Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

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Apply for a Quest scholarship
Did you know that our members are eligible for a wide range of scholarships and awards? Find out more about what's available to student members.

If you're doing an engineering apprenticeship, degree or higher qualification, there's a lot of support you can get while you're studying.

You can start by becoming an ICE student member for free (which is always great news for students).

Once you've become a member you'll be eligible for a number of awards and scholarships, aimed at recognising your achievements and helping you through your studies.

You can record any work experience you gain during your studies and give yourself an advantage by having it assessed before you complete your course. If your work experience is a placement in civil engineering you may even start to record your progress using our IPD Online platform, which will give you a head start in achieving professional qualification with ICE.

free student membership

How can ICE student membership help you?

  • Get career advice - We're here to help and give you all the advice you need. From explaining what's needed to become a professionally qualified engineer or technician, giving you information on the opportunities this can open up, to details about events near you
  • Connect with professionals and meet people like you - Our free events give you the chance to build up a network of contacts, meet potential employers and get advice from experienced civil engineers. Our local groups organise events on everything from the finer points of constructing a tunnel, to pub quizzes and five-aside football tournaments
  • Learn online - We have a huge online database of books, journals, papers and archives for student members to use. We also run interactive webinars, and many of our lectures are recorded so you can watch them when you want
  • Visit us or ask us a question - When you're in London, you can pop into our specialist civil engineering library, the biggest in the world. Or, if you need to find something out quickly, Ask Brunel – we've never received a civil engineering question that was too tough
  • Become eligible for awards and scholarships - Our QUEST scholarships can help you with with the cost of studying (up to £2,500 per year!), whilst our awards recognise outstanding achievements by students across the UK every year

Join ICE today

Find out more about free ICE student membership

Already a member?

If you're already a member of ICE, make sure to login to MyICE for all the membership information you need. You'll also find the latest events and knowledge content (all personalised to match your interests), as well as details of training opportunities taking place near you.

Login to MyICE now

Student awards and scholarships

Our awards and scholarships go to students who are at various stages of their education.

As well as showcasing your skills and ability, they're a good way to impress potential employers. Plus the cash prizes could come in very handy for the rest of your course.

Use the tabs below to find out what’s available.

QUEST Kenneth Watson Travel Award

This award is funded by the estate of the late Kenneth Tomalin Watson CBE, a former ICE fellow who worked in Nigeria. It offers up to £1,000 for individuals and £3,000 for groups to fund a trip to help you develop your civil engineering knowledge and experience.

To apply for the travel award you must:

  • Be an ICE student member (and have been a member since the December prior to your application)
  • Be studying in the UK
  • Be travelling after completing at least one year of your current course and after 1 June (no later than six months after your course end date)
  • Not already have received more than three ICE QUEST awards

Funding can be awarded for IAESTE placements, but not travel directly linked to your course.

Find out more and apply

Regrettably, applications for the QUEST Kenneth Watson Travel Award are suspended due to Covid-19. This will be kept under review and we hope to re-open the application process later in the year.

How are the winners chosen?

Applications are assessed by the QUEST Committee and the strongest will receive a financial award of up to £1,000 for individuals and up to £3,000 for groups.

Your entry will be assessed on the following:

  • The quality of your application
  • How much the experience will benefit you
  • The aims and merit of the project or activity
  • How the project or activity will benefit others and ICE
  • The amount of financial support required
  • The length of time spent overseas
  • The relevance of the project and activity to civil engineering

If you're selected for an award, you'll need to send us a report of around 1,000 words on your experiences, within a month of returning from your trip.

Got a question?

If you've a question or want more information about the QUEST Kenneth Watson Travel Award, then please let us know.

E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0) 207 665 2193

QUEST Anniversary publication

In 2017, QUEST celebrated 40 successful years of funding civil engineering students and projects. We have put together a publication with some highlights so be sure to download your free copy.

You can also read more about the history and workings of QUEST.

