MESPOM is an Erasmus Mundus Masters course in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management operated by four leading European and two North American Universities and supported by the European Commission.

The MESPOM study programme is in English and lasts two years. The students study in at least three out of six consortium universities:

• International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University (Sweden)
• University of Manchester (UK)
• Central European University (Budapest)
• University of the Aegean (Lesvos, Greece)
• Middlebury College and its affiliate Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS) (USA)
• University of Saskatchewan (UoS) (Canada)

Eligibility

• a good first degree in a subject related to environmental sciences, policy and management such as biology, geography, other earth sciences, civil engineering, urban or landscape planning, resource economics or specialised disciplines (environmental engineering, environmental management, environmental economics, environmental policy);
• candidates with other first degrees are also considered if they show commitment to environmental careers, usually through work experience;
• MESPOM invites applications from all countries;
• proficiency in English (Test of English as a Foreign Language- TOEFL)

For more specific info click here

Scholarship

Category A scholarships (EUR 48,000): students who are not residents nor have carried out their main activity (studies, work, etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in the the EU/EEA-EFTA countries (including Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein);

Category B scholarships (EUR 23,00): all other students

Application procedure

All MESPOM applications should be made to Central European University in accordance with CEU Admission Requirements.

All candidates are required to fill in the CEU on-line application form and attach following documents:

1. Letters of recommendation
2. Academic records
3. A full curriculum vitae or resume, including a list of publications, if any
4. Department- and program-specific requirements (statement of purpose, research proposal, additional test scores, etc.)
5. Proof of English proficiency

Application deadlines is January 3, 2011 for the applicants seeking Erasmus Mundus scholarships types A and B or other financial assistance from the MESPOM Consortium or CEU (including fee waivers).

With any further inquiries about the admissions process and additional information contact the CEU Admission office: coordinator@mespom.eu

Application Deadline : January 3, 2011

Web Link

http://mespom.eu/

The Erasmus Mundus programme in Distributed Computing is a cooperation between KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain. It is a two-year Master’s programme including compulsory mobilty for the students.

The EMDC programme offers education of high international standard as well as cultural experience from two different European countries and a double degree from two universities.

Students from any country are welcome to apply. A number of Erasmus Mundus scholarships are available.

• Programme description
• Partner universities
• Fees and scholarships

Application Deadline : 30 November 2010

Information abut applying for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and admission to the University for entry in October 2011 will be available – via the University’s Graduate Studies Prospectus – from June 2010 and applications will open on 1 September 2010

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is highly competitive international scholarship programme for graduate study and research at the University of Cambridge.

All applicants apply simultaneously for admission to the University and for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. The Trust does not admit or place scholars.

Before submitting an application you should check that you are eligible, read through the ideal candidate section and check which application deadline applies to you.

Who is Eligible

Candidates for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship:

• may be citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom.
• may apply to study any subject available at the University of Cambridge.
• may apply to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study:
  • PhD (three year research-only degree)
  • One year postgraduate course (e.g. MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA etc.)
  • MSc or MLitt (two year research-only degree)
  • MBBChir Clinical Studies (four year postgraduate degree)
• must be admitted to one of the degrees above at Cambridge through the University’s normal admission procedures. The Trust does not admit students.
• must be well prepared for the Cambridge course for which they are applying and must meet all of the conditions for admission specified by the University (e.g. academic, English language proficiency, if required, and any other conditions set).
• must be able to show evidence of high academic achievement, leadership potential, social commitment and a good fit with Cambridge.
• who are already studying at Cambridge are only eligible to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship if they are applying for a new course of study (e.g. a one year ‘MPhil only’ student may apply for funding to continue on to the PhD). Candidates already studying at Cambridge who are not applying for a new course of study (e.g. have already started their PhD) are not eligible to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

The Ideal Candidate

There is no one template for a Gates Scholar: each scholar is different and brings something unique to the programme.

However, when selecting Gates Scholars, the Trust looks for students with enthusiasm, robustness of intellect, a willingness to engage and an appropriate humility that comes from an awareness that nothing is ever really simple.

In particular, Gates Scholars will be driven by the values of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which include a commitment to reducing inequities and improving lives around the world. The Foundation’s mission is to increase opportunity and equity for those most in need, particularly in the areas of health and education, often through the use of science and technology.

