David Sainsbury Scholarships in Global Plant Health for International Students at the University of East Anglia – Fully Funded 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 David Sainsbury Scholarships in Global Plant Health for international students from least developed countries.

University of East Anglia’s stunning and vibrant Norwich campus is home to a global community pursuing personal and professional success. At UEA we come together from different fields to learn, innovate, collaborate and help create a better future.

This one-year MSc in Global Plant Health provides the strongest possible grounding for a career devoted to minimising crop losses to help feed the world and protect the environment. By enrolling for this MSc, you will understand what makes plant pathogens virulent, the basis of plant immunity, how the next discoveries are made through experimental and computational approaches, what makes global response strategies successful and how to lead such a response. Rooted in scientific research excellence, this course develops the skills most sought after by employers. These include complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, coordination with others, and judgment and decision-making.

This course is run by The Sainsbury Laboratory. It is an independent research institute that leads the world in molecular plant-microbe interactions. Its research covers a wide range of global diseases of crops. Its celebrated Group Leaders will share their vast experience with you. This course is associated with The School of Biological Sciences at UEA, with contributions from across the Norwich Research Park, including the John Innes Centre. You will therefore study in one of the world’s leading campuses in plant and microbial science.

A key and Innovative element of the course is a 5-month research project of relevance to a global plant disease outbreak. This will provide invaluable experience for the next stage in your career by gaining familiarity with how to handle the main elements of the response to an emerging plant pathogen – from diagnosis, understanding virulence mechanisms and developing novel control strategies, through to project management

The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) offers the prestigious David Sainsbury Scholarships in Global Plant Health to a limited number of applicants for the MSc in Global Plant Health.

Study Programme: Postgraduate

Eligible Countries: International Students

Country Host: UK

Scholarship Reward: Fully-funded tuition, stipend

Eligibility Criteria for the Scholarship

• You are in receipt of an offer of a place on the UEA MSc in Global Plant Health
• You are a national of or domiciled in a least-developed, low-income, or lower-middle-income country or territory as defined by the Overseas Development Agency Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list, version 2024-25 for entry in the 2024-25 academic year.
• Bachelor’s degree 2.1 or equivalent in Biological Science or equivalent that covers plant and/or microbial sciences.

Benefits of the Scholarship

• The full cost of the tuition fee (£33,150 for 2024-25)
• Maintenance grant (exact value at the UKRI postgraduate researcher stipend level to be determined for 2024-25; in 2023-24 it was £18,622)
• An additional £4,000 for travel costs (subject to valid economy class travel receipts)

Required Documents

• Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading): IELTS: 6.5 overall with a minimum 6.0 in all components
• Two references with their application – at least one of these must be related to your most recent academic study.
• A full, detailed CV should also be included with the application.
• Academic Transcripts

Application Process

Provided you meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be considered for the scholarship, on a competitive basis – no separate application is required.

You will be evaluated for the scholarship based on the same criteria used to evaluate your application to enrol on the course. The criteria are academic achievement and academic awards together with knowledge/experience/potential in molecular biology, genetics, molecular interactions, data science such as bioinformatics and statistics, laboratory skills, and independent study.

Interested candidates should kindly CLICK HERE to learn more about the scholarship

Application Deadline

December 31, 2024