Wellcome Trust inviting Applications for International Master’s Fellowships

Deadline: 14 April 2020

The Wellcome Trust is currently seeking applications for the International Master’s Fellowships to offer nationals of low- and middle-income countries the opportunity to receive training at Master’s degree level.

Benefits

• An International Master’s Fellowship is for 30 months, unless you want to hold it on a part-time basis.
• The first 12 months should be dedicated to doing a taught Master of Science (MSc) course at a recognised centre of excellence anywhere in the world.
• The following 18 months is for your research project at an eligible organisation in a low- or middle-income country.
• An award of £120,000 provides support for:
• Support during the Master’s course
  • The support includes:
    • If your taught course or training is in the UK, you can use £16,000 a year (outside London) or £18,000 a year (in London) to cover the cost of your stipend. If your course or training is outside the UK, you should check living costs with your prospective training organisation.
    • Travel costs (eg outward and return airfares).
    • Approved tuition fees, according to the rate charged by the training organisation.
    • The trust supports distance learning taught Master’s degrees.
    • If your stipend is liable for tax in the country you’re based in, you can use the funds to cover the taxed amount.
• Support during the fellowship
  • The support includes:
    • A basic salary (determined by your host organisation);
    • Personal removal expenses;
    • Research management and support costs (overheads);
    • Research expenses, directly related to your proposal.

The Trust doesn’t offer

• Major equipment: The Trust only considers modest requests for equipment, so the place you choose to do your research project must have the necessary equipment and facilities.
• Research assistance: They don’t fund overheads unless they’re included on this page (for example research management and support costs).

Eligibility Criteria

You can apply for an International Master’s Fellowship if:

• You’re a national of a low- or middle-income country.
• Your proposed research focuses on a health priority in a low- or middle-income country.
• You have sponsorship from an eligible host organisation in a low- or middle-income country apart from mainland China.
• You must:
  • Hold a clinical or non-clinical undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.
  • Be at an early stage in your career with limited research experience (but you must have demonstrated interest in, or aptitude for, research).
• Your Research Proposal
  • Your research proposal should be within science remit and focus on a health priority in a low- or middle-income country.
  • When the Trust considers your application, they’ll look at the:
    • Quality and importance of your research question(s);
    • Feasibility of your approach to solving these problems;
    • Suitability of your choice of research environments;
    • Suitability of the taught Master of Science (MSc) course you select – it should take place at a recognised centre of excellence and provide you with training that will complement your research project.

You can’t apply if you’re:

• Intending to be based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or another high-income country (although your taught course can be anywhere in the world);
• Planning to do a Master of Research (MRes);
• A researcher in India;
• Currently applying for another Wellcome Trust fellowship.

For more information, visit https://wellcome.ac.uk/grant-funding/schemes/international-masters-fellowships