The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems.

How Competitive

Competition for admission to the University of Cambridge and for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship is intense.

The University of Cambridge is normally ranked in the top three universities worldwide. It typically receives over 9,000 applications for graduate study from non-British applicants, approximately 1,700 of whom take up their place at Cambridge.

Once applicants have applied for admission and a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Trust asks academic departments in Cambridge to rank their very best candidates. A shortlisting committee then applies the four main criteria of the scholarships to produce a final interview list. Gates Scholars are selected after interview.

Value

A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge, namely:

• the University Composition Fee and College fees at the appropriate rate*
• a maintenance allowance for a single student (£12, 500 for 12 months at the 2009-10 rate; pro rata for courses shorter then 12 months)
• one economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course
• A discretionary contribution towards the costs of supporting dependants at Cambridge (upon application).

Once in residence, Gates Scholars may apply for financial help with the costs of attending conferences, undertaking fieldwork and other activities.

*The University Composition Fee varies for different types of students and applicants should see the Graduate Studies Prospectus for full details about precise amounts. Where a student from the European Union has been successful in gaining a fees award from public authorities, the Trust will not pay these fees

Interview Process

All candidates shortlisted for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship attend a 20-25 minute interview. The interviews are conducted by a panel of three to five members, knowledgeable in a general way about the candidate’s field of study.

Candidates are be asked about their work: why it excites them; what they know about the broader field of which it is part; why it is important; why coming to Cambridge will help them with their research or build on their earlier educational experiences. Also, do they understand that higher education brings privilege and opens opportunity for the future; what do they intend to do with the benefits they’ve had; how do they see themselves contributing in time. Candidates may also be asked questions of a probing intellectual or ethical dimension, to which there are no ‘right’ answers.

Interviews for candidates from the United States who have not previously studied for a degree at the University of Cambridge are usually held in Annapolis, MD at the beginning of February for entry in the following October. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted before the Christmas break. The Trust normally interviews about 100 US candidates and, after interview, awards about 30 Gates Cambridge Scholarships, depending on the total number of awards available in that year.

Interviews for candidates from all other countries (and for candidates from the United States who have previously studied, or are currently studying, a degree at Cambridge) are held in Cambridge and are either conducted in person or by telephone (depending on the candidate’s location) in late March. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in early March. The Trust normally interviews about 100 candidates and, after interview, awards about 50 Gates Cambridge Scholarships, depending on the total number of awards available in that year.

All candidates are informed of the results of their interview within a week.

Application Deadline : 15 October 2010

Web Link

http://www.gatesscholar.org/

“What are the major pitfalls for public and private actors who promote local participatory development activities?”
“Which aid policies, modalities and instruments are most effective?”
“What are the characteristics of the main actors, such as government, NGOs, and bilateral and multilateral donors?”

This Master’s offers insight into the nature of development evaluation, as well as its relevance and challenges, at both a methodological and an institutional level. Students are familiarised with multidisciplinary analytical tools that will improve their capacity to understand interactions at the interface, and to contribute to an enhanced conceptualisation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development policies and programmes. The programme offers two tracks with specific objectives and courses:

• Track 1: Macro Dimensions of Aid.
• Track 2: Development Interventions and Local Institutional Change.

The Master’s in Development Evaluation and Management focuses on the efforts made by a wide range of public and private actors to promote development in low-income countries. It provides a solid understanding of past and present aid policies of multilateral and bilateral donors, and of the major aid modalities and instruments deployed. The institutional characteristics of the actors involved – be they governments, community-based organisations, international NGOs, bilateral or multilateral donors – are analysed so as to attain a better understanding of processes and outcomes. The theoretical perspective is that development can be understood as a set of interlocking collective action problems, on both the recipient and the donor side. The Master’s programme offers methodological and practical insights into development evaluation, its relevance and challenges.

Most of our students are engaged in development, professionally and/or as researchers. The Master’s will improve their capacity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the prevailing aid paradigms and the changing approaches to aid. Students learn to appreciate the importance of different institutional arenas, and how they work and interact. They are familiarised with multidisciplinary analytical tools that will improve their capacity to analyse the interactions and contribute to an enhanced conceptualisation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development policies and programmes.

