Around the world on 14 scholarships

You have more reasons to cheer up as studying abroad can now be not that expensive. If you are willing to travel abroad for higher education or pursue your postdoctoral research, a number of foreign universities are keen on offering various scholarships. Along with a complete tuition fee waiver, a scholarship-holder is also awarded grants for travel and stay. In some cases, it also includes health insurance and other personal expenses. However, a little planning is recommended.

There is a tough competition for such scholarships as thousands of aspirants try their luck every day to avail of them. You should start early with your research. Read very carefully the instructions regarding the scholarship you opt for, especially the eligibility criteria as it differs from course to course. Moreover, all institutes have their own plans so application time may vary.

Also note that there is a difference between a bursary and a scholarship as the former is provided on the basis of financial need of an applicant while the latter is based on academic excellence. Scholarships are also categorised as merit-based, need-based, institutional-based, general and sociological. Experts recommend that a student should ideally apply for more than one scholarship at a time to increase chances of at least one of them working out.

So, choose your options with caution and fulfil your dream of being a part of the world’s best institutions.

SMART 2012 Scholars Programme

Synopsis: The Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) provides fellowships to PhD graduates interested in conducting research in four different Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs).

Subjects

Biosystems and Micromechanics
Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling
Future Urban Mobility
Infectious Diseases

fellowship covers the following: The recipient is provided an annual salary of up to 85,000 Singapore dollars (Rs. 3,245, 000), a research grant of up to 40,000 Singapore dollars (Rs. 1, 527, 000), and a travel allowance of up to 5,000 Singapore dollars (Rs. 191, 000).

Number of Scholarships: Four

Duration: One year beginning September, 2011

Eligibility: Scholarship is awarded to those who have less than three years postdoctoral experience and have received their doctoral degree by September 1, 2012.

Selection criteria: The applicant would be judged on the basis of his/her Curriculum Vitae, publications and an application form consisting of a description of the proposed research project, reason for choosing SMART and a brief on the career goals and future plans.

Application deadline: December

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

Synopsis: The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), established by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009, calls for best students from around the world to pursue full-time doctoral studies in five different schools (31 subjects) and three interdisciplinary programmes.

Disciplines:

School of Science
School of Engineering
School of Business and Management
School of Humanities and Social Science
Atmospheric Environmental Science
Bioengineering
Marine Environmental Science

The fellowship covers the following: Provides the awardee with a monthly stipend of 20,000 Hong Kong dollars (Rs. 120,000) and a conference travel allowance of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (Rs. 60,000) per year for a maximum period of three years.

Number of Scholarships: 135

Duration: Three years if a relevant research Master’s degree is earned prior to entering the programme or four years with a first degree.

Eligibility: Students who are seeking admission as new full-time PhD research candidates in government-funded institutions in Hong Kong irrespective of their country of origin and ethnic background are eligible for the fellowship.

Selection criteria: As PhD programmes require a combination of coursework and independent research, review panels will consider academic excellence on a priority followed by research ability and potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities and societal responsibility.

Felix Scholarship

Synopsis: The Felix Scholarship is provided to underprivileged students, who get an opportunity to further their PG education at either of the universities of Oxford, Reading and Lodon’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

Disciplines: All subjects offered by the participating universities, except medicine.

The fellowship covers the following: 100 percent of university and college fees, a grant for living expenses, and flight (India-UK or UK-India) at the start and end of your course.

Number of Scholarships: 20 by each university

Duration: Up to 3 years depending on eligibility

Eligibility:

Candidates must be under 30 years of age on 31 January 2011
They must demonstrate financial need
They must also possess at least a first-class Honours Degree from a University or comparable institution.
Candidates are expected by the Trust to return to work in their home country following their study.

Selection criteria: The Scholarship is awarded on the basis of outstanding academic merit and financial need. The chosen university draws up a shortlist of candidates and sends it to the Selection Committee which in turn calls individuals for an interview.

Application deadline: The application deadline is different for all the universities and they are as follow.
Oxford: January 6, 2012 for Medical Sciences and
Philosophy, January 20, 2012 for all other subjects
Reading: February 10, 2012
SOAS: January 31, 2012

International Fellowships Program (IFP)

Synopsis: Scholarships under International Fellowships Program are offered for postgraduate study through a grant from the Ford Foundation in 12 grant-making areas.

