The Sino-british Fellowship Trust

Charity Number: 1174487

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M
Geographic Focus: China, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £548,835 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
  • Total Income: £542,842 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Varies by partner organization (typically 3-6 months)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £12,000 (varies by program and partner)
  • Geographic Focus: UK and China academic exchanges
  • Founded: 1948

Contact Details

Address: Registered charity in England

Phone: 020 8788 6252

Email: enquiries@sbft.org.uk

Website: www.sbft.org.uk

Office Hours: Online office hours Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am – 2pm

Pre-application Support: For questions about eligibility or suitability, contact partner institutions directly (e.g., sci@soas.ac.uk for SOAS China Institute grants)

Overview

The Sino-British Fellowship Trust (SBFT), established in 1948, is a grant-making charity that supports the development of academic research links between the UK and China. With over 76 years of history, the Trust has supported 1,583 scholars across various disciplines. Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1174487), SBFT operates with 9 trustees, 2 employees, and generates income primarily from investments (£542,842 in 2024). The Trust's charitable activities expenditure totaled £548,835 in 2024, supporting 18 educational and research institutions. SBFT has evolved its funding model and no longer offers direct grants to most individuals, instead channeling funds through established partner organizations including The British Academy, Great Britain-China Educational Trust, The Royal Society, and various UK universities. The Trust also administers the Katherine Whitaker Bequest, honoring Dr Katherine (Lai Po Kan) Whitaker, who taught Classical Chinese and Cantonese at SOAS until her death in 2003.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Institutional Grants (Main Program)

  • Amount: Varies by institution
  • Application Method: Direct to partner organizations
  • The Trust funds 18 educational and research institutions to administer their own grant schemes

2. British Academy - SBFT Small Research Grants

  • Amount: Not specified publicly
  • Track Record: Supported over 135 researchers since 1989
  • Application Method: Through British Academy application process
  • Focus: Arts and humanities research projects related to China

3. Royal Society - SBFT International Exchanges Grant

  • Amount:
  • Up to £3,000 for one-off visits (up to 3 months)
  • Up to £6,000 for multiple visits within one year
  • Up to £12,000 for multiple visits within two years
  • Application Method: Royal Society application portal
  • Deadlines: Rolling rounds (e.g., Global Round 2 2025: opens 9 April, closes 4 June, decisions 31 October)
  • Eligibility: Natural sciences researchers with PhD, UK-based with fixed/permanent contract

4. SOAS China Institute Grants

  • Amount: Normally up to £2,000 (can be waived in exceptional cases)
  • Deadlines: 31 March, 15 June, and 31 October
  • Application Method: Through SOAS China Institute (sci@soas.ac.uk)

5. St Antony's College Oxford - Asian Studies Centre

  • Amount: Normally up to £2,500 (can be waived in exceptional cases)
  • Deadlines: Annual rounds (e.g., November)
  • Application Method: Email to asian@sant.ox.ac.uk
  • Special Focus: Preference for research with environmental focus

6. Katherine Whitaker Bequest (Under Review)

  • Amount: Not specified
  • Focus: Fields relevant to Dr Whitaker's expertise (Classical Chinese, Cantonese language)
  • Note: A small number of individual grants awarded annually; funding under review

Priority Areas

  • Academic Exchanges: Travel and living costs for UK academics visiting China and Chinese academics visiting the UK
  • Postgraduate and Post-Doctoral Research: Support for those who have completed their doctorate
  • Chinese Language Study: Funding for study of Chinese languages
  • Collaborative Research: Projects fostering collaboration with view to major grant applications
  • Diverse Disciplines: Arts, sciences, humanities, social sciences - from climate change to Chinese opera, manuscript conservation to healthcare provision
  • Underserved Areas: Projects outside the terms of other funding providers particularly welcomed

What They Don't Fund

  • PhD Study or Fieldwork Costs: Only post-doctorate researchers eligible for most programs
  • Tuition Fees: Focus is on travel and living expenses, not educational fees
  • Research Costs: Generally excludes equipment, materials, or research expenses (except Royal Society program which may cover research expenses)
  • Direct Individual Applications: Most grants must go through partner institutions
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Governance and Leadership

Structure: 9 trustees, 2 employees

Trustee Remuneration: No trustees receive remuneration or benefits

Historical Leadership:

  • Chair: Anne Elizabeth Ely (Mrs Anne Ely) - served as Chairwoman
  • Vice Chairman: Peter Ely
  • Secretary: Debbie Haine (Mrs Debbie Haine) - as of 2020
  • Trustee: Ling Thompson

