The Overseas Research Student Awards Scheme
| Description | Application | Deadline |
Description
The Overseas Research Student Awards Scheme (ORSAS) helps outstanding postgraduate research students from outside the UK and EU study in the UK. The scheme was established by the UK government in 1979 to attract the best research students from around the world.
- The University of Southampton is an approved Higher Education institution (HEI) for ORSAS purposes.
- Students cannot nominate themselves directly; all nominations must come from the School.
- Applicants should be of outstanding academic merit and research potential. The ‘minimum’ qualification is an upper second class honours Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and a Masters Degree (or equivalent) with Distinction (or equivalent), though successful candidates usually have a first class honours Bachelor’s degree and an excellent Master’s degree.
- ORSAS is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), but awards are made internally by the University from a ring-fenced grant. Award holders are selected solely on the basis of academic excellence and research potential. Financial status and the proposed field of study are not taken into account. There is no quota per subject / discipline and Education competes openly with other disciplines for funding.
- The awards pay the difference between the Overseas Student (OS) tuition fee and the Home / EU tuition fee. ORSAS awards (like FIBS awards) do not cover the Home / EU fee element, maintenance or travel expenses.
- Award holders liaise directly with the ORSAS officer in the University, who in turn liaises directly with HEFCE.
- ORSAS only supports full-time postgraduate research OS students. Taught courses are not eligible. Integrated PhD students are not eligible in the first year (M-level) of candidature, but may apply during the first year for funding for Years 2, 3 and 4.
- Students who have previously held an ORS award cannot be considered eligible for a second one.
- Awards may be held for a maximum of three years, subject to satisfactory progress, but cannot be held concurrently with another School / Faculty / University scholarship.
Further details can be found on the Faculty website www.lassgrad.soton.ac.uk and on the ORSAS website www.orsas.ac.uk
Application
Only applications complete in every respect will be considered. Applicants must have been accepted in principle before they can be considered for an ORSAS (or any other) award.
Deadline
Closing date: Applicants should have submitted their applications and have been accepted before mid-February of the year of entry.
