The Paul Courtney Congress Bursary Award (formerly The Paul Courtney Student Travel Award) is an annual award that enables students to participate in the Society’s Post Medieval Congress, and is awarded in honour of our late Membership Secretary and joint Editor of Post-Medieval Archaeology, Paul Courtney. Each award proposal will be subject to a maximum of £250, and the total fund available in a single application round is £250. The award may be split between one or two applicants.

Council will not favour presentation over attendance. To be eligible for an award applicants must be a registered student undertaking a course in archaeology (either part or full time) in undergraduate or postgraduate study, or other equivalent status, in a European country. They need not be members of the Society.

Council will prioritise the following groups: first time attendees, students, those on low-income and minority applicants (all self-defined). Applicants can be located in any part of the world.  Council will not favour presentation over attendance and there is no restriction on age. Applicants need not be members of the Society. The award can be spent on registration/travel/hotel costs/childcare costs. Payments will be made to applicants before the congress.

If selected for an award, payment will be made to the awardee after the conference and on submission of receipts for expenses (registration, travel, accommodation). Awardees will be required to write a short report on their experience at the conference for the Society website and newsletter within three months of the conference. The deadline for receipt of applications is 20th March 2024.

Applicants should complete the below form,  outlining the details of the proposed travel, why it would be relevant to your studies, any expected outcomes from attendance, and a breakdown of expected costs. Once completed, this form should be submitted to the Society’s Prize Co-ordinators at prizes@spma.org.uk along with proof of student status. Successful applicants will be informed by 30th March.