The Master’s programme offers two tracks with specific objectives and course packages that are intended for different audiences. The first track is primarily macro focused, while the second focuses mainly on the micro level.

Track 1: The macro dimensions of aid

The ‘aid management’ track focuses on the analysis of the interaction between external actors, local politics and institutions, at the macro level. The basic question addressed is why the aid strategies of the donor community are sometimes successful but more often fail. This leads to further, more operational, questions. What lessons have been learned from the study of past failures and successes, and how convincing are present policy prescriptions and paradigms, as enshrined in the 2005 Paris Declaration? The programme helps the student to use appropriate analytical frameworks and to apply relevant scientific methods in evaluating results and drawing policy conclusions. It introduces students to different kinds of evaluation, relying on quantitative as well as qualitative techniques.

This track is intended for participants who have work experience in government institutions (including public research institutions), donor agencies (including international NGOs, bilateral and multilateral donors), civil society (including research institutes, universities). Candidates should work in the field of development intervention or poverty reduction initiatives, and be macro-level policy oriented. Professionally, they should belong to middle management with policy responsibilities and/or be in charge of managing the interface between different policy levels (national to international, national to local) or between different arenas (government-donors, INGO-national NGO, etc.).

• Module I (12 weeks – 18 credits)

Theories of Development: provides an overview of recent evolutions in the literature on the politics and economics of development, and on poverty and inequality.

Research Methods I and II: update of contemporary quantitative and qualitative research methods; possibilities for combining these methods and applying them within ongoing development processes.

• Module II: Evaluating Development Effectiveness (9 weeks – 12 credits)

This module starts with an overview of the debate on development effectiveness. Students are introduced to different theoretical frameworks for gaining an understanding of and methodically analysing actors and outcomes. Part II of the module focuses on the scientific evaluation of development effectiveness. It thoroughly examines the tools employed in monitoring and evaluation, and discusses methods of evaluation. By the end of this module, students should be able to apply both quantitative and qualitative techniques in addressing the leading development evaluation challenges. This module is organised by the Thematic Group ‘Aid Policies’.

• Module III: Managing Aid (9 weeks – 12 credits)

The vantage point at the start of this module is the current debate on aid architecture launched around the turn of the millennium and confirmed in the Paris Declaration (2005) and the Accra Agenda for Action (2008). The underlying theory of the new aid approach, the aid modalities and instruments that are promoted, and the roles envisaged for the key actors (donors, governments, civil society) are all studied in depth. The module also assesses the present state of implementation of the aid architecture and analyses challenges for the future. This module is organised by the Thematic Group ‘Aid Policies’.

• Module IV: Dissertation (15 weeks – 18 credits)

To be developed on the basis of one of the assignments written at the end of either module II or III.

Track 2: Development interventions and local institutional change

This track conceptualises socio-political and economic development as the outcome of interactions between a conditioning institutional environment and the agency of local, national and international actors, including multi- and bilateral, governmental and non-governmental aid actors. Special attention is paid to the importance of micro-level institutions and processes, and how these condition the effectiveness of development efforts in improving livelihoods and neutralising processes of social exclusion. As all phases of the project cycle partly unfold in a local context, the powers constituting this context co-organise the processes of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of interventions. Exploring in detail how local context transforms development interventions is of crucial importance, then, to recognising opportunities for resolving the poverty conundrum.

This track is intended for participants with work experience in civil society in the South (e.g. at research institutes or universities, or with local NGOs or entrepreneurial associations), donor agencies (including international NGOs, bilateral and multilateral donors) and government institutions. The candidate should be involved in development interventions or poverty-reduction initiatives in micro or meso-level projects and programmes. Professionally, the candidate should hold middle-management positions involving policy responsibilities and/or managerial responsibilities at the interface between different policy levels (local to national, national to international) or between different arenas (e.g. civil society- government, government-donors, INGO-national NGO, etc).

• Module I (12 weeks – 18 credits)

Theories of Development: provides an overview of recent evolutions in the literature on the politics and economics of development, and on poverty and inequality

Research Methods I and II: update of contemporary quantitative and qualitative research methods; possibilities for combining these methods and applying them within ongoing development processes.

