Get funding for your school
Don’t let a limited budget stop you doing something incredible with your students. We offer bursaries of £650 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.
We offer £650 bursaries for secondary schools to put towards Neon activities or to run a Big Bang at School.
Our bursaries
We offer £650 bursaries to secondary schools to put towards Neon activities or to run a Big Bang at School.
Neon is a website that 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 or travel.
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Secondary and special educational needs schools who meet the EUK Education priority schools criteria for the 2024/25 academic year are eligible to apply for a bursary.
Teachers in all-through schools teaching the secondary phase are also eligible to apply.
Our priority schools criteria 2024/25 includes the full eligibility criteria.
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Answers are reviewed to make sure they meet the minimum requirements of the bursary. This is just to check applicants are intending to use the bursary for a Neon experience or Big Bang at School event and not another purpose.
Beyond this, schools are selected randomly (applications may be regionally stratified).
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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 2025/26 academic year, and a feedback survey completed by 31 July 2026.
After your school completes its feedback, send us an invoice to be reimbursed the total £650.
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The bursary can be used on any experience listed on Neon. 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 experience listed on Neon within the 2025/26 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 workshops or shows, kit, and teacher costs.
The bursary aims to enable your school to run your own Big Bang at School Blueprint event within the 2025/26 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. You can use this bursary on kit, an activity, or staff cover for your event. 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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Schools offered will have access to a set of short videos explaining how to make the most of your bursary, including how to create a programme of sustained engagement around your bursary.
The bursary team will share dates of drop-in sessions in the autumn term for any questions you may have.
Support will also be available from the Big Bang at School team to plan your event.
Application timeline
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31/07/2025 Apply for a bursary by 31 July 2025
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30/9/2025 Selected schools will be notified in September 2025
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31/07/2026 Complete your activity by 31 July 2026
Bursary eligibility checker
Are you eligible? Let’s check! Just enter your school name to see whether you are eligible to apply for one of our bursaries.
Check your eligibility
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
How we make a difference
In 2023/24 we offered more than 150 bursaries. They supported our priority schools to take part in our activities.
Schools often use Neon 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 use the money on STEM engagement activities. Many 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 programmes
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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 discover how their passion can lead to a career in engineering and technology during Tomorrow’s Engineers Week.
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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
Energy Quest centres around a real-world scenario providing context for problem-solving and teamwork activities. The free lesson plans are filled with fun practical, hands-on experiments for the students to run and learn from.
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Big Bang at School
Get 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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Neon
Discover the Neon website to find quality assured, trusted STEM activities for your students. Find for the perfect inspiration for your primary or secondary school class. Whether you have an hour or a whole day, there’s something for every school on Neon.
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The Big Bang Fair
Challenge your students’ perceptions of STEM with The Big Bang Fair. Book tickets to the UK’s biggest celebration of STEM and take part in hands-on activities, inspiring shows and careers panels.
