Scholarship Region 

International Region : United Kingdom

Scholarship For 

Higher studies

Last Date 

30/09/2024

Scholarship Amount 

Not Available

Scholarship Type 

Government

Scholarship Fields 

Other

Scholarship General Information 

These awards are tailored to enable students to develop the necessary skills required to meet their career choices and offer a breadth of development opportunities to enhance their research, teaching and transferable skills.

Those awarded an AberDoc Scholarship will receive a grant for up to three years which will cover their tuition fees (up to the UK (Home) rate of £4,712 per annum*).  A maintenance allowance of approximately £18,622 per annum* and access to a travel and conference fund (max. £1,000 per annum*) will also be provided. Scholarships commence in September 2024.

EU and International students have to cover the difference between UK tuition fees and the EU/international tuition fees from their scholarship. However, there will be 3 additional President Scholarships, which cover this difference in tuition fees. These will be awarded to the three highest ranked EU/international candidates in the AberDoc competition.

Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible you must:

1. Have or expect to obtain at least upper second-class honours in your first degree;

2. Apply and be offered a place for doctoral study at Aberystwyth;

3. Non-UK students must achieve IELTS 7.0 or equivalent

4. Be commencing your doctoral study in September 2024 or be a current AU PhD student.

Award Amount  

Those awarded an AberDoc Scholarship will receive a grant for up to three years which will cover their tuition fees (up to the UK (Home) rate of £4,712 per annum*). A maintenance allowance of approximately £18,622 per annum* and access to a travel and conference fund (max. £1,000 per annum*) will also be provided.

No. of Scholarships Available 

EU and International students have to cover the difference between UK tuition fees and the EU/international tuition fees from their scholarship. However, there will be 3 additional President Scholarships, which cover this difference in tuition fees. These will be awarded to the three highest ranked EU/international candidates in the AberDoc competition.

Important Dates 

Application Fee 

No information available.

Application Procedure 

If you wish to be considered for an AberDoc Scholarship for Ph.D. study, you must have submitted a full Ph.D. application (including research proposal) via the online Postgraduate Admissions Portal.

Current AU Ph.D. students who wish to be considered for an AberDoc Scholarship commencing in September 2021 must have completed an AberDoc Expression of Interest (for use by current AU Ph.D. students only) and have submitted it to pg-admissions@aber.ac.uk by this deadline.  Existing AU Ph.D. students are not required to submit a new Ph.D. application via the online Postgraduate Admissions Portal.

Selection Process 

Evidence of the candidate’s potential as a research student:

1. Relevant undergraduate work and/or performance at the Master’s degree level;

2. Other evidence of success in the research-type activity.

The contribution which the proposed study would make to the department’s research profile and research aims:

The extent of ‘fit’ with Departmental research interests and priorities, including the prospective supervisor and how the proposed research topic is related to the staff and research group expertise.

Candidate’s career development:

An identified element of contribution to the student’s career development and to the Department, backed up by appropriate training.

Quality of the research proposal:

1. Clarity of research aims and objectives;

2. The proposal is grounded within the relevant academic discipline(s);

3. Appropriate methodological approaches have been considered and resources are in place in the department to support the methodology;

4. The proposed research has the potential to make an original contribution to scholarship in its field.

Judgments on the candidate’s proposal and his/her potential as a researcher:

1. Reports of referees. 

2. Evidence of why the proposal was prioritized by the relevant Departmental committee;

3. Evidence that the candidate is capable of completing the proposed thesis within the required deadline.

Please note that the Criteria to Guide the Award of AberDoc Scholarship are subject to annual review.

Other Info 

AberDoc Scholarship Competition Terms & Conditions 2024

1. Eligibility: To be eligible to hold a scholarship, successful applicants must register as a postgraduate student for the degree of either PhD or PhDFA at Aberystwyth. Applicants should normally have obtained or expect to obtain at least upper second class honours or equivalent in their undergraduate degree.  

2. Residence: Scholarship holders studying full-time must pursue their research and be resident within reasonable travelling distance of Aberystwyth for at least 44 weeks of the year. Further details of university residence requirements which must be adhered to can be found at: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/academic-registry/handbook/regulations/student-rules-regs/. Where a full-time scholarship holder wishes to spend a significant period away from Aberystwyth (e.g. for extended fieldwork) the permission of the Head of the Graduate School must be obtained. Part-time scholarship holders are encouraged but not required to be resident in Aberystwyth.