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Previous recipients

Peter Donald received a QUEST Kenneth Watson Travel Award to fund his trip to Malawi
Peter Donald received a QUEST Kenneth Watson Travel Award to fund his trip to Malawi

I travelled to the Mulanje region of Malawi with Students for Malawi on their emPower Chisitu project to construct off the grid Hugh Piggott style wind turbines.

Malawi has very limited access to energy and the majority of the country is off-grid. The projects aim was to construct turbines to produce energy so that the locals did not have to burn paraffin to power their homes.

My favourite aspect of the project was the challenge of working somewhere with limited resources, limited access to energy and no guarantee of being able to source the necessary components.

The scholarship provided by the ICE allowed me the opportunity to meet people and work on projects which have impacted me personally. My involvement in these projects has changed the direction of where I see my civil engineering career going and is an experience that every young engineer should go through.

ICE Student Prize

ICE's Student Prize is awarded to students who excel in the final year of their civil engineering degree course.

Winners get a cash prize of £250 and an ICE certificate of merit, presented at their graduation ceremony on request or sent by post.

Course leaders play a big part in this prize as they put forward potential winners. The prize takes into account:

  • Talent in engineering design
  • Impressive coursework
  • Strong examination performance

Can I be nominated?

To be in with a chance you need to be a current ICE student member doing a JBM-accredited civil engineering degree.

More Information

To find out more please contact the education and learning administrator by either:

e: [email protected]
t: +44 (0)20 7665 2211

Previous winner

Kuok Hin Chan
Kuok Hin Chan, previous Student Prize winner

I’ve been studying civil and structural engineering at the University of Aberdeen for over three years.

I was awarded the ICE Student Prize for my coursework performing a structural analysis on a temporary office building, and suggesting remedial actions for its repair. I really enjoyed this project as it was a great opportunity to deal with a real-life civil engineering problem.

Winning the prize has meant a lot to me. It recognised my abilities in civil engineering design, has really motivated me in my studies, and has encouraged me to follow this career path when I leave university.

QUEST Technician Scholarship

Please note there is now one QUEST Technician Scholarship merging the previous Technician and Technician Plus scholarships.

QUEST scholarships are a sign of excellence. This means you'll be recognised for your abilities and potential, which looks great on your CV, as well as receiving financial support of up to £1000.

To apply for the next round in Autumn 2020 you must be:

An ICE student, graduate or technician member, starting or continuing your studies from autumn 2020

Be enrolled and studying part-time qualifications in civil engineering or construction that either meet the educational base requirements for Technician Membership (EngTech MICE), or that progress the candidate from either Technician membership, or a qualification eligible for EngTech, towards IEng. Typically, the following qualifications:

  • An approved Scottish/National Vocational Qualification (S/NVQ) - level 3 or above
  • Edexcel Level 3 Diploma in Civil Engineering for Technicians (Institution of Civil Engineers) (QCF)
  • Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment
  • Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (Civil Engineering)
  • Higher National Certificates or Diplomas
  • Foundation Degrees
  • An approved Level 3/4/5 apprenticeship for which ICE or other JBM institution acts as the EPA (England Only)
  • Degree Apprenticeships (Graduate Apprenticeships in Scotland)
  • A part time BSc/BEng
  • A top-up degree to BSc/BEng building on an HNC/HND or FD
  • A JBM accredited Further Learning Programme to IEng

Check to see if you are eligible for the Technician Scholarship Award

Download the eligibility checker

The final decision on eligibility lies with the QUEST Team, so please email [email protected] if you are not sure.

To be in with a chance of being awarded a QUEST Technician Scholarship, you should be:

  • A good leader
  • A good team player
  • Ambitious
  • Able to think and act independently
  • Determined

How to apply

Applications for 2020/2021 are now open (until 14 November 2020).

Download the application form

Questions about QUEST?

Please email [email protected] or call +44(0)20 7665 2193.

