The formation of vacancies in the low-index orientations of bcc Fe was studied by a combined computational modelling and experimental investigation by making use of density functional theory (DFT), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and Xray diffraction (XRD). Vacancies were considered to occur as a result of a Schottky defect forming in the bcc Fe lattice. This predicted a surface orientation dependence on the vacancy formation energy and consequently also on the activation energy of diffusion. Activation energies for the segregation of Sin the Fe( 1 00), Fe(1 1 0) and Fe( 1 1 1) surface orientations were calculated by DFT modelling as 2.75 eV, 2.86 eV and 1.94 eV respectively. Simulations furthermore revealed a variation in the segregation kinetics of S as a result of the activation energy dependence on the surface orientation. Experimental data obtained by AES, TOF-SIMS and XRD confirmed this variation in the segregation kinetics of S segregation in different Fe orientations. This article provides compelling evidence for the formation of vacancies in bcc Fe to occur via the Schottky defect mechanism, which results in the orientation dependence for the activation energy of diffusion. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.