TWAS-USM Postgraduate Fellowship Programme

For young scientists from developing countries (other than Malaysia) who wish to pursue studies towards a PhD degree in the natural sciences at the Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Deadline
15 July 2019
Partner Organizations
Host country
Malaysia
Eligible nationalities
Developing countries in the South
Level
PhD
Minimum degree held
MSc
Duration
Up to 3 years
Field
01-Agricultural Sciences
02-Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology
03-Biological Systems and Organisms
04-Medical and Health Sciences incl. Neurosciences
05-Chemical Sciences
06-Engineering Sciences
07-Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences
08-Mathematical Sciences
09-Physics
Age limit
35
Sandwich option
no

IMPORTANT:

  • STARTING IN 2018 APPLICATIONS CAN ONLY BE SUBMITTED VIA THE ONLINE PORTAL- PLEASE USE THE “APPLY NOW” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO START YOUR APPLICATION.
  • OPENING DATE OF THIS FELLOWSHIP: 15 April 2019
  • CLOSING DATE OF THIS FELLOWSHIP: 15 July 2019
  • Applicants can apply for preliminary acceptance letters from their chosen host institutes under the chosen fellowship programme well before the opening date of the call.

Preliminary acceptance letters dated 2018 or earlier will NOT be accepted as they must be dated the same year as the year of application.

 

Programme Details

  • TWAS-USM Postgraduate Fellowships are tenable in the departments, institutions and laboratories of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for a period of up to three years (renewable yearly) for studies leading to a PhD degree in the natural sciences.
  • The academic year in Malaysia begins in September and the second semester in February of each year, following the year of application. Candidates will enrol for their PhD at a USM department/laboratory and must observe USM’s academic calendar and be ready to start their fellowship on the first day of classes/courses.
  • USM will provide a standard monthly allowance which should be used to cover living costs, such as accommodation, food and health insurance.
  • The award of the fellowship is subject to obtaining in due course a final offer letter of admission from USM that must be approved by the relevant USM School. Upon receipt of the USM-TWAS award letter from TWAS, candidates will need to contact in due course the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) of USM to apply for the final offer letter. In case the application for the final offer letter of admission is not approved by USM, the award will become null and void.
  • The language of instruction is English.

 

Eligibility

Applicants for these fellowships must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a maximum age of 35 years on 31 December of the application year.
  • Be nationals of a developing country (other than Malaysia).
  • Must not hold any visa for temporary or permanent residency in Malaysia or any developed country.
  • Hold a Master’s degree in a field of natural sciences.
  • Provide an official Acceptance Letter from the USM Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS)Requests for Acceptance Letters must be directed to Prof. Rozman Hj Din,  Dean, Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) (at emails: dean_ips@usm.my and twasusm@gmail.com ) who will facilitate assignment of a host supervisor. The acceptance letter must come from the IPS Dean (and not from any Head of Department or supervisors at USM).
  • In contacting the IPS Dean applicants must accompany their request for an Acceptance Letter with ALL the following documents:
    – copy of an updated CV;
    – a short write-up of research proposal (maximum 5 pages);
    – scanned copies of certificates, academic transcripts (certified true copy of Bachelor and Master degree certificates) with CGPA 3.5 and above and related credentials;
    – two referee letters;
    – a scanned copy of the front page of the applicant’s publications;
    – a letter of support from a potential supervisor at USM. To find a potential supervisor, please seehttp://experts.usm.my/);
     provide evidence of proficiency in English. In this regard, the requirements for postgraduate candidates are as follows: A minimum score of 35 for TOEFL (Internet-based) (https://www.ets.org); or a minimum of Band 5 for IELTS (https://www.ielts.org); or a minimum score of 36 for PTE (https://pearsonpte.com); or a minimum score of 154 for CAE/CPE (https://www.cambridgeenglish.org).
    – Exemption is given to candidates who: have English as their mother tongue or national language; or graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English; or have taken English courses from selected Malaysian public/private university or institution. (The level of qualification and the relevant courses should be previously identified and approved by the University Postgraduate Studies Council).
  • Only requests for acceptance letters that contain ALL the above required documents will be processed by the IPS, USM.
  • Be financially responsible for any accompanying family members.
  • Provide evidence of proficiency in English (see above).
  • Provide evidence that s/he will return to her/his home country on completion of the fellowship;
  • Not take up other assignments during the period of her/his fellowship.

 

Submitting your application

  • The deadline for receipt of applications by TWAS is 15 July 2019.
  • Applicants must submit the Preliminary Acceptance Letter from the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), USM when applying to TWAS or by the deadline at the latest. Without Preliminary Acceptance Letter, the application will not be considered for selection.
  • Applications for the TWAS-USM Postgraduate Fellowship Programme can ONLY be submitted via the online portal.
  • Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants will not be eligible to visit another institution in that year under the TWAS Visiting Professorprogrammes. One exception: The head of an institution who invites an external scholar to share his/her expertise under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes may still apply for another programme.

 

Are you a potential applicant for a full-time PhD in a field related to atmospheric science, climate and climate change, hydrology, multi-hazard early-warning or disaster-risk reduction? If so, you may be interested in applying for a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) travel grant as a complement to the PhD fellowship.

Contact Details

TWAS Fellowships Office
ICTP Campus, Strada Costiera 11
34151 Trieste, Italy
Phone: +39 040 2240-687
Fax: +39 040 2240-689
E-mail: fellowships@twas.org

Prof. Rozman Hj Din
Dean
Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
11800 Penang, Malaysia
Tel:          +60 4 6532 930
Fax:         +60 4 6532 931
Email:      dean_ips@usm.my, twasusm@gmail.com

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