Each year Government of Ireland awards postgraduate scholarship for
scholars. The total value of the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship
and all Strategic Funding Partner Scholarships will be up to a maximum of
€24,000 in any approved year.
The aim of the Irish Research Council Government of Ireland
Postgraduate Scholarship, hereinafter referred to as the Government of Ireland
Postgraduate Scholarship, is to support suitably qualified research master’s
and doctoral candidates pursuing, or intending to pursue, full-time research in
any discipline.
The mission of the Council is to enable and sustain a
vibrant and creative research community in Ireland. The Council is an agency of
the Department of Education and Skills and operates under the aegis of the
Higher Education Authority.
Applicants must have a first class or upper second-class
honours bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree2 . If undergraduate examination
results are not known at the time of application, the Council may make a
provisional offer of a scholarship on condition that the scholar’s bachelor’s,
or the equivalent, degree result is a first class or upper second-class
honours. If a scholar does not have a first class or upper second-class honours
bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree, they must possess a master’s degree.
Course Level: Scholarship is available to research
master’s and doctoral (either traditional or structured) in any discipline at
an eligible HEI within Ireland.
Study Subject(s): Scholarship is awarded in any
discipline, based in an Irish HEI.
Scholarship Award: The total value of the Government of
Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship and all Strategic Funding Partner Scholarships
will be up to a maximum of €24,000 in any approved year and will consist of the
following:
A stipend of €16,000 per annum within the funding term;
A contribution to fees, including non-EU scholarship
fees, paid to the HEI up to a maximum of €5,750 per annum. Any differential
must be paid by the scholar and/or HEI. Scholars who hold a fee waiver from
their HEI, or where no fee is required, or where fees are paid in full or in
part by a third party, must inform the Council and the appropriate offices in
their HEI and will not be eligible for the fee portion of the scholarship;
Eligible direct research expenses up to a maximum of €2,250
per annum to enable the scholar to carry out the research project. Eligible
direct research costs include essential research supplies such as small
consumables; books and journals; pay-as-you-go access to national research
infrastructure; software and hardware critical for the research5 (to be
obtained in the first year of the award or in the first three months of a
one-year award); archival research costs; conference travel and participation;
generic and/or specialist disciplinary skills training; and publishing and
write-up costs. The exact amount of eligible direct research expenses is
subject to sufficient justification being made in the application. Only vouched
expenses incurred in carrying out the research project will be funded.
It is only permissible for any unspent balance of eligible
direct research expenses to be carried over from the previous year of the
scholarship. Apart from this exception, funds may not be carried forward from
one year to the next.
No funds provided by the Council as part of the scholarship
fund may be used by the HEI to cover overhead or administrative costs.
Funding will only be provided for the research project as
presented in the application. If it is proposed to make any significant
departures from the research project during the funding term, the consent of
the Council must be sought in advance. Proposals for changes in research
project will be independently peer-reviewed and the Council’s decision on
whether to approve the proposed change(s) will be final.
Expenses that occur outside the funding term are not
eligible under the scholarship.
While the award is made to the individual scholar, the
scholarship fund is administered through the appropriate office within the HEI.
Scholarship can be taken in Ireland
Eligibility: Applicants must fulfill the following
criteria:
Have a first class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s,
or the equivalent, degree2 . If undergraduate examination results are not known
at the time of application, the Council may make a provisional offer of a
scholarship on condition that the scholar’s bachelor’s, or the equivalent,
degree result is a first class or upper second-class honours. If a scholar does
not have a first class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s, or the
equivalent, degree, they must possess a master’s degree. The Council’s
determination of an applicant’s eligibility on these criteria is final;
Must not have had two previous unsuccessful applications to
the scheme, including strategic partner themes within the scheme. This includes
applications since 2009 to the EMBARK Scheme previously run by the Irish
Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology, and the Government of
Ireland Scholarship Scheme previously run by the Irish Council for Humanities
and Social Sciences;
Must be a new entrant to the degree for which they are to
receive Council funding and have been formally accepted by the relevant
department/school by, at the latest, 1 October 2017,
or fulfil the criteria in Clause 4.3 if already registered and part of the
degree has been completed;
In the case of applications for a research master’s
scholarship, applicants must not currently hold, or have previously held, a
Council Postgraduate Scholarship;
In the case of applications for a doctoral degree
scholarship, applicants must not currently hold, or have previously held, any
Council Postgraduate Scholarship other than those which would enable them
to obtain a research master’s degree.
Applicants will fall under one of two categories based on
nationality and residency. For category one, applicants must meet both of
the following criteria: be a national of a member state of the European
Economic Area (EEA)3 or Switzerland and or have been ordinarily
resident4 in an EEA member state or Switzerland for a continuous period of
three of the five years preceding 1 October 2017. All other applicants will
fall under category two. While the majority of scholarships will be awarded to
applicants who fall under category one, a proportion of awards will also be
made to exceptional applicants who fall under category two. Please note that
the Council may request documented evidence of an applicant’s nationality and
residence.
Scholars are selected in accordance with the Council’s
application and assessment process.
Scholars must be full-time students registered with an
eligible HEI in Ireland.
Scholars of any nationality may hold a Council Postgraduate
Scholarship. However, scholars must:maintain their principal residence in
Ireland (as defined) during the period of the scholarship; satisfy the State’s
regulations on immigration and have the support of their HEI with respect to
these regulations and requirements if not a national of a member state of the
European Union (EU).
Arrangements with respect to immigration will be a matter
for settlement between the scholar and their HEI, and the relevant immigration
authorities of the State.
Acceptance of the award is subject to these Terms and
Conditions and the Guide for Applicants which, in conjunction with the Letter
of Offer and completed and signed Acceptance Form, constitute the basis on
which the award is held.
Scholarships are held subject to these Terms and Conditions.
If any of these are breached by a scholar, the Council will suspend or
terminate the scholarship and/or may require reimbursement of such payments as
have already been made to the scholar.
Nationality: International Students can apply for these
scholarships.
College Admission Requirement
Entrance Requirement: Applicants must have a first
class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree2 . If
undergraduate examination results are not known at the time of application, the
Council may make a provisional offer of a scholarship on condition that the
scholar’s bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree result is a first class or
upper second-class honours. If a scholar does not have a first class or upper
second-class honours bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree, they must possess a
master’s degree.
Test Requirement: No
English Language Requirements: Applicants from outside
the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other
language requirements in order to be able to study there.
How to Apply: The mode of applying in online.
Application Deadline: The application deadline is
2 November 2016.
