The Scholarship Awards' are available to any suitable Local or Foreign national wishing to make an active contribution towards the protection and sustainable use of their coral reefs and marine eco-systems.



​Reef Conservation SCUBA Award:​
An intensive four-week course in which participants are certified to PADI Advanced Open Water level, trained in the identification of over 300 marine life forms and in the methods for scientific surveying of coral reef ecosystems.



What does the scholarship cover



























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Each Award inludes the following:​
• Full board and lodging at the project site
• Full training (including SCUBA training, if necessary) and use of project equipment

Blue Caribbean Environmental Conservation asks that scholars with their own SCUBA

equipment to please bring it along.

Transport costs to/from the project site​

Each award excludes the following:​
• Medical/dive insurance

SCUBA equipment provided by BCEC:​
• Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)
• Regulator fitted with octopus
• Digital depth gauge and bottom timer
• Underwater compass
• Diver knife
• Underwater torch
• Open foot fins
• Diving booties
• Mask and snorkel
• SCUBA equipment spares
• Safety equipment
• Survey equipment
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While BCEC will provide most of the essential equipment necessary for use on an expedition,

Scholars  are required to provide certain items of equipment for their personal use.
 
Essential expedition Kit NOT provided by BCEC:​
• Toiletries (biodegradable wherever possible)
• Swimsuit
• Set of smart casual clothes
• Sleeping sheet
• Pillow
• Torch and rechargeable batteries
• Towel
• Sturdy shoes or sandals

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​Selection Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to participate in a BCEC Scholarship Award:
• Must be (18+ years of age) with a proven interest in the discipline
• Must be medically fit to undertake project activities
• Must be able to swim a minimum of 50 meters 
• Applicants for the 'Reef Conservation SCUBA Award' must be able to spend a minimum of four weeks with the project

*Please Note: ​

Local or Foreign Scholars are expected to remain on the project site for the entire duration of their Scholarship Award. Scholars wishing to leave the project site should make their request  immediate arrival at the site.

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​Applications & Enquiries​
To apply, all applicants must submit (in English) to the relevant Project Scientist at least three months before their desired start date, a covering letter explaining why you wish to join a BCEC Scholarship Award scheme and a Marine Application Form.
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Blue Caribbean Environmental Conservation have also compiled a reference manual which will give scholars an idea on what to expect from their time with BCEC, it includes information on; expedition life, insurance requirements, and BCEC's dive standards. Successful applicants must take a copy of this document with them to the project site.

​Important Points to Note​
Medical Forms
All scholars are required to complete and return the BCEC’s Medical Form to the relevant Project Scientist at least six weeks prior to the start date.​

These medical forms can be endorsed by:
• Family GPs, or registered GPs who have access to medical history records
Medical forms are forwarded for confidential independent review by BCEC's expert medical advisors. Based on their advice, BCEC reserves the right to either refer a scholar to a specialist for further medical examination and/or reject and/or cancel any scholars expedition application and/or offer of a placement with BCEC.

It is therefore essential that all scholars provide accurate, comprehensive and truthful information on all medical forms provided by BCEC. BCEC will not accept any liability whatsoever in the event that a scholar has not fully disclosed all relevant details on the medical forms provided by BCEC (note: failure to disclose this information may void a scholars insurance).

Project Scientists will email the medical forms to BCEC head quarters on behalf of the scholar.

Please Note: Scholars that fail their medical review will not be permitted to join the 'Reef Conservation SCUBA Award.

Insurance
It is essential that BCEC scholars obtain full medical/dive insurance cover for at least the full duration of their allocated placement with BCEC.

It is the responsibility of the scholar to ensure that they are adequately insured for unlimited diving, SCUBA diving to a maximum depth of 30 meters, personal liability and the levels of manual work routinely undertaken by BCEC scholars during the course of their scheme.​