The value of a DAERA postgraduate studentship
A full DAERA award includes the cost of approved fees as well as maintenance support.
DAERA pay fees directly to your university. Other expenses which may be covered are:
- conference expenses if you are presenting your research
- Research Training Support Grant – paid by DAERA to your study centre
- overseas fieldwork – DAERA may contribute to costs where it is essential to your research programme
Terms and conditions
For further information to help you decide if you should apply, read the terms and conditions.
Eligibility criteria
Residency and citizenship
To be eligible for a full DAERA Studentship award, you must have been ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland for the full three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course.
For a tuition fee only award, you must have been resident in the European Economic Area or Switzerland throughout the three-year period immediately preceding the date you make your application for an award.
You must be a British citizen, EU national or relevant family member of an EU national. You may be eligible for support if you are the child of either a Swiss national or Turkish worker or if you have indefinite leave to stay in the UK.
Academic qualifications
You must hold or expect to get at least one of the following:
- a first or upper second class honours degree
- a lower second class honours degree plus a Masters degree in a subject of direct relevance to the proposed research topic
You must provide official, final results of qualifications used to meet the academic requirements before the start of the studentship.
Previous study
If you already hold a doctoral degree or you have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year or equivalent part-time basis, funded from any source, including self-financing, you are not eligible for a studentship.
Research topic
Your research proposal must be in line with one of DAERA's postgraduate studentship priority research areas 2019.
How to apply for a DAERA studentship
To apply, download and fill in a DAERA postgraduate studentship application form.
If you need the form in another format, contact DAERA Postgraduate Student Awards.
The completed form can be emailed or posted to DAERA Postgraduate Student Awards, to be received by 3.00 pm on Tuesday 5 March 2019.
The application process
When applying for a DAERA Postgraduate Studentship, you must include a unique research proposal supported by at least one supervisor from the proposed study centre. You must also send an academic reference from the institution of your primary degree and the offer of a place at the proposed university, supporting your research proposal.
As the number of DAERA awards is limited, only eligible candidates will be invited for interview. It may be necessary to shortlist candidates to go forward to interview. Shortlisting criteria is included in the terms and conditions.
Criteria based interviews will be held from 15 to 17 April 2019 at DAERA Postgraduate Awards .
Offers will be issued in May 2019.
Studentships will start on 1 October 2019 and funded for 3 years, ending on 30 September 2022.