Disciplines: Arts & Culture, Civil Society, Community Development, Finance and Economic Security, Education and Scholarship, Environment and Development, Governance, Human Rights, Media, Religion, Society and Culture, Public Health and Workforce Development.

The fellowship covers the following:

A fellowship award amount, determined by IFP, covering the cost of the study plan
Assistance in making all logistical arrangements related to visas, travel and insurance
Short-term pre-fellowship (6 to 9-month) training, including language study and courses in research and computer skills, after selection
One round trip on air to the point of destination and return to India.

Duration: Determined as part of the placement process.

Eligibility:

Indian nationals currently residing and working in the States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand.
Candidate should hold a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree from a recognised Indian university with at least 55% marks. Those who already have postgraduate degrees or equivalent will be given lower preference.
He should have at least three years’ full-time work experience in the proposed area of study along with experience in leadership and community service or related activities.
Meet necessary admission requirements and language proficiency standards of the foreign or Indian university.

Selection criteria: Fellows are chosen on the basis of their leadership potential, commitment to community and academic achievements. The candidates have to present a plan specifying how they will apply their studies to social problems in their own countries which, along with written applications, is judged by a selection panel.

Application deadline: January

Commonwealth Scholarship 2012

Synopsis: Union Ministry of Human Resource Development nominates Indian students for award of this scholarship every year for higher studies, research and specialized training in various subjects in the United Kingdom.

The Award:

Six months of clinical training in either of Cancer Research, Cardiology, Gynaecology, Medicine, Dentistry, Orthopaedics, Neurology, ENTOne-year Master’s/equivalent degree or three-year doctoral degree in either of Engineering and Technology, Science (Pure and Applied), Agriculture, Humanities and Social Sciences.

The fellowship covers the following:

Student concessionary or other approved airfare to the UK and return on expiry of the scholarship

Approved tuition and examination fees.

Personal maintenance allowance at the rate of 882 Euros per month

Grant towards the expenses of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable; initial arrival allowance, incorporating in initial clothing grant for scholars from tropical countries; grant for expenses for approved travel within the UK or overseas; grant towards fieldwork costs for those Scholars undertaking doctoral studies for whom a case has been made for fieldwork outside the UK.A paid mid-term fare to their home country for Scholars on three years doctoral awards.

For married Scholars selected by the Commission for awards exceeding 18 months, a marriage allowance of 220 euros per month payable provided that the husband and wife are residing together at the same address in the UK. Number of Scholarships: Up to 60 nominations containing maximum 25 for doctoral studies are sent by the ministry to Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for final selection.

Duration:

Six months for clinical training
One year for Master’s course
Three years for PhD course

Eligibility:

The candidate should not be more than 40 years of age as on October 12, 2011
He should have completed tertiary education in English medium. Those whose native language is not English will be required to provide evidence of sufficient competency in the language.
He should hold a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree from a recognised university with at least 60% marks in case of Humanities and Social Science while 65% in Medical, Engineering and Technology, Science and Agriculture.
For PG scholarship in Business and/or Management, the candidate must have taken Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
For scholarship in Economics and related subjects, he should have passed Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
For clinical training, the candidate must have qualified MBBS/BDS between October 1, 2002 and September 30, 2007
Applicants in Medicine and Dentistry should be eligible for registration with the General Medical Council or the General Dental Council

Selection criteria: Applicant has to give one page academic justification for pursuing the course in UK. In addition, he has to appear for IELTS test between October 1, 2011 and March 6, 2012

Application deadline: October 7, 2011 for downloading application form October 12, 2011 for receiving completed application in the Ministry by post/hand

CCAPS Pre-Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

Synopsis: The Strauss Center’s Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) fellowship programme aims at development of researchers and thought leaders on the topic of climate change and political stability in Africa. It is offered at the University of Texas at Austin.

Research areas:

Investigate where and how climate change poses threats to stability in Africa
Identify strategies to support accountable and effective governance in Africa
Evaluate the effectiveness of international aid to help African societies adapt to climate change.

