The Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS) is offering the Latin American Scholars Grants 2026, a funding opportunity designed to support scholars based in Latin America who wish to attend the SLAS conference in person, present their research, and develop meaningful academic collaborations with SLAS members.
The scheme normally provides 10 awards of up to £1,750 each. The funding is intended to contribute towards eligible costs associated with attending the conference, including registration, travel and accommodation. Although the grant is not expected to cover the full cost of conference participation, recipients can combine the funding with other sources of financial support.
The opportunity is particularly relevant to researchers whose work focuses on Latin America and who would benefit from presenting their research internationally, expanding their academic networks and establishing collaborative relationships with scholars connected to SLAS.
About the Latin American Scholars Grants
The Latin American Scholars Grants are administered by the Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS) as part of its efforts to facilitate greater participation by scholars based in Latin America in its annual conference.
The grants are intended to reduce some of the financial barriers associated with international academic conference participation. Successful applicants receive financial assistance towards attending the SLAS conference and are expected to use the opportunity not only to present their research but also to develop closer collaboration with members of the Society.
The scheme normally makes ten awards, with each recipient eligible to receive up to £1,750.
Funding can contribute towards:
- Conference registration costs
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation costs
- Other appropriate costs connected to attending the conference
- Certain additional care-related expenses where applicable
Applicants should understand that the grant is a contribution rather than a full conference sponsorship. SLAS explicitly recognises that £1,750 may not cover the entire cost of attending the conference, meaning applicants may combine the grant with other funding sources where necessary.
Who Can Apply for the SLAS Latin American Scholars Grants?
The funding scheme is specifically intended for scholars based in Latin America.
Applicants must demonstrate that they are based in Latin America through their address and institutional affiliation. The scheme accommodates researchers working in different academic circumstances and does not restrict applications only to scholars holding conventional university positions.
Eligible applicants can include:
- Independent researchers based in Latin America
- PhD students
- University-affiliated scholars
- Researchers affiliated with other academic or research institutions
- Early-career scholars who meet the relevant requirements
- Other scholars based in Latin America who are able to participate in the SLAS conference in person
Applicants are not required to be members of SLAS in order to apply.
However, non-members and other applicants are encouraged to consider joining the Society.
Requirement to Attend the Conference in Person
One of the central conditions of the funding scheme is that grant recipients must attend the SLAS conference in person.
The funding is intended to facilitate physical participation in the conference, including the presentation of the recipient’s research and opportunities for networking and collaboration.
Award holders must therefore register to attend both days of the conference.
This requirement is important for applicants to consider when preparing their budgets and planning their travel.
What Does the Grant Fund?
Each successful scholar can receive up to £1,750 to contribute towards the costs associated with participating in the conference.
The funding may be used to help meet costs such as:
Conference Registration
A portion of the grant can contribute towards the cost of registering for the SLAS conference.
Travel
Funding may help scholars meet the costs of travelling to the conference location. Applicants should provide a realistic estimate of anticipated travel expenses in their application.
Accommodation
The grant can also contribute towards accommodation costs associated with attending the conference.
Caring Responsibilities
SLAS recognises that caring responsibilities can create additional financial barriers to conference participation.
Applicants can therefore include eligible costs associated with caring responsibilities in their proposed budgets.
Examples mentioned by SLAS include:
- Additional care required while the applicant is away
- Travel expenses for accompanying children
- Other appropriate costs arising from caring responsibilities
Applicants who have such requirements are encouraged to include them in the outline budget rather than excluding them from consideration.
SLAS Membership Is Not Mandatory
An important feature of the opportunity is that applicants do not have to be SLAS members to apply.
Nevertheless, the Society encourages applicants to become members.
The grant is particularly focused on building stronger links between scholars based in Latin America and the wider SLAS academic community. Consequently, applicants are expected to explain how the proposed conference participation could create opportunities for collaboration and academic networking.
SLAS Member Support Requirement
Applications must be supported by a member of SLAS who is not the applicant.
This means prospective applicants should identify an SLAS member who can support their application and contribute to the strategic case for the proposed collaboration.
The support requirement is connected to one of the main purposes of the scheme: encouraging closer academic relationships between Latin American scholars and members of SLAS.
Applicants should therefore approach this part of the application strategically and identify a potential collaborator whose academic interests or expertise have a meaningful connection with their proposed research.
What If You Do Not Know an SLAS Member?
Applicants who do not already have contacts within SLAS are encouraged to contact Prof Marieke Riethof, former SLAS President, for support.
