Get funding for your school
Don’t let a limited budget stop you doing something incredible with your students. We offer bursaries of £700 so you can give them the chance to get hands-on with STEM. It might be the first step to inspiring the inventors, innovators and designers of the future.
We want more young people to start thinking about a possible future in STEM. So we offer bursaries to help inspire students who don’t necessarily already have a passion for science or engineering. We particularly hope this funding will help engage young people from groups underrepresented in engineering and technology.
Our bursaries
We offer bursaries of £700 for schools with students aged 11+ to put towards Neon quality-assured enrichment activities or to run a Big Bang at School.
Neon brings future STEM careers to life through brilliant, quality-assured activities – from space and health to coding and the environment. Big Bang at School supports teachers to host their own exciting day filled with amazing science and engineering activities, workshops and more. The bursaries can be used flexibly on kit, activities, staff and travel.
Applications for bursaries are currently closed. Sign up to our monthly newsletter to be the first to hear about when they reopen.
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Secondary and special educational needs schools (with students aged 11+) who meet the EUK Education priority schools criteria for the 2025/26 academic year are eligible to apply for a bursary.
Teachers in all-through schools teaching the secondary phase are also eligible to apply. The bursary must be used on secondary phase students.
Our priority schools criteria 2025/26 includes the full eligibility criteria.
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Applications will undergo a basic quality check to ensure responses meet the minimum requirements of the bursary.
Beyond this, schools will be selected randomly. We may regionally stratify applications to ensure good geographical spread.
Occasionally we receive funding for specific types of schools, geographical areas, types of activity or areas of need (such as SEND schools). Where this occurs, we may additionally offer bursaries to schools who meet these criteria.
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We will share the outcome of your application in September. Selected schools will receive offer letters and agreements with full details.
The bursary activity must be completed in the 2026/27 academic year, and a feedback survey completed by 31 July 2027.
After your school completes its feedback, send us an invoice to be reimbursed the total £700.
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The bursary can be used on any Neon quality-assured activity. This could be on the direct cost of an activity, transport, teacher cover, or kit to enhance the experience.
The bursary aims to enable your school to take part in an activity within the 2026/27 academic year.
A key aim of our bursary schemes is to inspire all young people into STEM careers, not just those who already have a passion for science and engineering. Please ensure that all students are encouraged to participate, not just those already interested in engineering and technology or other STEM careers. We are particularly keen for schools to include the following groups (as we know these groups are underrepresented in engineering and technology):
girls (at least 50% if possible)
disabled young people and those with special educational needs
students from UK minority ethnic backgrounds, including in particular Black, Black British, Caribbean or African young people
those eligible for free school meals
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The bursary can be used to run a Big Bang at School event.
The funds can be spent on the cost of activities for your event, kit, and teacher cover.
You can use Neon quality-assured activities to enhance your Big Bang at School event.
The bursary aims to enable your school to run your own Big Bang at School Blueprint event within the 2026/27 academic year. Each Big Bang at School event should include hands on practical content, skills activities, project-based learning, careers engagement, and reflection opportunities for your students. Find out more about Big Bang at School Blueprint.
A key aim of our bursary schemes is to inspire all young people into STEM careers, not just those who already have a passion for science and engineering. Please ensure that all students are encouraged to participate, not just those already interested in engineering and technology or other STEM careers. We are particularly keen for schools to include the following groups (as we know these groups are underrepresented in engineering and technology):
girls (at least 50% if possible)
disabled young people and those with special educational needs
students from UK minority ethnic backgrounds, including in particular Black, Black British, Caribbean or African young people
those eligible for free school meals
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The bursaries team can help you with any questions about the scheme and next steps.
Support will also be available from the Big Bang at School and Neon teams to plan your event.
Application timeline
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20 July 2026 Apply for a bursary by 20 July 2026
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30 October 2026 Selected schools will be notified in October 2026
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31 July 2027 Complete your activity by 31 July 2027
All our students loved the day and it has revitalised the whole school's approach to science. We are very grateful for the funding and it has enabled us to buy equipment that we can use in the future.
— Teacher and former bursary recipient
Neon funding
Neon is free for schools to use and helps you easily find high-quality STEM enrichment activities from a range of trusted providers.
Some activities are free, while others are marked “cost may apply”. This doesn't always mean your school will need to pay the full amount.
Many providers offer their own funding, bursaries or subsidised places, so eligible schools may be able to access an activity at a reduced rate or completely free.
Each provider sets its own eligibility criteria, so it's worth checking the activity details or contacting them directly to find out what support may be available.
How we make a difference
In 2024/25 we offered 179 bursaries. They supported our priority schools to take part in our activities.
Schools often use our bursaries to pay for an engagement activity they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. Some have used the money for travel. Teachers say the funding means they can involve more students from underrepresented groups. And that their students had a better experience of the activity.
Schools who got funding for a Big Bang at School often bought materials and resources to support the day, some purchased equipment or sourced facilitators. Teachers say the bursary improved the experience for their students
Our activities for schools
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Climate Schools Programme
Empower your students to explore innovative solutions to tackling climate change and discover brand-new skills. Includes science, English and geography lessons.
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Tomorrow's Engineers Week
Help your students see how engineering and technology tackles the real-world issues they care about during our annual Tomorrow’s Engineers Week.
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The Big Bang Challenge
Support your students to build a STEM project step-by-step with The Big Bang Challenge. They get certificates and virtual badges along the way.
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The Big Bang Competition
Bring your students’ ideas to life with the UK’s biggest STEM competition for young people. Enter a STEM project to be in with the chance of winning life-changing prizes.
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Energy Quest
Centred around a real-world scenario for problem-solving and teamwork activities. The lesson plans are filled with fun, practical, hands-on experiments for students to run and learn from.
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Big Bang at School
Everything you need to host an exciting day filled with amazing science and engineering activities, workshops and more. Get resources, insights and connections so you can deliver an unforgettable day.
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The Big Bang Fair
Challenge your students’ perceptions of STEM at The Big Bang Fair. Take part in hands-on activities, inspiring shows and careers panels. It's the UK’s biggest celebration of STEM.
