Postgraduate Research funding

Undertaking a structured PhD in Physics is a full time, highly intensive, activity. Most students are provided with financial support to undertake this advanced programme of study. In all cases this support involves the prospective student or their potential supervisor to compete for and win the appropriate funding. The first step in this process is for prospective students to engage with staff members in a specific area of interest.

The project funding provides support for university fees, and living costs for students. In some cases it may also provide some support for travel and equipment costs.

(1) Fees.
The University charges fees for postgraduate students. Details of fees charged by NUI, Galway may be found at:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/student_fees/fees/fee_schedule_pg.html.

(2) Local Authority Grants (Higher Education Grants Scheme).
If students had an Irish Local Authority Grant for your undergraduate degree, your Local Authority will also cover your fees (and possibly up to €3,420 maintenance) for the first postgraduate course you undertake. Often Local Authority grants can be held in addition to other awards. You should contact your Local Authority and check the details with them. Details of the Higher Education Grants Scheme may also be found by searching with “higher education” at the appropriate local authority web site:

(3) College of Science Postgraduate Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded by the College of Science http://www.nuigalway.ie/science/. The scheme is currently under review and may change significantly. The value of the awards will likely be €12,000 plus fees in 2011-12. The deadline for applications is typically late February, but this is likely to be brought forward to earlier in the year.

(4) Hardiman Research Scholarships
The Hardiman Research Scholarships offer opportunities for suitably qualified individuals to pursue a postgraduate degree by research focused on the five key areas of research in which the University offers leading expertise.  These are:

• Biomedical Science and Engineering
• Informatics, Physical, and Computational Sciences
• Environment, Marine, and Energy
• Applied Social Sciences and Public Policy
• Humanities in Context

(5) IRCSET, Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology
IRCSET offer an excellent scholarship programme as part of their Embark initiative. The scheme is very competitive and you will almost certainly require a good first class honours degree and relevant research experience. The value of the award was €24,000 per annum, with €16,000 of this being the student stipend, and the balance to pay for fees, travel and equipment. In 2012 there will be one competition. The application is via an online form. The call closes in mid February.  You are asked to submit a supervisor's name and a research proposal with your application. It may also be possible to seek permission to change institution or supervisor after you have been awarded a fellowship. See http://www.ircset.ie/.

(6) Project specific funding.
Many academic staff will have research funding for a specific project that can be used to pay postgraduate students. (Funding agencies include HEA, EI, EPA, SFI). Generally this support is at the IRCSET level and may include fees. You should ask individual supervisors if they have such funding, and usually they will advertise the fact.

(7) Other funding sources
There may be some possibilities for supplementing income by additional laboratory demonstrating, invigilating at exams, giving grinds, etc. However, often these activities are not well paid and you need to be very careful that the involvement does not significantly increase the time it takes you to complete your degree.  It is possible to be self-financing although this would be unusual within the School of Physics.

(8) Duration
Note that many fellowships are limited to either three or four years. Generally it can take up to two years to complete a M.Sc. and up to four years to complete a Ph.D. You should discuss the question of completion times and what happens after three years with any potential supervisor.

(9) Taxation 
Normally postgraduate scholarships are exempt from taxation.

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility