Ways to carry out fieldwork in Antarctica or the Arctic:
- Apply for a grant from NERC
- BAS will also support polar fieldwork in grants funded by other UK Research Councils or other specific funding bodies. Please contact the Antarctic Access Office in the first instance.
- Partner or collaborate with BAS science teams, including the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme
- Apply for a job with British Antarctic Survey
Antarctic Access Office
- The Antarctic Access Office is the primary point of contact for researchers wanting to apply for BAS Antarctic logistics support. For Antarctic logistics support you will need to complete a Pre-Award Operational Support Planning Questionnaire (OSPQ). Contact the Antarctic Access Office email: afibas@bas.ac.uk to set up a new questionnaire. Any funding applications that request Antarctic logistic support without having obtained prior logistic approval will not be accepted by NERC.
- Roles and Responsibilities of the Antarctic Access Office.
Arctic Office
- For Arctic logistic support including applications to access the UK Arctic Research Station, please contact the Arctic Office in the first instance at arctic@bas.ac.uk
The application process and deadlines
- Check eligibility and requirements
- Submit a Pre Award Operational Support Planning Questionnaire (OSPQ). Feedback will contain a logistics approval reference code, if support for your project is considered feasible.
- Applications for logistic support in the Arctic
- Submit a funding proposal via Je-S, including the approved Pre Award OSPQ as an attachment.
Applicants should note that, for proposals submitted in response to NERC Discovery Science funding opportunities during 2023 (including Pushing the Frontiers calls, closing dates of January 2023 and July 2023 respectively), the earliest possible Antarctic fieldwork season for logistic support of the funded projects would be normally 2024/25. Although BAS will aim to support all the projects during that season, the timing of Antarctic fieldwork necessarily depends on numerous operational factors. BAS therefore reserves the right to decide on the timing of logistic support for individual projects, on the basis of the most efficient and effective use of its resources.
Researchers already in receipt of funding go to: Antarctic Fieldwork Planning or Arctic Fieldwork Planning
Regarding the scheduling of Arctic Fieldwork support, please contact the Arctic Office (arctic@bas.ac.uk) as early as possible.
Ship-based research and marine equipment application
If your project is completely ship-based there is no need for you to submit a Pre Award OSPQ. Applications should be made through the NERC Marine Facilities. If your activity is both field and ship-based you will need to complete the Antarctic logistic support form (for field) and the NERC Marine Facilities forms. Spares and consumables will be provided by BAS to keep on-board equipment operational. However, all project personnel are responsible for the provision of consumables needed for acquisition of scientific data for their project. For example: provision of XBTs, standard seawater, salinity bottle inserts and scintillation counter vials.
Information on Antarctic science projects supported by BAS
The BAS Science Summary booklets provide information on field and station-based science projects in each Antarctic summer season.
Science Summaries 2022-23
Science Summaries 2021-22
Science summaries 2018-19
Science Summaries 2017-18
Science Summaries 2016-17
BAS Polar Fieldwork Planning Process
The process BAS follows for polar fieldwork planning is detailed here.