Current QUEST scholars only - annual and final reports

These should have been submitted to the QUEST team by 2 October 2020.

This academic year has certainly not been normal and you may not have had the opportunity to undertake a promotional activity or perhaps your exams/coursework have been marked or assessed in different ways too. Please don’t worry if your report is late. Complete what you can and annotate the report form accordingly.

QUEST Technician progress report

QUEST Technician final report

QUEST anniversary publication

In 2017 QUEST celebrated 40 successful years of funding civil engineering students and projects. We have put together a publication with some highlights: download your free copy.


QUEST Undergraduate Scholarship

QUEST Undergraduate Scholarships 2020 and COVID-19

Despite school and college closures and the uncertainty regarding A Levels, BTECs and SQA qualifications this summer, please do not be concerned about applying for the QUEST undergraduate scholarship.

Provided that your predicted grades have matched our requirements and you have a confirmed university place for September, you will be eligible, regardless of how it is eventually decided to award grades.

Applications for 2020 are now closed.

Applications for 2021 will open 8 March 2021 – 19 April 2021.

Are you starting a civil engineering degree in autumn 2021 in the UK? Is your course accredited by ICE?

If so, you could become one of our next QUEST scholars. If you're successful, it could just change your life.

As a QUEST undergraduate scholar you could receive:

  • Up to £8,000 over the course of your study
  • Paid work placements every summer
  • Potential for a full-time job with a leading civil engineering or construction company when you graduate
  • Experience, knowledge and the badge of an ICE QUEST scholar, good for your CV and your career – especially if you want to become an Incorporated or Chartered CivilEngineer

The majority of the scholarships are funded jointly by QUEST and a sponsor company but there are a few fully funded by the CF Lunoe Trust.

QUEST: are you starting uni in autumn 2021?

To be eligible, you need to be starting a full time accredited civil engineering undergraduate degree at a UK university in September/October 2021 and have predicted A level grades of ABB or higher. Due to the disruption to examinations caused by COVID-19, your application will be judged more on merit and having a confirmed place at university for 2021 entry.

Preferable subjects are maths and science or design based subjects. To check your course is accredited visit the JBM website.

Civil engineers are a force for change and transform the way we live. We need a diverse workforce, free from harassment and discrimination. QUEST welcomes applications from anyone who is suitably qualified and meets the QUEST requirements listed below - regardless of race, sex, gender identity, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Your QUEST application: what we're looking for from you

All applications go through the QUEST Committee - academics and industry representatives who need you to demonstrate:

  • Passion and dedication to civil engineering
  • Academic ability
  • Understanding the value of civil engineering and the disciplines involved
  • Understanding current challenges and in the future
  • Leadership qualities and potential
  • Determination and ambition
  • Strength of character
  • Initiative
  • Examples of successful team working
  • Evidence of any relevant work experience

The interview day

If your application is successful you will be invited to the grand QUEST interview day on 10 September 2021 at ICE London which you must attend. If you cannot attend, you will be unable to continue with the process.

How to apply

Applications are closed for 2020 but if you are starting uni in 2021 the next application period will be 08 March 2021 - 19 April 2021.

Start your application here

Please note a full application consists of both your application form and your reference. Any application without a supporting reference cannot be considered and missing references will not chased by the QUEST team. Both application and reference have to be submitted by 19 April 2021.

Questions about QUEST?

Please email [email protected] or call +44(0)20 7665 2193.

Current QUEST scholars only - annual and final reports

These are available now and need to be with the QUEST team by 2 October 2020.

This academic year has certainly not been normal and many of you will not have had work placements or been able to complete additional activities. Your exams/work may have been marked or assessed in different ways too.

Please don’t worry. Complete what you can and annotate the report form accordingly.

Annual reports
Annual report form

Final reports
Final report form

QUEST anniversary publication

In 2017 QUEST celebrated 40 successful years of funding civil engineering students and projects. We have put together a publication with some highlights: download your free copy.

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