Graduate fellowship and travel opportunities

A number of U21 universities offer travel scholarships/fellowships or awards to graduates to enable them to carry out research abroad or collaborate with colleagues across the world. 

Below is a list of opportunities provided by U21 universities for their own graduate students and, in some cases, for graduates from other U21 institutions.

University of Auckland
University of Birmingham
University of Glasgow
University of Hong Kong
University of Nottingham
University of Virginia

University of Auckland

These scholarships were established in 2007 to support University of Auckland doctoral students who wish to undertake short term visits and placements at other Universitas 21 institutions.

Selection Process:

• Application by way of a form is made to the Scholarships Office
• Scholarships sub-committee of the Board of Graduate Studies assesses the applications at its monthly meetings
• The scholarships are awarded by the University of Auckland Council on the recommendation of the Scholarships Sub-Committee of the Board of Graduate Studies

The basis of selection will be:

• Academic merit
• Quality of the student’s proposal outlining the work to be undertaken
• Expected benefits of the short term visit / placement to the student and also to the University

Further information and application forms can be found at http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/uoa-home/about/international-strategy/international-affiliations/universitas-21
 

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is delighted to offer up to two Queen Elizabeth II international scholarships, each worth £7,500 for graduates of the Universitas 21 network.  These scholarships are offered as a symbol of Birmingham's commitment to U21 and the benefits of international educational co-operation.

• Be classified as ‘overseas’ for fees purposes
• Be in your final year of a bachelor’s degree at a partner Universitas 21 institution or have graduated from a partner Universitas 21 institution within the last five years of the proposed date of entry to the University of Birmingham
• Be embarking on a one-year taught Masters degree programme at the University of Birmingham in September 2009
• Have submitted the Scholarship Application Form and supporting documentation by the closing deadline of 29 May 2009
• Have sufficient funds to cover the costs of your study over and above those covered by the scholarship
• Not be in receipt of a full fees scholarship from any other source

Scholarships will be awarded in recognition of academic excellence, by a selection panel, on the basis of information contained in the Scholarship Application Form and any supporting documentation.  Awards are offered for 2009 entry only and cannot be deferred.  http://www.u21.bham.ac.uk/QE%20Leaflet%202009.pdf

In addition, the University of Birmingham College of Life and Environmental Sciences is offering up to twenty five £12,000 PhD scholarships exclusively for alumni of Universitas 21 (U21) affiliated Universities.  Scholarships at Doctoral level will commence in October 2009 and will be available for twenty five overseas students in a wide range of research disciplines in Biosciences; Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences; Psychology and Sport & Exercise Sciences.

Awards will be paid as a £12,000 maintenance grant (£4,000 per year).  Applications are open to graduates of U21 affiliated Universities who are classified as 'international' for fee purposes.  Students that have already secured full fee and maintenance support from other sources will still be eligible to apply.  Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit, and are tenable for three years only.

Click here for more information.

University of Glasgow

Mac Robertson Travelling Scholarship
The Mac Robertson Travelling Scholarship is open to home/EU/Overseas postgraduate research students of any discipline (PhD or Masters by Research) currently registered at the University of Glasgow. The Scholarship provides funding to undertake a course of study lasting between two months and one year at a centre of advanced study preferably, although not necessarily, outwith Scotland.  The Scholarship aims to enrich and further the award-holder's academic experience and research achievements.

The Mac Robertson Scholarship is not intended to be used for attendance at conferences, either as a presenter or a delegate, or to contribute to tuition fees or routine living expenses. The Mac Robertson Scholarship is highly sought after and a high number of applications are made each year.

Further information about the Mac Robertson Scholarship is available at http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/postgraduateresearch/scholarships/macrobertsontravellingscholarship/

Contact the Postgraduate Research Office: tel 0141 330 1989 email pgr@enterprise.gla.ac.uk

Jim Gatheral Scholarship
The Jim Gatheral Scholarship is open to all home/EU & International postgraduate research students currently registered at the University of Glasgow studying for a doctoral degree whose research would benefit from new developments in mathematical modelling.  The Scholarship aims to provide funding for scholars to learn or develop new techniques in the field of mathematical modelling through a placement lasting between two months and one year at a centre of advanced study preferably outwith the UK.

The Jim Gatheral Scholarship is not intended attendance at conferences, either as a presenter or a delegate or as a contribution towards routine living expenses other than during the placement.

Further information about the Jim Gatheral Scholarship is available at http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/postgraduateresearch/scholarships/jimgatheralscholarship/

Contact the Postgraduate Research Office: tel 0141 330 1989 email pgr@enterprise.gla.ac.uk

David Fleming-Brown Travel Scholarship
The David Fleming-Brown Scholarship was established in 2008 and provides the opportunity for Postgraduate research students of any discipline registered at the University of Glasgow to travel to North America to enhance their academic experience and to develop new research collaborations with a North American institution.

The Scholarship is intended to subsidise travel only. Placements should be in a North American Institution and for the duration of at least 3 months. Candidates must be citizens of and EU or EEA country.

Further information about the David Fleming-Brown Scholarship is available from the Postgraduate Research Office: tel 0141 330 1989 email pgr@enterprise.gla.ac.uk

University of Hong Kong

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) offers conference grant and travel grant to HKU's MPhil and PhD students.  The students can apply for the grant to attend a conference to present a paper or poster, or to undertake international academic training activities.  At present the grants are only awarded internally within HKU.

Further details can be found at http://www.hku.hk/local/rss/crcg (only accessible to HKU students)

The University of Nottingham runs a number of prestigious travel prizes, one of which is the U21 Travel Scholarship.  The twenty awards available are for a maximum of £1000 each and enable both full-time and part-time Nottingham University postgraduate research students to undertake research at other U21 universities.  The month-long visits can be used to access colleagues and resources at appropriate U21 universities, thereby strengthening and broadening their research as well as developing new links with researchers at fellow U21 universities.  The purpose of the U21 scholarships is not to provide funds for the student’s core research programme (e.g. core fieldwork) but to fund activities that will give an added element to the student’s research and career development opportunities.  It is also hoped that this will further the U21’s mission of the mobility of students together with research and knowledge transfer.

Details can be found at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/gradschool/u21/ and from this there are links to information about the U21 network and the partner universities.  The University of Nottingham Graduate School, which administers the scholarships, also runs an event which hopes to promote the scholarships, and the opportunities and benefits that such a scheme brings.  A workshop takes place in March each year when talks are given by the Dean of the Graduate School and a member of the International Office together with a number of past participants of the scheme who will talk about their experiences both in terms of the arrangements and the visit itself.

The University of Virginia has a programme which seeks to enhance the visibility of the university’s graduate programmes to prospective applicants by encouraging personal contact with UVa. graduate students who are within a year of completing their PhD. programs.  To cultivate good recruiting relationships with other universities, the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) will reimburse travel expenses for UVa doctoral students to visit their undergraduate or master’s alma mater, present a research seminar, and meet with undergraduate students and/or master’s students interested in doctoral study.  In addition, trips by advanced doctoral students representing the university at graduate recruiting fairs will also be considered for reimbursement.