• Module II: Evaluating Development Effectiveness (9 weeks – 12 credits)

This module starts with an overview of the debate on development effectiveness. Students are introduced to different theoretical frameworks for gaining an understanding of and methodically analysing actors and outcomes. Part II of the module focuses on the scientific evaluation of development effectiveness. It thoroughly examines the tools employed in monitoring and evaluation, and discusses methods of evaluation. By the end of this module, students should be able to apply both quantitative and qualitative techniques in addressing the leading development evaluation challenges. This module is organised by the Thematic Group ‘Aid Policies’.

• Module III: Local Institutions and Poverty Reduction (9 weeks – 12 credits)

This module is organised by the Thematic Group ‘Poverty and Well-being as a Local Institutional Process’. The module analyses how the interactions of actor strategies and institutional structures generate inequality and poverty as well as well-being. It applies this analysis to specific policy domains: value-chain development, microfinance, land policies, gender, public services, role of local government, management of natural resources, migration and the impact of trade.

• Module IV: Dissertation (15 weeks – 18 credits)

To be developed on the basis of one of the assignments written at the end of either module II or III.

Admission requirements

The following candidates are eligible to apply for the Master’s programmes:

• Applicants from the South must hold a university degree (Bachelor or Master) of at least four years of study in Social Sciences (Economics, Political Science, Sociology, International Relations, or related disciplines). Applicants from the South who hold a Bachelor’s degree of only three years of study must demonstrate very strong and relevant professional experience and/or have successfully completed additional training. Applicants from the North must hold a Master’s degree in Social Sciences Only applicants with excellent academic records will be accepted.
• Our ideal participant has at least two years of professional experience in a sector relevant to the programme. Applicants from the North should have relevant field experience in the South.
• Applicants must be proficient in English. Those who have received a university education in English must provide an official certificate confirming this. Other applicants must submit one of the following test results:
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimum score of 550 for paper-based test or 79 for Internet-based test. Information about this test is available at www.toefl.org.
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System): minimum score of 6.0. Information about this test is available at www.ielts.org.
  • Special facilities are offered for students from other language backgrounds (in particular for French-speaking students). Students with paper-based TOEFL scores between 500 and 550 (or TOEFL Internet-based between 61 and 79) or IELTS scores between 5.0 and 6.0 may also be admitted provided they successfully complete a two-month intensive language course organised by the University of Antwerp before the start of the Master’s programme. For students selected for a VLIR-UOS scholarship, the cost of this language course is borne by the Institute (see below for details).
• Motivation and Matching: see description of student profile per Master and Trajectory.

Type of diploma

Master degree

Period: September 2011 – September 2012
Language: English
Number of VLIR-UOS Scholarships: 10
Contact:
Mrs. G. Annaert
Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB)
University of Antwerp
T +32 (0)3 265 57 70
F +32 (0)3 265 57 71
dev@ua.ac.be

http://www.ua.ac.be/iob/education

Web Link
http://www.scholarships.vliruos.be/index.php?navid=479&actionchoice=detailscholarship&scholarship_id=25&returnlink=1

Please send your application to the following address:

Erasmus Mundus European Master in Global Studies
Global and European Studies Institute
Emil-Fuchs-Str. 1
04105 Leipzig
GERMANY

Your application needs to include:

• Application form (see below) including your home address, your date and place of birth, your e-mail address, your preferred mobility track (preference since final decision on the study places is made by the consortium)

Microsoft Word format here
pdf file format here

The application form for EU and non-EU students is the same.

• A Curriculum Vitae
• Motivation letter which explains why you are interested in this particular Master course (1-2 pages)
• Proof of nationality (copy of passport)
• Certified copy or original hard copy (and certified translation if the document is not issued in English/German or French) of high school leaving certificate (secondary school diploma)
• Certified copy or original hard copy (and certified translation if the document is not issued in English/German or French) of university diplomas (if you you graduate after the application deadline please send us the degree as soon as you receive it, the decision on the admission will in this case be made on the grades indicated on the transcript of records )
• Certified copy or original hard copy (and certified translation if the document is not issued in English/German or French) of official transcript of study results from your university
• Certified copy or original hard copy of English (and if applicable Danish, German or/and Polish) language test results. Applicants whose native language is not English must provide test scores for one of the following standardized English proficiency tests:

