PhD Scholarships and funding
University and Other Research Council Scholarships Home/EU Students
University and Other External Scholarships - International Students
School of Contemporary Chinese Studies Awards
To help support the University of Nottingham's world-class research environment and to provide doctoral training for outstanding individuals the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies is seeking applications for a School PhD Studentship. This 3 year award would cover fees and a £9,600 annual living stipend and is open to international, EU and UK candidates who are from a social sciences background (those from economics, business and law are particularly encouraged to apply).
Eligible students should apply online and their applications must contain ALL of the following:
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An original research proposal (which should be 1,500 – 3,000 words) written by applicants themselves (guidance can be found at http://pgstudy.nottingham.ac.uk/Apply/Pages/ResearchProposal.aspx).
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Written sample of no more than 3,000 words which demonstrates the applicants’ skills as a researcher and/ or shows skills in organising and presenting research findings.
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Copies of official academic achievements in undergraduate degree classification and master degree award if available, plus copies of official transcripts of all degree subjects taken, proof of English fluency (non-native English speakers only) or Chinese language skills (non-Mandarin speakers only).
Application forms are available from: http://pgapps.nottingham.ac.uk/. Applications will be assessed on the basis of merit, including past academic performance, the quality of your research proposal, two academic references as well as the availability of appropriate supervision capacity at the School.
Applicants must be seeking to study a PhD on a full-time basis and be a new PhD student to the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies starting in September 2013. Annual continuation of studentships will depend on satisfactory academic performance by holders.
Deadline: 15th May 2013
Further details: To express your interest in these scholarships and find out further information please contact Jenny Hall (jenny.hall@nottingham.ac.uk) 0115 8467769
Research Support for PhD Students
The School is committed to provide the academic environment to support its PhD students to conduct field research and to make conference presentations that are helpful to the completion of the PhD. For this purpose the School is prepared to support a PhD student up to a maximum of £1,500 in one’s career as a PhD student at the School. This is NOT an entitlement. Every application needs to be justified and an individual grant will be made on the basis of merit. This scheme is administered by the Research Committee of the School.An individual grant a student can apply for is normally subject to a maximum of £1,000. With a career maximum of £1,500 a student can make more than one application though not normally within one year of the previous grant.
Only PhD students who have passed the confirmation process at the end of the first year are eligible to apply.
Grants cannot be made retrospectively. To apply please provide an application of up to 1,500 words, which should include a brief statement of the proposed field work or the subject of the conference presentation, explaining how this is essential to one’s doctoral work. An application longer than 1,500 words will NOT be considered. It should also include a proposed time frame (in the case of field research), the full budget and the requested budget from the school. If an application has been or is about to be made to an external body for funding the same field trip or conference, it should be stated clearly, including the source and total amount requested and awarded if applicable. A separate short supportive reference from the first supervisor and a research ethics clearance form (if applicable) are required. Applications should be submitted well in advance of the planned travel to the Research Administrator (Mrs Mandy Felton), who is able to advise the date for the next scheduled meeting of the Research Committee. Applications should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
PhD students are encouraged to use this support from the School as evidence of the School’s confidence in one’s proposed research and apply for external funding to conduct field research.
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University and Other Research Council Scholarships - Home/European Union Students
The School of Contemporary Chinese Studies supported by the University of Nottingham ESRC Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) invites applications for fully-funded PhD studentships in 2013 (both 1+3 and +3 awards) within Language Based Area Studies. The School is recognised as a national leader in the provision of high quality, discipline-based research and degree programmes on contemporary China with excellent research training and the opportunity to be part of a vibrant research community.
Funding: For the successful applicants, the ESRC will pay tuition fees at the Home/EU rate and a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £750 p.a., plus a stipend (subject to eligibility) of £13,590 p.a. current rate for 2012/13) for up to 4 years (1+3) or 3 years (+3) full time study, subject to satisfactory progress.
Number of awards available: Subject to the strength of competition within the relevant Schools and departments at the University of Nottingham, (2 awarded in 2012-13).
Eligibility:
• Must hold an offer of a place to study in the School (and meet any conditions set for admission to the course) in September 2013 on either the MA (1+3) or PhD (+3) programme or be a current first year research student.
• Must have a fee status of either UK or EU. All applicants should read the ESRC Guidance Notes for Applicants and eligibility criteria which can be found on the ESRC website at: www.esrc.ac.uk.
• Applicants are required to provide evidence of significant and appropriate research training, normally through the attainment of a previous masters qualification, in order to apply directly to the PhD programme (+3 route). Students without this will normally be funded for an MA before PhD (1+3 route).