The fellowship covers the following: A nine-month stipend of 24,000 dollars and one round-trip airline ticket.

Duration: One-year

Eligibility: Applicants must be registered in a PhD programme in any discipline including both the social and natural sciences. They so not have to be attending a US university or have US citizenship to apply. Preference will be given to those working on topics related to climate change, political stability, and security in Africa.

Application deadline: February 15, 2012

Cambridge University Research Career Development Fellowships

Synopsis: The University of Cambridge provides these fellowships at its Sainsbury Laboratory, giving an opportunity to junior investigators to develop their own research programme and become creative leaders in the field of plant science.

The fellowship covers the following: Successful candidates will receive an initial three years of funding, with extension for a further two years contingent on a successful scientific review, and will hold an appointment with the University of Cambridge. Funds include full salary, benefits and 40,000 pounds per annum of unrestricted research support.

Duration: Five-years

Eligibility: Applicants, of any nationality, should have between 3 and 6 years of postdoctoral experience in a field related to the overall scientific focus of the laboratory in plant development and its computational modelling. They should be able to provide strong evidence of their potential to develop independent research programmes.

Application deadline: Not fixed. Applications are peer reviewed at least three times annually.

Guest Scholarship Program for PhD and post-doctoral studies in Sweden

Synopsis: The programme provides PhD students and researchers with an opportunity to conduct a study or research visit to a Swedish university within all fields of study.

No. of scholarships: 50

The fellowship covers the following: The scholarship amounts to 12,000 Swedish Krona (Rs. 85,554) per month for PhD students and 15,000 Swedish Krona (Rs. 106,942) for postdoctoral researchers. Scholarship holders will receive travel support of 10,000 Swedish Krona (Rs. 71, 295) in lump-sum. They are also insured by the Swedish State Group Insurance against illness and accident during the scholarship period (no grants will be given for family members of the holder).

Duration: 6, 12 or 18 months

Eligibility:

Candidates, belonging to any age group, opting for PhD- level scholarship must be enrolled in ongoing PhD studies at home university while those for post-doctoral level must be holder of a PhD degree, preferably from 2006 or later.
The candidate must have not lived in Sweden for two years or more when the scholarship period is due to begin.
He must not have a Swedish permanent residence permit.
He must not have a Swedish work permit.
He must not be an EU citizen.

ICRAR Postgraduate Scholarship

Synopsis: International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) provides this scholarship to support PhD research in radio astronomy and radio astronomy engineering at the Curtin University node of ICRAR, based in Perth, Western Australia.

Research areas:

Global signature Epoch of Re-ionization science and instrument development
Low frequency phased array development for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
Fast radio transients science and engineering (for example, development and use of high speed digital instrumentation
Pulsar science and instrumentation development; and
Galactic X-ray binary systems

The fellowship covers the following: The scholarship will provide a living allowance of 25,000 dollars per annum and tuition fees for the duration of the course up to a maximum period of 3.5 years. A relocation allowance is available and support for travel is also available.

No. of Scholarships: One

Duration: 3 years extendable up to 6 months

Eligibility: The applicants, preferably engineer or physicist, must have completed four years of higher education studies with good marks and hold or expect to obtain First Class Honours or equivalent results. They should be eligible for admission to a higher degree by research at Curtin University and have interest in antennas, RF systems and DSP, with the emphasis between topics being adjustable.

International PhD Projects Programme (MPD) at University of Warsaw

Synopsis: The scholarship is provided by the University of Warsaw, Poland in the field of Fundamental Problems of Quantum Gravity and Quantum Field Theory in support with the Foundation for Polish Science and co-financed by the European Union within the European Regional Development Fund.

The fellowship covers the following: The scholarship holder is provided with 3500 Polish Zloty (Rs. 53,006) during stays in Poland and 5000 Polish Zloty (Rs. 75, 722) if it is outside Poland. He would receive supervision by tutors from the University of Warsaw, the University of Wrocław and the Polish Academy of Sciences Center for Theoretical Physics in collaboration with foreign partners. Long-term visits in partner institutions will also be organised.

