PhD Scholarships for Palestinians at the University of Bristol

Eligibility is restricted to employees of Palestinian universities. The deadline for an October 2017 start date is 28 February 2017. The programme will run for 4 years, so applicants with projects in development may also consider applying in February 2018.

Higher Education Scholarship Palestine (HESPAL)

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/fees-funding/awards/hespal/

HESPAL is a British Council managed scheme, which offers scholarships to young Palestinian lecturers from universities in the West Bank and Gaza enabling them to study in the UK. HESPAL aims to help create the next generation of senior academics who can maintain international quality standards at Palestinian universities and develop renewed, sustainable links between Palestinian and UK universities.

The University of Bristol, in partnership with the HESPAL scheme, will offer 3 PhD scholarships per year for a 4-year period from 2017/18, working with institutions in the West Bank and Gaza.

Scholarships in 2017/2018 (each to start in October 2017)

Please note that the key contact listed above would not necessarily supervise the relevant PhD but is suggested as a first point of contact for potential applicants for each scholarship and will be able to advise on potential supervisors.

What does the scholarship cover?

Under the HESPAL scheme, the scholarship from the British Council covers the following:

  • pre-departure briefing from the British Council;

  • arrival allowances (£500);

  • thesis allowances (£450 annually);

  • a monthly allowance to cover living expenses (£1,300/month).

The University of Bristol will provide a full fee waiver for each of the scholarships.

The scholarship does not cover the costs for accompanying family, visa fees, IELTS costs, and the airfare ticket to or from the UK. For further information about what is included in the scholarship please visit the British Council website.

Eligibility criteria for the scholarship

  • Applicants must be resident citizens of the Palestinian Territories.

  • Applicants must normally be currently employed by the Palestinian university which nominates her/him. Where stated above, the applicant must be nominated by the participating Palestinian universities listed above - An-Najah University, Al-Quds University (AQU) or Al-Quds Bard (AQB).

  • Applicants will have a Masters degree; where this is from a Palestinian university, it should be with a minimum grade of very good (and equivalent to at least a 3.0 Bachelor’s Degree from UK).

  • Applicants must sign a written undertaking to return to Palestinian university within a time frame agreed with their university, normally one year.

  • Applicants must have IELTS certification appropriate for course and university (normally at least 6.5, sometimes higher); exemptions may apply if the applicant did her/his MA in the United Kingdom. The language requirements for all University of Bristol programmes can be viewed in on the relevant PhD programme pages of our online course finder.

Application Process

Applicants must apply to the University of Bristol and separately to the HESPAL scheme:

  • The HESPAL deadline for 2017/18 entry for the Bristol scholarships is 28 February 2017.

  • Applicants can apply to the University of Bristol online. Please ensure that you specify in the funding section of your application that you are also applying for the HESPAL scheme.  All academic requirements, language requirements and further information about how applications for University of Bristol programmes are assessed can be viewed on the relevant PhD programme pages of our online course finder.

  • Applicants will in the first instance be considered for admission to the University by the relevant Faculty and School. Successful applicants will be informed if they have been offered a place on a PhD programme; this does not guarantee that an applicant will be offered the HESPAL scholarship.

  • Successful applicants will then be considered for the scholarship by a panel at the University of Bristol. The successful candidates will be informed as soon as possible and no later than 30 April 2017.

  • Applicants should also complete the HESPAL application form in collaboration with their university in Palestine, indicating which subject area(s) they wish to study. Applicants should submit the HESPAL application to the home university in Palestine with all supporting documents attached.

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