• Applicants normally need to demonstrate Mandarin skills in order to apply (equivalent of a pass at new HSK Level 4 for the PhD Programme and new HSK Level 3 for the MA) for this ESRC funding.
NB to hold an offer of a place on a PG programme prior to the ESRC application deadline - a full application to the university’s online application system must have been submitted by Wednesday 1st February 2013. This is to include the application, research proposal (if applying for the +3), results transcripts and 2 academic references.
To apply:
Please note that applications for funding and for a place to study are two separate processes.
When making an application you are asked to consider the fit of your research topic to one of the following areas:
• Business and economy of China
• Finance and banking of China
• Domestic politics, governance, and state-societal relations in China
• Foreign policy, external relations, and soft power of China
• Social policies and development (especially economic sociology) of China
• Culture, literature and media of China
• Science, technology and innovation
• History of business and politics of modern China
• Studies of politics of Taiwan and Hong Kong
To apply for a place to study, please use the University’s online system. You will need to apply for your place to study as soon as possible and no later than 1st February 2013 to ensure that you have acknowledgement of a place before the 1st March 2013 deadline for funding applications. Full details of the entry requirements and eligibility for our MA in Contemporary Chinese Studies and PhD in Contemporary Chinese Studies can be found in the postgraduate prospectus.
ESRC candidates applying for direct entry to the research degree programme (+3 awards) are advised that their research proposal is a key criterion and should be included in their admissions application alongside a sample of written work (not exceeding 3,500 words).
The ESRC also allows 1+3 ESRC awards which include a Masters before the research degree. Undergraduates expecting first class degrees and intending to pursue a research degree after their Masters can be considered for the awards. As well as applying for entry to the MA in Contemporary Chinese Studies they should send a short description of their proposed research to the contacts detailed below and indicate that they will apply for 1+3 funding.
To apply to the ESRC studentship competitions, candidates need to email a completed Studentship Funding application form to jenny.hall@nottingham.ac.uk by noon on Friday 1st March 2013. An internal School panel will consider the applications received and those ranked highly will be forwarded to the University ESRC DTC Studentship competition. The decision of the panel is final. All forms must be received by the stated deadline. Guidance Notes on completing the application form are available.
Further details can be found on the Nottingham ESRC Doctoral training centre website.
Contacts:
Academic queries - Dr Hongyi Lai (hongyi.lai@nottingham.ac.uk), PhD Director Administrative/process enquiries - Jenny Hall (jenny.hall@nottingham.ac.uk), Administration Manager.
To find out more:
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The University of Nottingham's ESRC DTC website (this includes the ESRC application form).
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Faculty of Social Sciences postgraduate research funding webpage.
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The University of Nottingham’s submitted proposal to the ESRC for Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) studentships (pdf document). This includes information on the language-based area studies programme that the University of Nottingham has received funding for.
30 x full EU tuition fee and £8,400 per year bursaries towards living expenses for EU students across all faculties. Further information is available here. The closing date for applications is 1st March 2013.
One Sir Francis Hill Scholarship is available for the academic year 2013/14.
This Scholarship is founded by a bequest under the will of Sir Francis Hill, Chancellor of the University, 1971 – 1978. This award is open to nominations from the Faculties of Social Sciences and Arts. Each School may nominate only one student. The expected start date for awards is September 2013. The Scholarship can be awarded for up to three years provided that the student makes satisfactory progress.
Eligibility: The award is for full time students. Students must also have a conditional or an unconditional offer on a PhD research programme in the Faculties of Arts or Social Science at the University of Nottingham or are currently in the first year of their PhD. International students are eligible to apply but funding is only at the level of HEU fees and maintenance grant.
Value of the award: Remission of full time HEU, research postgraduate fees and maintenance grant at Research Council rates (£3,924 and £13,726 for 2013/14).
Further information: This is a competitive award and each School may submit one application to the Graduate School. If you would like to apply then please contact Jenny Hall (jenny.hall@nottingham.ac.uk) for further information or visit the Graduate School website. Deadline for applications is 22nd April 2013.
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University and Other External Scholarships - International Students
The University is offering up to 50 full tuition fee scholarships for international students across all disciplines. The closing date is 1st March 2013. Further information is available here.
The International Office will be offering 10 full tuition and stipend scholarships in association with the China Scholarship Council. The China Scholarship Council Research Excellence Scholarship will close for applications on 8th February 2013.
Further information about scholarships for International students can be found on the International Office webapges.
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