BSAVA PetSavers’ Master’s Degrees by Research (MDRs) will fund a postgraduate student to carry out a research master’s project in companion animal science.

We will fund the following costs up to a maximum in aggregate of £42,000:

  • Postgraduate student stipend at BBSRC standard rates (veterinary stipend can be requested)
  • Payment of university fees
  • Equipment and consumables (up to £10,000 including VAT) depending on the nature of the project.

Projects must be undertaken within the UK. Grantees, who should be recognised experts in the field of the research project, are expected to act as academic supervisors. We have removed the requirement for at least one applicant to be a qualified veterinary professional, but expect applicants to have a level of veterinary experience appropriate for the project. The use of experimental animals is not permitted in any work funded by BSAVA PetSavers. This includes work on tissues derived from experimental animals.

Grantees are welcome to apply for funding which either names the prospective research student, or before advertising for a prospective student.

**In the 2023 grant call, we will fund two separate MDR proposals.

 

The first is to investigate disease that occurs in Bull Terriers; this can be any disease, but preference will be given to applications looking at inherited disorders. This funding is made possible by a very generous legacy donation from Terry Heath, a breeder and owner of Bull Terriers.

 

 

The second grant will fund research exploring any disease that Border Terriers are susceptible to. This is made possible by a large donation from Andrew and Wendy Mooney, who are lifelong owners and breeders of Border Terriers, as well as a donation from  Border Terrier Lifeline. We are extremely grateful for this support.

 

 

Applications are now open and will close on October 15th. Please use the same form to apply for both grants.

 

**Our grant application form and terms and conditions have recently been revised. Please make sure to access the latest versions under Useful resources below.**

How to apply

Read our helpful guidance on applying for a BSAVA PetSavers’ grant

  1. Complete the application form (below – making sure to fill in the checklist at the back of the form, provide the names and contact details of three reviewers with whom you have no conflicts of interest, and provide truncated CVs for each grant applicant).
  2. Obtain a letter of support from your head of department or practice principal.
  3. Obtain, or at the very least apply for, ethical approval for your project and provide supporting evidence of this.
  4. Complete our terms and conditions (below) by obtaining signatures from the main applicant (supervisor) and authorised representative of the institution.
  5. Email these four documents to petsaversadmin@bsava.com.

Useful resources

MDR application form

MDR terms and conditions

MDR report form  – this is for successful applicants to use once research has commenced

If you have any questions, please contact us on the email address above.

Find out about our other funding opportunities

Need inspiration? Read about projects that we have previously funded