1. TOEFL (international): minimum score of 550 paper-based (or 213 computer-based or 80 internet-based). Please notice that the code number for the Master’s course in Global Studies is: 4688.
2. IELTS: minimum score of 6,5
3. CPE: Grades A, B, C (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
4. CAE: Grades A, B (Certificate in Advanced English)
5. Applicants who have studied for more than one year in, or received a degree from, a college or university where English is both the language of instruction and the native language are not requested to take one of the above-mentionend proficiency test. An official certificate from the applicants’ school/university is required to confirm that English is medium of instruction.

• Two recommendation letters by academic teachers or employers (in a separate envelope, sealed by the persons recommending the candidate) including the reference names and e-mail addresses
• A  passport  size photo

Please try to avoid the use of plastic/paper files and staples.

All applications are in English and in paper.

As indicated above some documents must be included as certified copies and certified translations in German or English or French and in the original language. All documents issued in English, German or French must be included as certfied copies only.

A certification can be made by any autority that does have an official seal with national coat of arms (in Germany these are town hall, police, courts, rectory and notaries).

Please note that in case you do not submit all documents requested by the date of the application deadline the missing documents might effect in a lower score point during the selection procedure and thus might lead to a reduced change to receive an admission for the programme and/or to be nominated for an Erasmus Mundus grant.

Electronic pre-application may be send to indicate an interest especially in those cases where air mail systems  are operating under difficult conditions. Along with the electronic pre-application to em@uni-leipzig.de This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it please send:

• Application form

Application Deadline : 1 December 2010

Web Link

http://www.uni-leipzig.de/gesi/emgs

Blaise Pascal University is opening the second year of its Master of Physics of Nanostructures to scientifically confirmed foreign students.

Advanced theoretical courses includes:

• Light-Matter Interaction in Semiconductor Nanostructures
• Physics of Advanced Nanostructures
• Physics of Photonic Crystals: Towards Nanophotonics
• Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces
• Physics of Crystal Growth
• Optical and Electronic Spectroscopy of Nanostructures
• Symmetries in Physics
• Computational Quantum Mechanics
• Dosimetry and Radioprotection

The research training will take place in a laboratory on the Clermont-Ferrand Campus, which offers all the modern facilities to conduct high level scientific research. It has been officially ranked A+ (best 10%) among other French labs.

Eligibility

• Students having completed four years of University studies in Physics (Master 1st year successfully finished);
• Good command of the English language.

Scholarship

Three best applications will have the tuition fees offered by the University and will each receive a scholarship of 2000 euros.

Application procedure

All interested applicants should submit following documents:

1. filled registration form;
2. statement of purpose;
3. detailed CV (resume);
4. list of University marks for the last 3 years of study and the copies of the diploma obtained (with a certified translation);
5. recommendation letter from your professor (confidential, in a sealed envelope);
6. recent photograph;
7. copy of your passport.

All the application need to be submitted to:

Michèle CHADELAS – Université Blaise Pascal
UFR Sciences et Technologies
Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand / CNRS
24 avenue des Landais
BP 80026
F-63177 AUBIERE CEDEX FRANCE

Web Link

http://wwwlasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr/Spin-Optronics/fellowship.htm

The Ministry of Education has assigned the task of conducting the Local GRE-General test for Higher Studies to the National Testing Services (NTS).

Applications are invited for studying abroad under the Commonwealth General Scholarships Program for the year 2011. Scholarships are Fully Funded and final selection will be made by the donor country.

Scholarships are expected to be offered by U.K, Canada, Brunei, New Zealand and Malaysia.

Instruction (Important):

* The CommonWealth scholarship commission U.K has offered scholarships in any of the following categories

* One year taught masters course or equivalent degrees.
* Six months of clinical training in medicine or dentistry.
* Doctoral degrees of up to three years duration. The candidates who wish to undertake extensive periods of fieldwork in home country.
* One year research on a split-site basis, towards a Ph.D registered at a university in pakistan.