Duration: 4 years

Eligibility: The candidate must be a Postgraduate in domains of Physics, technical Physics or Mathematics. His MSc diploma must be with the grade “Very Good” (or equivalent). He should be fluent in English language. Applicants who successfully passed an entry examination to a PhD programme in the mentioned domains during last two years and completed no more than one year of the studies may also apply.

International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) in Australia

Synopsis: International Postgraduate Research Scholarships are funded by the Australian Government to encourage exceptional students to undertake research higher degrees in Australia.

The fellowship covers the following: The candidate will receive grants for full tuition fees and health-cover for both him and his dependents. He may also be considered for an Australian Postgraduate Award living allowance scholarship. The scholarship will be tax-free if the candidate is studying full-time.

Duration: Depending on the course opted

Eligibility: The candidate must be applying to study a PhD, Master’s by research, or professional doctorate and have a minimum first class Honours or equivalent. He or she should not have previously held an Australian Government-funded research scholarship for more than 6 months. The scholarship will be tax-free if you’re studying full-time. He must not hold another scholarship worth more than 75 percent of the IPRS.

Selection criteria: Fellows are called in the month of December and if their applications are successful, they have to accept the fellowship within three weeks. The research then should be initiated by them in the first month of the next year.

Westminster International Scholarships

Synopsis: The scholarship award is provided to candidates from developing countries to study a full-time Master’s degree at the University of Forward Thinking at Westminister.

The fellowship covers the following: The scholarship-holder will get full tuition fee waivers, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.

Duration: Depending on the course opted

Eligibility: The candidate must be an international student from a developing country and hold an offer for a full-time Master’s degree. Particular preference will be given to those who can demonstrate how the knowledge acquired from studies will aid the development of their own country.

Endeavour Awards

Synopsis: Endeavour Awards is the Australian Government’s merit-based scholarship programme administered by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) providing opportunities to students to undertake postgraduate study, research and professional development or PhD in any field of study in the country.

The fellowship covers the following: The award-holder will receive 23,500 dollars as award value consisting of 4500 dollars as travel allowance, 4000 dollars as establishment allowance, 2500 dollars as monthly stipend up to 6 months and health and travel insurance coverage for full period of award.

Up to 2 years for a Master’s and up to 4 years for a PhD

Eligibility:

Candidates must be aged 18 years minimum at the commencement of their Award. There is no maximum age limit.
Candidates must not hold dual citizenship with Australia.
They must be enrolled in a Master’s or PhD course in a participating country or have had their PhD conferred and received their final results prior to the commencement of their Award.
Those applying for Master’s must have completed an undergraduate degree at the time of application, demonstrating high academic achievement.
Applicants must be nominated by their host organisation and provide a completed nomination form it with their application.

Selection criteria: The candidate will be judged on his academic achievement so far in the chosen field of study, He would have to submit a proposal that is relevant to the needs and interests of the applicant’s home and host country, and evidence of participation in community service outside of the applicant’s regular studies and/or employment duties.

Fulbright-Nehru-CII Fellowships for Leadership in Management at the US

Synopsis: The Fulbright-Nehru-CII Fellowships for Leadership in Management are given to Indian business managers jointly by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The programme is attended at the Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

The fellowship covers the following: The scholarship holder will receive J-1 visa support, round-trip economy class air ticket between the executive’s home town/city of work in India and Pittsburgh, total tuition fees, maintenance allowance in the US, settling-in allowance and accident and sickness coverage as per the US Government guidelines.

Duration: Two-months

Eligibility:

The applicant should have a graduate degree and at least five years of managerial experience in an industry.
He should preferably be 45 years of age or under and in good health.
He should be present in India at the time of submitting the application and interview and if not, the authorities should be informed.
The applicant must not be residing in the US or must not have applied for or holding permanent residence (green card) in the country.
He should not have been in the US during the past three years on a teaching, research, study or professional assignment for a continuous period of three months or more, at the time of submitting the application or during the application cycle (November 2011 to May 2012).
The applicant will have to produce his employer’s undertaking to bear 50 percent of the total cost i.e 18,400 dollars.