Universities China Committee London: PhD Studentship in Chinese Studies

The UCCL offers a studentship to candidates with a place for doctoral study on any aspect of Chinese Studies preferably in a department of Chinese or East Asian studies at any university in the UK.

Subject to satisfactory progress, these awards will provide tuition fees at the Home/EU rate and an annual maintenance stipend of  £14,500 for three years.

To be eligible, students must:

• Have a first or upper-second class honours degree.  For applicants enrolled on an undergraduate degree receipt of the studentship will be conditional on this.
• Have applied for, but not yet commenced, a full-time doctorate in Chinese Studies in the UK.  (Students who have already commenced their doctoral studies are not eligible.)

In addition: Candidates must be able to demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of Chinese language for the research they wish to undertake, either through their academic transcripts or by providing scores from the HSK or another similar examination.  Preference will be given to candidates intending to work in a department of Chinese or East Asian studies.  Where this is not the case the candidate must provide evidence that equivalent training and supervision will be provided by the department to which they have been admitted.

Application: Candidates must apply for a place on the programme on which they wish to study by 20 January 2018. The deadline for the application to reach the UCCL will be 30 January 2018.

Applicants must submit:

• A UCCL Doctoral Studentship application form at http://www.gbcc.org.uk/assets/files/UCCL-PhD-Studentship-Application-Form_v.09.17.pdf
• Transcripts of undergraduate and graduate degrees and any relevant language qualifications
• Two academic letters of reference

Selection criteria will be based the following criteria:

• The candidate's overall academic record
• The quality of the proposed research
• Suitability for an academic career in Chinese Studies
• An interview by a UCCL selection panel

The results of the selection process will be announced by end of March 2018.

For applicants who have not received by then their undergraduate degree the studentship will be conditional on them achieving at least an upper second class degree.

Progress: Continued receipt of the studentship will be conditional upon satisfactory academic progress.  The student will be required to produce an annual retrospective and prospective written report. This must include details of progress towards meeting any mandatory requirements of the relevant university at the appropriate time.  Where these requirements are not met as expected the UCCL will request further information from the relevant supervisors in order to monitor academic progress; it may withdraw the studentship.  Students should notify the UCCL in the event that they take leave of absence from their studies, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or withdraw from their course.

Study in China: Students wishing to spend time in China in order to undertake study or research or to attend academic conferences are encouraged to apply to the Sino-British Fellowship Trust, 23 Bede House, Manor Fields, London SW15 3LT  (020 8788 6252).   Students who have this or other funding to spend an extended period in China for fieldwork may postpone the second or third year of UCCL funding.