Following Degree Holders Can Apply:

A candidate must hold a Masters Degree/ B.Sc Honors (4 years), from a recognized University or equivalent qualification.
Students awaiting result are not eligible to apply.
Please attach your complete academic credentials with filled Application Form to apply.

How to Apply:
Candidates are required to send their applications on prescribed Application Form along with an online Deposit slip (in original) at the address given below. Please bank deposit online Rs. 650/- (Rupees Six Hundred and Fifty, Non Refundable/ Non-Transferable) in the online branches of HBL, UBL, ABL or MCB.

=> By hand submission of Application Form will not be entertained (Send filled Application Form through any courier service or Postal Service).

Candidates applying for scholarships are requested to visit our website regularly. The list of eligible candidates, test venue, test date and other information will be displayed on website:
Question Distribution:
English-Verbal 30 %
Analytical 40 %
Quantitative 30 %
Test Schedule
Last Date for Applications :  3rd September, 2010
Provisional Candidates’ list will be uploaded on :  6th September, 2010
Queries will be entertained upto :  9th September, 2010
Roll No. Slips will be dispatched on :  15th September, 2010
Test Date :  26th September, 2010

=> To download Application Form ” Click Here ”

=> For Advertisement (In English) ” Click Here ”

Note: User Guide for test preparation is available; for details Click here

‘ By hand application will not be entertained. ‘

NATIONAL TESTING SERVICE (NTS) PAKISTAN
402, Street No. 34, I-8/2, Islamabad.
UAN : 111 687 000
www.nts.org.pk, E-Mail: info@nts.org.pk

Application Deadline : 3 September 2010

Web Link

http://nts.org.pk/NTSWeb/CW2011/CW2011.htm

The Melbourne International Research Scholarships (MIRS) is awarded to international students wishing to undertake graduate research degree studies at the University of Melbourne. MIRSs are funded by the University with each faculty having a limited number to award.

Each year the University offers about 220 new Melbourne Research Scholarships (MRSs), of which about 100 are normally awarded to international students as MIRSs.

Benefits and conditions

Benefits provided by the MIRS include:

• a living allowance of $22,500 per annum (2010 rate)
• a Relocation Grant of $2,000 awarded to students who are moving from interstate in order to study at the University of Melbourne or $3,000 awarded to those who are moving from overseas
• a Thesis Allowance of up to $420 (2010 rate) for masters by research and up to $840 (2010 rate) for PhD and other doctorate by research candidates, and
• paid sick, maternity and parenting leave.

Please click on the following link for the conditions relating to the MIRS, which includes information about duration of awards; commencement requirements etc.

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for a MIRS, applicants need to have an unconditional offer of a place in a graduate research degree course (eg. masters by research, PhD or other research doctorate) at the University of Melbourne. Please click on the following link for further information concerning the eligibility criteria.

Both commencing and currently enrolled international research higher degree students may apply.

Selection criteria

Selection will be based on the eligibility criteria and academic merit. Scholarship assessment guidelines, tips for applicants and other funding opportunities may be found on the Scholarships Resources webpage.

Application process

Please refer to the How to Apply section of the Graduate Research Scholarships website.

Application outcome

Applicants should view the progress of their application at:

www.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/pgrad/status/index.html

Applicants will also be advised via email as soon as an outcome to their scholarship application is determined.

Closing date and timelines

MIRS applicants should submit their online application for admission by 31 October. Applications received after this date will only be considered for any MIRSs that remain at the time the application is assessed for scholarship.

For University of Melbourne students who are currently enrolled in the course for which they would like MIRS cover, please apply via the Student Portal.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application and all required documents well before the closing date. Applications submitted after this date will only be considered for any MIRS that remain at the time the application is assessed for scholarship.

For detailed selection timetables, please refer to the table of timelines for international applicants.

Application Deadline : 31 October 2010

Web Link

http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/contact.html

The joint International Master in Rural Development (IMRD), part of the European Erasmus Mundus program, offers the opportunity to study the European vision on rural development in its diversity of approaches and applications.

The objective is to train specialists in integrated rural development, focussed on socio-economic and institutional aspects, not only from the European Union but also from developed, developing and transition countries outside the European Union through a 2 year master program (120 ECTS) jointly organised by seven European leading institutes in agricultural economics and rural development.