This provides a potential route for researchers who are interested in applying but do not already have an established relationship with an SLAS member.
Strategic Case for Collaboration
The application should go beyond simply explaining why the applicant needs financial assistance.
Applicants are expected to make a strategic case for the proposed collaboration.
This is an important component of the selection process because the grant aims to maximise both:
- Networking opportunities for the applicant.
- The potential impact of activities associated with the funded trip.
A strong application should therefore clearly explain the academic value of attending the conference and the potential benefits of connecting with SLAS members.
Applicants may wish to demonstrate:
- Why their research is relevant to the SLAS community
- How attending the conference will advance their academic work
- Which academic connections they hope to develop
- How the proposed collaboration could develop beyond the conference
- Why in-person participation is valuable to their research or career development
- How the funding will enable participation that might otherwise be financially difficult
Early-Career Scholar Consideration
SLAS aims, wherever possible and where the relevant criteria are met, to reserve two of the awards for early-career scholars.
This provision is intended for researchers who are within five years of completing their thesis or dissertation.
Applicants who fall within this category should clearly indicate this in their short professional biography.
For PhD holders, applicants who are within five years of completing their PhD should therefore make the date of completion clear in their application materials.
This information can help the assessment committee determine the applicant’s career stage when considering the application.
Application Languages
The application process provides flexibility regarding language.
Completed application forms may be submitted in:
- English
- Portuguese
- Spanish
This multilingual application provision is particularly relevant given the geographical focus of the scheme and its aim of supporting scholars based in Latin America.
Applicants should nevertheless ensure that all required information is provided clearly and that the application addresses the assessment criteria regardless of the language selected.
Assessment Criteria
Applications for the Latin American Scholars Grants are assessed using four principal criteria.
1. Strategic Case for Support — 10 Points
The strategic case for support carries the highest weighting, with a maximum of 10 points.
Applicants should clearly explain the purpose of the proposed conference participation and the potential value of collaboration and networking with SLAS members.
The application should demonstrate that the proposed trip has a clear academic and collaborative purpose.
2. Quality of Abstract — 10 Points
The quality of the research abstract is also worth 10 points.
Applicants should therefore pay close attention to the clarity, relevance and academic quality of the abstract submitted with the application.
The abstract should communicate the research topic and its significance effectively while giving the assessment committee a clear understanding of the proposed conference contribution.
3. Profile Relative to Career Stage — 5 Points
Applicants can receive up to 5 points for their profile in relation to their career stage.
This criterion allows the committee to consider applicants within the context of their academic development.
Early-career applicants should ensure that relevant information about their career stage, including whether they completed their PhD within the previous five years, is clearly presented.
4. Justification of Budget — 5 Points
The proposed budget is worth 5 points.
Applicants should therefore provide a clear and realistic explanation of how the requested funding will be used.
A well-prepared budget should distinguish the anticipated expenses and provide sufficient justification for the requested support.
Application Timeline
Applicants should be aware of the broader timeline surrounding the SLAS conference and the grant application process.
October — Conference Call for Papers
The deadline for the SLAS conference Call for Papers normally falls in October.
SLAS generally aims to notify applicants about whether their conference paper has been accepted before the funding application deadline.
However, if the outcome of the Call for Papers has not yet been communicated, applicants are advised to submit the funding application while awaiting the outcome rather than missing the grant deadline.
November — Grant Application Deadline
The deadline for the Latin American Scholars Grant is in November.
For the 2026 application cycle, the stated deadline is:
27 November 2026
Applicants should leave enough time for both the Latin American scholar and the supporting SLAS member to complete the required parts of the application.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
December/January — Notification of Results
Applicants will normally be informed of the outcome in December.
However, applicants should expect to receive the final notification by the end of January at the latest.
February — Conference Registration and Travel Arrangements
Successful applicants should then proceed with conference preparations.
This stage includes:
- Registering for the full conference
- Booking travel
- Making accommodation arrangements
- Completing and submitting the grant acceptance form
- Providing the information required for the SLAS Treasurer to arrange the bank transfer
April/May/June — Post-Conference Blog Contribution
Grant recipients are expected to prepare and submit a short blog post following their participation.
The blog should discuss their conference paper and the research collaboration developed through the funded trip.
Post-Grant Blog Requirement
Receiving the grant comes with a post-conference communication requirement.
Grant recipients are expected to write a blog post of approximately 500–750 words covering:
- Their conference paper
- The research collaboration
- Relevant experiences or outcomes from the funded trip
The blog may be published on the SLAS website.
