Studentships for overseas students

We welcome applications in any of our research areas from qualified students from anywhere in the world. Indeed, we have several international students working for their PhD in our group.

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences grant a limited number (currently 10) Elite scholarships for outstanding overseas applicants, in any subject area under the College. Physics and Astronomy typically receive one or two of these studentships every year. This year (2011), the University has announced 10 more Elite scholarships, open to any subject, and we expect one or more of them to be awarded in Physics. The School nominates candidates for these scholarships, and to be considered for these, the application (including letters and supporting documents) need to be completed by 15 January. These scholarships are highly competitive, and the applicant needs to have a first-class undergraduate degree, and be in the top 5% of their undergraduate class to be considered for them.

There are some partial scholarships available for students from China, which are meant to supplement awards from the China Scholarship Council. If you are considering applying for a CSC grant, and would like us to consider you for the partial scholarship, do contact us well in advance, by the end of January.y

We are sorry to announce that the Overseas Research Studentship Scheme (ORSAS), which used to fund part of the fees of non-EU Overseas students, has been suspended indefinitely by the UK Government from 2008-09. Consequently we now have no means of financially supporting non-EU overseas students, other than those outlined above. However, we do welcome non-EU students who have personal funds for supporting themselves for the whole duration of the PhD programme, or are recipients of fully-funded external scholarships.

Deadlines and Required Qualifications

Overseas applications should be completed by 15 January each year, though all overseas applicants should contact the Graduate admissions tutor for admissions well in advance to discuss possibilities for funding. The normal minimum requirement for admission to our PhD programme is a 2:i MSci (four-year undergraduate degree) or its equivalent. However, for any of the studentships mentioned above, a first class Bachelor's degree is a must.

Further Details and Application Form

For an application form, please contact Ms Jan Hutchins (via E-mail at j.hutchins[at]bham.ac.uk or via phone at 0121 414 4564) You can also use the University's web-based application form. However, be aware that using this route can add a delay into the process, as it can sometimes take several days for the application form to make its way to the School of Physics and Astronomy.

For further queries please contact the Graduate Admissions Tutor, Dr Somak Raychaudhury.