The Master program is offered by Ghent University (Belgium), Agrocampus Ouest (France), Humboldt University of Berlin (Germany), the University of Cordoba (Spain), in collaboration with Wageningen University (The Netherlands), the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (Slovakia) and the University of Pisa (Italy). these will be joined by universities in China, Ecuador, India and South Africa.

The methodology consists of a combination of basic and specialised training in technical, economic and social sciences, a case study of one month, an individual master thesis and a high extent of student and scholar mobility.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FEES

Students who wish to follow the International Master in Rural Development have different options for financing the programme. As of academic year 2010-2011, the European Union provides Erasmus Mundus scholarships not only to non-European students, but also to European students. The amount of scholarship is different however, and so are the deadlines for application. So make sure you attach yourself to the correct category of students, according to the definition of nationality below.

Erasmus Mundus and IMRD consider as European students:

• students who are nationals from the 27 EU Member States (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, UK, Sweden, Bulgaria, Malta, Poland, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania)
• students who are nationals from one of the EEA-EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
• students who have resided or carried out their main activities (studies, work, etc.) for more than 12 months over the past five years (preceding the start of the academic year) in any of the above countries.

All other students are NON-European students (also called Third Country students), including applicant students from Switzerland, Turkey and the Western Balkans region (i.e. Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo under UNSC Resolution 1244/99, FYRoM, Montenegro and Serbia). Thus, students from these countries, who are not resident nor have carried out their main activity (studies, training or work) in EU member state, EFTA and EEA state for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years will be eligible for a Non European Student scholarship.

Make sure you know in which category you belong, consider the different options for financing your participation in the IMRD program:

1. If you are a non-European student:

• The Erasmus Mundus program of the European Commission awards each year a limited number of scholarships for non-European students to follow the IMRD Program. When applying for admission to the progam, you can apply for such a scholarship. For more information, click here.
• If you are granted admission to the program, but are not offered an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, or if you have missed the deadline for applying for the scholarship, then you can choose to follow the program as a “self-sponsoring” student. This means you cover the expenses of your participation in the program with funding from an alternative (non-Erasmus Mundus) scholarship, or with your own private funds or a sponsor you have found.

2. If you are a European student:

• As of the academic year 2010-2011, the Erasmus Mundus program of the European Commission will award a limited number of scholarships to European students to follow the IMRD Program. When applying for admission to the program, you can apply for such a scholarship. For more information, click here.
• If you are granted admission to the program, but are not offered an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, or if you have missed the deadline for applying for the scholarship, then you can choose to follow the program as a “self-sponsoring” student. This means you cover the expenses of your participation in the program with funding from an alternative (non-Erasmus Mundus) scholarship, or with your own private funds or a sponsor you have found.
• Non-scholarship European students can also apply for an Erasmus grant of the Life Long Learning program, even if they have previously already received such a grant. There is no guarantee however that you can obtain such a scholarship, since this depends on yearly decisions both at national and European level.

APLLICATION FOR NON-EUROPEAN STUDENTS

Deadlines
The deadline for applying for Academic year 2011-2013 (IMRD Program 2011-2013) is December 31, 2010.

Admission Criteria

The International MSc in Rural Development offers admission to applicants who appear to have the highest potential for graduate study and who, with the benefit of a graduate education, are the most likely to contribute substantially to their academic or professional fields through teaching, research, or professional practice.

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

1. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree of minimum 3 years with good overall scores (at least a second class or equivalent, preferably higher) from a university or recognized equivalent. Candidates are expected to have basic science training (demonstrable in the transcripts) in the following fields: (1) mathematics and/or statistics, (2) agronomy and/or biology and/or environmental sciences and (3) social sciences and/or rural development. Candidates who cannot present a combined training of these fields will be evaluated on their aptitude, based on experience and knowledge of these fields, as demonstrated by CV or other evidence.
2. Sufficient language knowledge proven by language certificates. The applicant must be proficient in the language of the course or training programme, i.e. English. Command of the English language is a very important criterion for admission. With the exception of those who have a diploma (Secondary Education, Academic Bachelor Degree, Master Degree) issued by an institution officially recognized by the Flemish Government, applicants must be able to prove their proficiency in English. See the language section on the left.

