Queen Mary PhD Research Studentships

THE NEXT ADMISSIONS DEADLINE FOR THE ESRC, COLLEGE AND SPIR STUDENTSHIPS for 2016/17 ENTRY WILL BE THE 31st JANUARY 2016.

However, in order to promptly provide you with a decision on your application, you are strongly encouraged to submit application by the 15th JANUARY 2016.

The School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR) at QMUL offers a number of generous studentships for students undertaking their doctoral studies with us. The deadline for consideration for funded places is the 31st January 2016 (all other funding competitions), for entry in September 2016. Candidates whose applications are received after this date may be considered for admission, but not for funding.

Applications are welcome in all the fields and disciplines for which we provide expert supervision. A full list of research interests in SPIR is available by following the links here. Applicants with interdisciplinary projects (for example, with history and geography) are also encouraged to apply.

Before applying, you should make informal contact with a potential supervisor to establish whether we can provide you with expert supervision. Make sure you include a draft research proposal with any enquiry to a potential supervisor – academic members of staff are unable to respond to general, undefined queries about research degrees. If you would like general information on the research degree programmes, please contact the Research Manager (see below for email).

The following is for information only and is subject to change.

QMUL Principal’s Studentships

Queen Mary Principal’s studentships are open to UK, EU and international students. The school will be able to make six nominations for those wishing to enter in September 2016. They cover tuition fees and a maintenance allowance (£16,052* in 2015/16 academic year – *likely to increase for 2016/17 entry) for up to three years. Candidates will normally be expected to have a good first degree and a Masters degree in Politics, International Relations, or a related subject.

SPIR Graduate Teaching Studentships

SPIR are able to offer for the academic year 2016/17, one* (subject to increase) Graduate Teaching Studentship which would be open to UK, EU and International students. They cover tuition fees, and a maintenance grant of around £16,052* (*2015/16 figure – subject to change) per year for up to three years. In exchange, the studentship holder would be required to undertake up to 4 hours of teaching assistance per week during teaching periods of the academic year.

China Scholarships Council

One studentship is available through the China Scholarships Council (CSC). The CSC administers government scholarships to sponsor Chinese citizens wishing to study abroad. Under this scheme, Queen Mary provides a fee waiver to cover all tuition fees, and the CSC provides living expenses (for up to 3 years) and one return flight ticket to successful PhD applicants.

Economic Social Research Council: Doctoral Training Centre (London Social Science) Studentships

The School of Politics & IR is part of a prestigious ESRC-funded Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), London Social Science, with QMUL and Goldsmiths, University of London. The DTC will provide funding for up to three PhD studentships in SPIR for entry in 2016.

Studentships can cover up to four years of tuition fees and provide a standard maintenance grant of £16,052* per year (*likely to increase for 2016/17 entry). Successful applicants will be offered a variety of flexible models of combined PhD study and research training: either a 1 + 3 model (i.e. 1 year doing an MRes in advanced research training, plus 3 years of PhD) or the standard +3 model for applicants who already hold a Masters degree with sufficient core research training.

Please note that you need to complete an additional ESRC application form to be considered for funding through the DTC. Further details and guidance on how to apply are below and available here.

Candidates must adhere to the current residential eligibility rules as laid out in the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide available here under ‘Studentships’ and then ‘Guidance notes and Docs’.

How to Apply

Please read these details carefully.

1. For QMUL Principal’s Studentships, apply via the standard PhD application process, indicating in your application that you wish to be considered for funding. Applications can be made online here. Further details on how to apply are here. Hard copies of the application form are also available.
2. For China Scholarships Council studentships: apply via the standard PhD application process, indicating in your application that you wish to be considered for CSC funding. Applications can be made online here. Further details on how to apply are here. Hard copies of the application form are also available. In addition, you will need to make a separate application to the CSC for funding: http://www.csc.edu.cn/.
3. For ESRC 1+3 Studentships, apply for a relevant MRes here (MRes Public Policy, MRes International Relations) and complete the additional ESRC application form, which is available to download from here: (under Studentships). This additional form should be uploaded to your online QMUL application.
4. For ESRC +3 Studentships, apply via the standard PhD application process here and complete the additional ESRC application form, which is available to download from here (under Studentships). This additional form should be uploaded to your QMUL online application.
5. Applications to all studentships must consist of the following:
   • A research proposal which should include a hypothesis, key questions to be addressed by your research, methodology and an indicative bibliography. Further advice on writing a research proposal is here. Please note that the research proposal word length for a studentship application is a maximum of 1500 words.
   • You should have a 2:1 or equivalent in your first degree and if your first language is not English you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which you have applied. You need to provide evidence of an English language test score or intend to take a test before your studies. Information about English language entry requirements can be found here.
   • Transcripts from previous degrees
   • 2 academic references (ensure that you complete and send the reference request for to your referees)
   • A full curriculum vitae (CV)
   • A supporting statement (1 page A4), which explains why you want to take the programme. This should address the following: previous academic and other experience relevant to your proposed research; why you wish to undertake this research at Queen Mary; what research training and professional preparation you have already received, and what further training you think you will need; any ethical issues you will need to consider in undertaking your research.

General enquiries about making a formal application can be addressed to the Research and Postgraduate Research Student Manager, Alex Challis, by email politics-pgresearch@qmul.ac.uk, or call +44 0207 882 5829.