CAKE Placements & Visits
CAKE Placements & Visits support the UK DRI community to build new collaborations and strengthen existing ones through flexible funding for travel, subsistence, and in-person or remote placements and visits.
Applications are open year-round, with decisions typically made within 4–6 weeks.
Apply now
What we fund:
We support activities that enable collaboration, two-way knowledge exchange, and shared research development, creating benefits for both hosts and applicants:
🏢 In-person placements
Spend time embedded in another group to share knowledge, methods and ideas.
💻 Remote placements
Collaborate flexibly when travel is not possible or practical.
🌍 International
Travel to or host international collaborators.
🤝 Workshops & Events
Attend community meetings, training and networking events.
The scheme is intentionally flexible, so get in touch and we can help shape your idea or match you with potential collaborators.
Benefits:
Placements and visits are designed to create space for meaningful collaboration beyond day-to-day research.Eligibility:
Funding is open to researchers across the UK DRI community and wider UKRI-eligible institutions.Need inspiration? Read the latest CAKE Placement & Visit blog posts
Application information
CAKE Placements & Visits are designed to spark new collaborations across the UK DRI community by creating opportunities for researchers to connect, exchange ideas, and develop new ways of working.
The scheme primarily funds travel and subsistence costs, making it easier for researchers to undertake placements and visits that would otherwise be difficult to support. The programme is intentionally flexible, enabling collaborations that may not fit within traditional funding schemes.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be based at a UK institution eligible for UKRI funding.
- Confirm that their institution can provide the remaining 20% contribution, as awards are made at 80% Full Economic Costing (FEC).
- Check if your organisation has confirmed their support for staff joining CAKE activities here.
Additional information:
- Funding may support international travel, including the travel expenses of collaborators visiting the UK.
- PhD students are welcome to apply but must submit a letter of support from their primary supervisor alongside their application.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive CAKE community and welcome applications from researchers of all backgrounds, disciplines, and career stages.
Timeline
The programme runs from October 2025 through to April 2028, at which time all visits must be complete and expenses claimed.
Application process
Applications are assessed on a rolling monthly basis. Decisions are typically communicated within 4–6 weeks.
Each application is reviewed by at least three members of the CAKE Review Committee, using the following reviewing criteria:
- Importance of the benefits from this visit and UKRI-wide relevance of specific outputs (40%),
- Potential to drive long term collaboration (20%),
- Eminence of the partners in HPC and/or the specific field being investigated (10%),
- Appropriateness of the time plan and value for money (10%),
- Consideration of environmental impact (10%),
- Link to DRI projects and activities (10%).
For larger awards (over £6,000) or requests outside travel and subsistence costs, applicants should contact the CAKE management team at cake@jiscmail.ac.uk before applying.
Successful applicants will be notified directly and provided with details on how funding will be administered.
Outputs
All successful applicants are required to:
- Submit a short written report outlining activities and outcomes
- Contribute a blog post for the CAKE website
- Documentary evidence must be kept to show how the allocated funds have been spent.
Contact
If you have any questions about eligibility, developing an idea, or preparing an application, please get in touch:
📧 cake@jiscmail.ac.uk
We’re happy to help!