Applicants generally have a Bachelor’s degree or a recognized equivalent academic degree of minimum 3 years study in bioscience engineering or agricultural sciences (preferably agricultural economics), in combination with knowledge in environmental sciences, economics, sociology and rural development studies.

Admission decisions are based on a combination of factors, including academic degrees and records, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, language skills and relevant work experience, if any. We also consider the appropriateness of your goals to the IMRD programme. In addition, consideration may be given to how your background and life experience would contribute significantly to an educationally beneficial mix of students.

Application procedure

NON-EUROPEAN STUDENTS :

The first step of the application procedure is an on-line registration and application form. Register in the IMRD database, complete the application form and submit it to the central IMRD secretariat electronically. Make sure you fill in at least all the obligatory fields, add as much additional information as possible and load electronic copies of your documents.

The second step is a hard copy application file, composed of the printed application form and all requested documents (secondary school leaving certificate, higher education diploma(s), including all transcripts of records, language certificate(s), curriculum vita, passport pictures, copy of passport, recommendation letters) by regular or express mail to the IMRD secretariat before the deadline. Download the recommendation letter/reference letter here: Word document or PDF document.

Please consult the FAQ! for more detailed information on the application procedure

IMPORTANT NOTE: because of the high number of applications, the IMRD management board is obliged to only consider those applications that are complete and contain all documents, translated if necessary. If your file is not complete, you will not be requested to add documents, but your application will not be considered for selection for admission and/or scholarship.

Specific note for Chinese students

From the academic year 2007-2008 onwards all students from the P.R. China will have to obtain a certificate of academic screening issued by the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) of the German Embassy in Beijing before being allowed to enrol at any higher education institution, language course or other preparatory course in Flanders. The APS certificate is also required for obtaining a student visa to Belgium. The APS certificate needs to be sent with the application in order for the application to be considered.

Students planning to study in Flanders are advised to contact the Academic Evaluation Centre in Beijing, info{at}aps.org.cn as soon as possible in order to make the necessary appointments and this before applying for a visa. The APS application form and more information can be found on www.aps.org.cn.

Every student accepted at UGent for next academic year will get the cost of their APS-screening reimbursed by the Ghent University-China Platform. For this, the student has to contact the China Platform after arrival at UGent to make an appointment.

Ghent University has a specific service for Chinese students, the China Platform. Click here for more information (also available in Chinese).

• CLICK HERE TO START THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Contact detail: imrd@ugent.be

Web Link

http://www.imrd.ugent.be

Aberystwyth University in association with Creu Cymru, are seeking to recruit a 1-year Mphil student to work on a project entitled: “Mapping the Sector: The cultural, social and economic benefits to be gained from theatre and arts centres working in partnership through creative, management and professional development collaborations.”

The prospective applicant should have a minimum of a 1st or good 2:1 in a relevant degree. The project is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Assembly Government.  KESS MPhil scholarships are collaborative awards with external partners (in this case, Creu Cymru).

To apply, please submit the following:

To Professor Elan Closs Stephens by 10th September 2010: a completed KESS application form in the top right hand box of the application form, two references, an up to date CV and a covering letter in which you expand on the relevant contents in your CV and wider experience, and why you think you are a good candidate. The KESS Application Form and the Project Description are available to download at the links below.

To the Postgraduate Admissions Office by 10th September 2010:   A Research Programmes Application Form, two references (which may be the same as the above) and an Mphil proposal of up to 1,000 words.  Application and reference forms may be downloaded from http://www.aber.ac.uk/pga/web/apply.htm and guidance on writing a proposal may be found on our  admissions page.  Please also refer to the Project Description at the link below.

Eligibility: To be eligible to apply for a KESS award, you must be resident, upon application, in the Convergence Area of Wales and you must be able to take paid employment in the Convergence area on completion of the scholarship.

The Convergence Area means the following counties of Wales:
Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd,  Conwy, Denbighshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Caerphilly, Torfaen

Informal enquiries should be made to Professor Elan Closs Stephens, ecs@aber.ac.uk or 01970 622828

Closing date for applications: 10th September 2010

Web Link

http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/tfts/prospective-students/prosp-pg/phd-mphil/kessminicreucymru/