Note: Current 2024 trustee names not publicly available in search results; contact the Charity Commission register for up-to-date trustee information

The Trust operates as a CIO with professional administration and maintains transparent reporting with the Charity Commission, with status noted as “Charity reporting is up to date (on time).”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Institutional Grants:

  • Contact SBFT directly at enquiries@sbft.org.uk during office hours (Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am-2pm)
  • Applications from educational and public research institutions

For Individual Researchers:

  • Apply through partner organizations:
  • SOAS China Institute: sci@soas.ac.uk
  • St Antony's College Oxford: asian@sant.ox.ac.uk
  • British Academy: Through their application portal
  • Royal Society: Through their grants system

Standard Application Components (vary by partner):

  • Detailed project proposal (typically 500 words maximum)
  • Budget breakdown
  • Sources/resources available in China
  • Supervisor letter of support (for students)
  • CV and research track record

Decision Timeline

SOAS China Institute: 3 rounds annually

  • Deadline: 31 March → Decision: Late Spring
  • Deadline: 15 June → Decision: Late Summer
  • Deadline: 31 October → Decision: Late Autumn/Winter

Royal Society:

  • Application to decision: Approximately 5-6 months
  • Example: Closes 4 June 2025 → Decisions 31 October 2025

St Antony's College Oxford:

  • Typically one annual round (e.g., November deadline)

British Academy:

  • Varies by their Small Research Grants cycle

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However:

  • 18 institutions received funding in 2024
  • 1,583 scholars supported over 76 years
  • Over 135 researchers supported through British Academy partnership since 1989

Reapplication Policy

Great Britain China Educational Trust (SBFT partner):

  • Chinese Student Awards: Can apply twice with one-year gap between applications
  • Chinese Language Awards: Can apply once after an unsuccessful attempt

General Policy: Not explicitly stated for most SBFT programs; contact partner organizations for specific reapplication policies.

Application Success Factors

Priority Considerations

Collaborative Research: “Applications that foster collaborative research, particularly with a view to laying the groundwork for an application for a major grant will be given priority in funding.”

Public Benefit: “Priority will be given to research in the arts and sciences that will help advance education in the public interest.”

Unique Projects: “The Trust particularly welcomes applications for projects which are outside the terms of other funding providers.”

Examples of Funded Projects

Recent SBFT-supported research includes:

  • Migratory impacts on child-rearing in China
  • Barriers to waste sorting for a circular economy in China
  • Early Buddhism in China
  • Comparative study of Chinese-influenced ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar
  • Protestant missionary perceptions of Chinese Muslims during late Qing
  • Ritual music in contemporary China
  • Climate change research
  • Chinese opera studies
  • Historic manuscript conservation and digitization
  • Primary healthcare provision development

Application Tips

  1. Post-Doctorate Focus: Ensure you have completed your doctorate before applying (PhD students generally not eligible except for specific programs)
  1. Travel and Living Costs: Frame applications around travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs rather than research equipment or tuition
  1. Clear Collaboration Plans: Demonstrate how the grant will establish or strengthen UK-China academic partnerships
  1. Public Benefit: Articulate the educational benefit to the public
  1. Institutional Pathway: Identify which partner organization best fits your project and follow their specific guidelines
  1. Exceptional Circumstances: If requiring more than standard maximums, provide strong justification for exceptional cases
  1. Post-Grant Reporting: Be prepared to submit a short report after completion
  1. Environmental Focus (St Antony's): Applications with environmental themes receive preference

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Institutional Route Required: SBFT no longer offers direct individual grants for most programs - you must apply through partner organizations like SOAS, British Academy, Royal Society, or St Antony's College
  • Travel-Focused Funding: This is specifically for travel and living costs, not tuition, research expenses, or PhD fieldwork - tailor your budget accordingly
  • Post-Doctorate Scholars: Most programs require completion of doctorate; PhD students generally not eligible except through specific institutional schemes
  • Collaboration Is King: Emphasize how your project will foster UK-China research partnerships and potentially lead to larger grant applications
  • Fill the Gaps: Highlight if your project falls outside other funders' terms - SBFT specifically welcomes these applications
  • Multiple Deadlines: With several partner organizations offering different rounds, you may have multiple opportunities throughout the year to apply
  • Long History, Specific Mission: With 76 years of supporting China-UK academic exchange, understand and align with their established mission of educational advancement through bilateral research collaboration

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