The University of Sydney World Scholars awards provide opportunities for academically gifted PhD candidates who have developed innovative research projects to undertake a PhD degree at the University of Sydney with financial support. This prestigious award will attract high-quality research candidates from a broad range of countries and disciplines. Candidates will engage in progressive research whilst facilitating the development of strong bilateral research linkages between Australia and the rest of the world.

General Guidelines

World Scholars awards support the full cost of academic tuition fees for up to three (3) years on the terms set out in these Guidelines. The scholarship will also fund a travel contribution towards the cost of a return international airfare (as set out in the „Air Travel’ section of the Scholarship Conditions, below).

Applications are invited from international students who are citizens of the following countries (“Participating Countries”):

• Asia: Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam
• Europe: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
• Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United States
• Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda

Candidates will be required to take up the scholarship in the semester for which it is offered. Deferral of the scholarship will not be permitted.

Selection for World Scholars is highly competitive. Applicants will be chosen on the basis of academic excellence and demonstrated research capability. It is important that applicants clearly address these selection criteria in their PhD application documentation.

The University is actively negotiating with governments and agencies in Participating Countries to identify possibilities for further support for World Scholars. Details of any agreements reached, together with the level of additional support available and any conditions associated therewith, will be posted on the University’s website

Eligibility Criteria

Scholarships are available for new international students enrolling in a PhD at the University of Sydney, who hold citizenship of a Participating Country, and who meet all academic and English-language proficiency criteria required for admission to a PhD. In order to be considered for a World Scholars award, applicants must:

• be a citizen of a Participating Country;
• not be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or have applied for Australian permanent residency;
• meet all academic and English-language proficiency criteria for admission to their chosen PhD; and
• have a Firm Offer of Admission to a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney commencing in Semester 1 2011, issued on or before 10 September 2010 (applicants with a Conditional Offer of Admission will not be considered).

Currently enrolled international students and other students of the University of Sydney are not eligible to apply for a World Scholars award. Please also note the further restrictions outlined in the “Scholarship Conditions” section of these Guidelines.

How to Apply

Applying for a World Scholars award is a two-stage process. Applicants must complete both stages, in order, as follows:

Stage 1: PhD application and admission

• Candidates must lodge an application for a PhD degree, and obtain a Firm Offer of Admission, prior to lodging a World Scholars application.

• Before lodging a PhD application, candidates are required to make contact with a potential academic supervisor and discuss their proposed research project. PhD candidates may search for a potential academic supervisor using the Research Supervisor Connect tool on the University of Sydney website: http://sydney.edu.au/research/opportunities

• Once candidates have made contact with a potential academic supervisor and prepared a research proposal, they should submit a Postgraduate Research Application Form. This form can be downloaded from: http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/forms/pgformresearch.pdf

• Further information about the PhD application process can be found online: http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_postgraduate_research/admissions/index.shtml

• The average processing time for PhD applications, once received at the University of Sydney, is six weeks. Some applications may take longer to process, particularly where insufficient documentation has been provided. PhD applications should be lodged no later than 31 July 2010. The University cannot guarantee that PhD applications lodged after this date will be assessed and issued with a Firm Offer of Admission in time for World Scholars consideration.

• Candidates must have a Firm Offer of Admission to their chosen PhD issued on or before 10 September 2010 in order to proceed to Stage 2. A Conditional Offer of Admission is not sufficient.

Stage 2: Scholarship application

• Candidates who have received a Firm Offer of Admission to a PhD issued on or before 10 September 2010 may proceed with a World Scholars application.

• Once a Firm Offer of Admission has been received, candidates must complete and submit a University of Sydney World Scholars Application Form. This form can be found at the end of these Guidelines, or downloaded from: http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_postgraduate_research/costs_scholarships/scholarships/index.shtml#world

The completed University of Sydney World Scholars Application Form must be submitted in hard copy, via post or courier, to the following address:

University of Sydney World Scholars
International Development Officer (Scholarships and Grants)
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International)
Room 204, Old Teachers? College – A22
The University of Sydney NSW 2006
Australia

Applications must be received no later than 17 September 2010. Applications received by fax or email, or with only a Conditional Offer of Admission, will not be considered.

Download application guideline and application form

Scholarship source:

http://www.usyd.edu.au/documents/future_students/usws_guide.pdf