The CREST Awards help young people aged between 3 and 19 to get involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) activities. The aim of CREST is to encourage students to take part in hands-on activities and exciting projects to spark curiosity, build confidence, and gain an insight into real-world STEM.
There is a wealth of free resources available to all schools via the CREST Awards website but there can still be costs involved, particularly if you need to buy equipment or want to award certificates and badges.
CREST therefore provides small grants in the form of Engage funding to help schools run CREST Awards with students who are from backgrounds and groups underrepresented in STEM.
To be eligible for the funding, your school must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- A minimum of 30% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (FSM), or equivalent
- A minimum of 30% of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds
- The school is based in a remote and rural location
You can apply for an Engage grant of £350 towards materials, equipment and staff training for your school plus a voucher worth a further £350 to help cover the CREST Award fees.
You can also apply for just the £350 voucher (Engage Simply CREST) towards the CREST Award fees.
State-funded education settings can apply. This includes: schools; colleges; Ofsted-registered early years settings; nurseries; and preschools.
Focus of fund/fund aims:
Small grants to help run CREST Award activities in schools
Application deadline:
3 February 2026