How to get funding for university group travel
Funding can be one of the biggest barriers to educational travel, particularly with travel costs rising across the globe.
When arranging university group travel, the cost isn’t just flights and accommodation; it’s also transfers, insurance, visas, meals and activities, all of which quickly add up.
The good news is that there are multiple funding options students and university groups can explore, rather than relying solely on individual contributions.
In this guide, we’ll share some of the best ways to secure funding for university group travel, so you can budget and book your next exciting student experience.
1. Start by working out exactly how much you need
An important first step before you can start to look for funding is to determine just how much money you need. These initial figures should take into consideration:
The number of students and staff
Flights
Accommodation
Transfers and local transport
Travel insurance and visas
Meals
Educational activities/entry fees
A contingency fund
These figures will be preliminary and may change, so the best approach is to set a realistic budget per student. Conducting some research into your chosen destination and travel dates will give you a better understanding of average costs.
That way, you can work out a rough figure for each student, as well as a contingency fund just in case.
2. Don't leave funding until the last minute
Something important to note is that you should not leave your search for funding until the last minute. The best way to secure funds is to start the process as early as possible, pretty much as soon as you start planning the trip.
At an absolute minimum, give yourself six months, but it’s better to start nine to 12 months before. This gives you time to establish objectives, set a budget and write out applications. It also gives you a chance to host fundraising events where needed.
3. Reduce the amount you need to raise overall
Another important step of the process is reducing the overall amount you need. This does not mean compromising on important details for the trip, but rather being as smart as possible with your budget.
You can lower the amount of funds you need by booking flights early or working with travel specialists like group flight consolidators. You should also be more flexible with departure dates and times and incorporate some free activities into your itinerary alongside paid-for activities.
4. Check what funding your university already offers
The next natural step is to check out if your university already has funding set aside for educational travel opportunities. This could be through department/faculty budgets, student experience funds or student union/society funding.
Alternatively, there may be scholarships, bursaries or funding attached to particular courses that are available.
Most universities will provide some financial support for group travel, with individual institutions setting their own resources, eligibility and application rules.
5. Look at government and study-abroad funding
Eligible students and universities may be able to access travel grants from the government when studying abroad or undertaking eligible placements.
As of 2026, the Turing Scheme is in place. This is backed by £110 million in funding that is aimed at financing up to 35,000 global travel experiences for students. However, as of the 2027 to 2028 academic year, this scheme will close, with the UK rejoining the EU's Erasmus+ program.
If you’re planning a trip in 2027 and beyond, you may be able to apply for eligible Erasmus+ placements.
6. Search for grants and charitable funding
Outside of the university, there are several other avenues you can explore for grants or charitable funding. This might include:
Educational charities
Subject-specific organisations
Professional bodies
Travel and cultural exchange organisations
The best way to find these is to search by destination, subject, student demographic or your local area. The government website can also point you towards grants and charitable trusts.
7. Fundraising through the student group
It can be a nice idea to get the students involved in fundraising efforts to raise money towards their trip. This could be done through specific societies or subjects and could involve a range of activities, for example:
Sponsored challenges
Quiz nights at the local pub or Student Union
Bake sales
Raffles/competitions
Ticketed society events
Crowdfunding
Partnering with local businesses
And of course, fundraising doesn't necessarily need to cover the whole trip; it can just be a contribution that makes the financial burden on individual students a bit lighter. Even raising £50 per person can substantially reduce the amount each student needs to contribute and can make all the difference.
8. Make your funding applications stand out
You might find that you need to write more than one application or pitch in order to set up events or secure funding. In these cases, you need to make your application stand out as much as possible.
In order to do this, you need to set out:
A clear educational purpose
Who will benefit
Why the trip is relevant to the course/society
The amount of funding required
A breakdown of the budget
What students are contributing themselves
Other funding already secured/applied for
Evidence of planning
What students will learn or bring back to the university/community
Having all these details saved in one place makes it much easier to fill out applications and boosts your chances of securing the funds.
It doesn’t end with securing funding
Securing funding is only half the challenge for university groups. The next step is to spend the money as wisely as possible to ensure you get the most from your budget.
Careful research and comparison, as well as working alongside group travel specialists like BTG Travel, can help groups explore the most suitable and cost-effective options.
So, if you’re planning a university group trip, get in touch with the team at BTG Travel Management about your group flight requirements.