How the ICMS money is used to support your activities
Financial support for ICMS activity
ICMS is delighted to be able to support mathematicians with the advancement of their ideas in a variety of ways. Through the provision of funding that can be tailored to the scope and needs of the proposed activity we are pleased to help advance innovation and growth in the UK mathematical sciences community. ICMS funding comes primarily from grants awarded to us by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Our funding can be used in a variety of ways to support the development of the mathematical sciences in the UK. The ICMS welcomes applications for activity from mathematicians based anywhere in the world but at least one of the proposers must be based in the UK. Please browse through all our calls to find the scheme that best suits your needs or contact the Centre Manager to discuss your ideas.
Administration of the grants
There are some administrative details which need to be outlined The ICMS staff will manage and administer these funds and most grants are not transferred to the parent institution of the proposer. The Centre Manager will let you know if it is possible for your grant to be transferred. The ICMS grants may not be sufficient to cover all the expenses of a given participant. All expenses are subject to the policies of our administering institution Heriot-Watt University.
Workshops
Week-long research workshops are typically awarded £21000. The Centre Manager will advise on budget matters before you submit your application. There is an expectation from EPSRC that ICMS workshops will contribute at least 20% of the costs of workshops. For example, for the typical award of £21,000 we ask you to top up the costs with £4200. The simplest way to do this is by charging a registration fee of £150 per person to attend. In addition, we recommend that workshop organisers seek out additional sources of funding for example from learned societies such as the London Mathematical Society, the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, and the Glasgow Mathematical Journal Trust. The Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research have generously provided ICMS with a grant to support our workshops. ICMS will allocate an amount from this grant to your workshop if appropriate. Please do not apply directly to HIMR for a small grant. For workshops with a US based-organiser you should consider an application to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding to support US-based participants. If you have your own grants that may be used to support the workshop, please indicate this in your application. ICMS staff can advise and offer support in making applications for additional funding.
A simple breakdown of the costs is as follows per person for five days and nights in Edinburgh in 2025:
Accommodation (bed and breakfast) £660
Catering £110 (four or five lunches, coffee breaks, welcome reception)
Please note that it is not possible to use EPSRC money to pay for the costs of alcohol. Collecting a registration fee helps to offset the catering costs. Our welcome receptions are generally alcohol-free as this is more inclusive. Since September 2025 ICMS no longer supports dinners as part of our workshop offer. See the statement from our Management Committee below.
Once local costs are covered any surplus can be used as a contribution towards travel.
The typical rates we use are:
UK £150
Europe £300
Rest of World £600
Therefore, the amount typically awarded by ICMS will cover local costs for 25 participants with some funds available for travel support.
ICMS staff will book accommodation for workshops and process reimbursements for travel expenses.
There is the expectation that those who can cover their own travel costs from their own funds will do so. This allows ICMS to support participants who do not have access to other sources.
Workshop Registration Fee
ICMS charges a registration fee of £150. This will form part of the overall funding for the meeting and is primarily used to cover the costs of catering for the duration of the meeting.
Research-in-Groups
The Research-in-Groups scheme brings small groups of researchers to Edinburgh (or another location) to work intensely and without distraction on a project for a period of up to one month. For this scheme we can provide a prepaid debit card to cover subsistence costs and award funds as a contribution towards accommodation and travel. Accommodation should be budgeted at £120 per person per night; travel as above; and subsistence at £25 per day.
Locations
The majority of ICMS workshops are held at ICMS, The Bayes Centre, 47 Potterrow, Edinburgh EH8 9BT. Our large seminar room has a capacity of 70. Proposals for meetings with more than 70 participants are also invited, but another location will have to be found. Please discuss this with the Centre Manager before applying. Research in Groups are primarily housed at 14 India Street, the birthplace of James Clerk Maxwell. These groups may on occasion meet at Bayes Centre.
The Centre Manager will discuss your venue requirements as part of the proposal process.
Why we are no longer supporting workshop dinners at ICMS: a statement from the ICMS Management Committee
It is with regret that the Management Committee have decided to discontinue the workshop dinners as standard parts of our events. This is a partial response to cost-cutting pressures in funding. Roughly speaking, the cost of seven dinners adds up to sufficient funds and staff effort necessary to host an additional workshop, and our judgment is that the scientific community is best served by this transfer of resources.
It is still the highest priority of the ICMS for our events to be made up of rich and inclusive experiences for the participants that contribute substantially to scholarly exchange and the production of excellent science. To this end, we will continue to host lunch on every day of a workshop as well as a welcome reception. However, we hope the scientific community will understand the change in policy in regard to the dinners.
