants should use this application form. You will need a Google account in order to complete the application form.
Any enquiries should be sent to the PSAI President at the following address: psaipresident@gmail.com
Specialist Group Funding Call
PSAI specialist groups can apply for funding for events from the PSAI, up to a maximum of €1250. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. The application form is available here.
The applications will be reviewed by the President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Any enquiries and the application form should be sent to the PSAI President at the following address: psaipresident@gmail.com
PSAI Expense Reimbursement Form
Book Launch Fund
Applications are accepted from PSAI members seeking funding for book launch events. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis by the President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Any enquiries and the application form should be sent to the PSAI President at the following address: psaipresident@gmail.com. The application form is available here.