3. Period of Award: Subject to satisfactory progress confirmed annually by relevant University Research Monitoring Committees, scholarships are normally tenable for a period of up to three years full-time or the part-time equivalent, beginning at the start of the session after the competition (i.e. September). Deferral of an award is possible only in exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Head of the Graduate School. Where candidates have already begun research degrees before receiving an AberDoc award, the scholarship will cover the remainder of the registration period and not the full three years of full-time study or part-time equivalent. Continuation of awards in each new session is subject to satisfactory progress.

4. Level of Award: UK (Home) tuition fees will be paid and a maintenance award will be offered taking account of current UKRI scholarship rates.  However, the AberDoc awards will not necessarily be of the same value as UKRI awards.  There will be a common figure for all full-time students receiving AberDoc awards.  Studentship holders may apply for a limited amount of assistance towards meeting the cost of fieldwork, attendance at conferences, or other travel.  There is no provision for additional allowances for dependants.  Other research costs such as for postal surveys, consumables in experimental work etc. must be met by the student’s own department.

5. UKRI and Other Awards: All applicants for the AberDoc scholarships are also strongly encouraged to seek other sources of funding including UKRI awards (where applicable).  Academic departments and the Postgraduate Admissions Office will advise applicants on their options. Applicants who subsequently secure UKRI funding must notify the Postgraduate Admissions Office as soon as possible and if it is a full-scholarship, then relinquish the AberDoc award. Applicants within the ESRC remit who hold or are undertaking a Specialist Master’s degree need not apply for the 1+3 ESRC award which would require them to take a second Master’s (Research Training) degree.  These students would be required to undertake research training while registered for the PhD.

6. Successful Candidates for AberDoc Awards who are subsequently offered UKRI or other similar awards must surrender the AberDoc award.  In the event that a student surrenders an AberDoc award to take up UKRI or other awards of lesser value, the University will ensure that the student will not be disadvantaged.  Thus, where a student accepts a fees-only UKRI award, the University will pay maintenance at the AberDoc rate.  Except with the permission of the Head of the Graduate School, no other awards may be held concurrently with an AberDoc award.

7. Teaching and Other Paid Work: With the approval of their Head of Department, scholarship holders are permitted, if they so wish, to undertake teaching, demonstrating or other academic work. Scholarship holders must be paid separately for any such work at the relevant rate; the scholarship does not include any payment for employment. Any such work (including preparation and associated assessment) should not exceed six hours in any one week or not more than 180 hours per Academic Session (whichever is the greater) in accordance with UKRI guidelines. Scholarship holders who undertake teaching duties will be required to attend any training courses that are deemed appropriate by the Head of the Graduate School. Apart from such duties, scholarship holders may not undertake any other remunerated work without the permission of the Head of the Graduate School.

8. Temporary and Permanent Withdrawal: If a scholarship holder withdraws permanently from the University, all rights to his or her studentship are thereby forfeited. In addition, an award holder who withdraws from the University will be required to refund that proportion of the quarterly maintenance award which has already been received for the remainder of the quarter in which they have withdrawn. No further maintenance payments can be made once an individual has withdrawn.  Students who wish to withdraw temporarily from their studies may, with the permission of the Head of the Graduate School, have their awards suspended until they are able to resume their studies.

9. Changes of Circumstances: It is the responsibility of all students to inform the Postgraduate Admissions Office immediately of any change in their circumstances, e.g. temporary withdrawal or receipt of other funding, which affects their entitlement to hold a studentship. Failure to do so may lead to a loss of the award and recovery of monies paid.

10. A copy of these Terms and Conditions and the Selection Criteria used by the AberDoc Selection Panel in deciding which applicants should receive awards shall be sent to successful candidates by the Postgraduate Admissions Office. Successful candidates should also note their responsibilities for their work which are outlined in the University's Code of Practice for Research Postgraduates and Rules & Regulations.  No other terms or conditions shall apply.

11. AberDoc Award Holders may be asked to participate in questionnaires, market research, interviews and support for recruitment activities.

12. Aberystwyth University reserves the right to withdraw a scholarship or to amend the terms on which it is held. In exceptional circumstances, it may recover monies already paid.

Contact Details 

Tel: +44 (0)1970 623111

For more information: Click here

Apply Now 

https://www.aber.ac.uk