The post can be submitted in:
- English
- Spanish
- Portuguese
Recipients are encouraged to include photographs or other images where they have the appropriate permissions to use them.
The blog should be submitted to the SLAS Secretary within three months of receiving the funding.
Encouragement to Publish in the Bulletin of Latin American Research
In addition to the blog requirement, SLAS strongly encourages grant recipients to consider submitting an article to the Bulletin of Latin American Research.
This provides recipients with an opportunity to develop their conference research into a more substantial academic publication.
Applicants and eventual grant recipients should therefore consider how their conference presentation could form part of a broader research and publication strategy.
Application Submission and Confirmation
Completed application forms should be submitted to the SLAS Secretary before the stated deadline.
Applicants will normally receive confirmation that their application has been received within three working days.
Applicants should retain evidence of their submission and ensure that they have provided all required information before the deadline.
Because applications arriving after the deadline will not be considered under any circumstances, applicants should avoid waiting until the final hours to submit their materials.
Application Retention and Assessment
SLAS states that applications will be retained for up to one year.
The applications will be shared with members of the SLAS committee for assessment.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their submissions are prepared specifically for the selection criteria and contain information that clearly demonstrates the academic and collaborative value of the proposed conference participation.
How to Prepare a Strong Application
Applicants can improve the clarity of their submissions by addressing each assessment criterion directly.
1. Develop a Clear Collaboration Strategy
The strategic case is worth the largest number of points, so applicants should clearly explain the proposed collaboration.
Rather than focusing exclusively on the need for financial support, explain what academic relationships could result from attending the conference.
2. Prepare a Strong Research Abstract
Since the quality of the abstract is worth 10 points, applicants should ensure that the abstract is coherent, focused and representative of the research they intend to present.
3. Explain Your Career Stage
Applicants should provide an accurate professional biography and clearly indicate relevant career-stage information.
Early-career scholars within five years of completing their thesis or dissertation should make this particularly clear.
4. Prepare a Realistic Budget
The budget should be detailed enough for the assessment committee to understand how the £1,750 contribution would be used.
Applicants should consider the anticipated costs of:
- Registration
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Other legitimate conference-related expenses
- Eligible caring responsibilities, where applicable
5. Plan the SLAS Member Support Early
Because applications require support from an SLAS member, applicants should not leave this requirement until the last minute.
Applicants without existing SLAS contacts should consider using the support route suggested by the Society.
6. Consider Other Sources of Funding
The grant is not intended to cover the entire cost of attending the conference.
Applicants should therefore consider whether university departments, research institutions, professional organisations or other funding bodies can provide additional financial support.
Deadline for the Latin American Scholars Grants
The application deadline is: 27 November 2026
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Applicants should also allow sufficient time for the supporting SLAS member to complete their part of the application before submission.
Why This Opportunity Matters for Latin American Researchers
International academic conferences can provide researchers with opportunities to present their work to specialist audiences, receive feedback, develop research collaborations and build professional networks.
For scholars based in Latin America, travel and conference costs can present significant barriers to participating in international academic events.
The Latin American Scholars Grants seek to address part of this challenge by providing financial assistance while placing particular emphasis on collaboration between scholars based in Latin America and members of SLAS.
The combination of financial support, conference participation, networking and potential publication opportunities can make the programme relevant to researchers seeking to expand the international reach of their academic work.
Visit HERE to learn more about the Latin American Scholars Grants 2026.
Conclusion
The SLAS Latin American Scholars Grants 2026 provide up to £1,750 for scholars based in Latin America to contribute towards registration, travel and accommodation costs associated with attending and presenting at the SLAS conference in person.
The programme is open to a broad range of scholars, including independent researchers, PhD students and researchers affiliated with universities and other institutions. Applicants do not need to be SLAS members, although membership is encouraged. Each application must be supported by an SLAS member and must present a strategic case for collaboration and networking.
The application is assessed on the strategic case for support, quality of the research abstract, the applicant’s profile relative to career stage and the justification of the proposed budget. Where criteria are met, two awards are normally reserved for early-career scholars within five years of completing their thesis or dissertation.
Applicants should also take note of the post-award requirements, including attending both days of the conference and submitting a 500–750-word blog post about their conference paper and research collaboration within three months of receiving the funding.
With the 27 November 2026 deadline approaching, eligible scholars should begin preparing their abstract, collaboration strategy, budget and SLAS member support well in advance of the closing date.
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