PhD made attractive; Rs 6 to 9.4 lakh in scholarship

Bringing good news to those concerned with the unflattering state of affairs at the level of post graduate and research studies in the country, the Shiv Nadar University, a research-led interdisciplinary university, has announced attractive PhD scholarship program for doctoral students in Engineering, Natural Sciences and Humanities & Social Sciences. Aiming to impact and attract top researchers in the country, the program will offer scholarships between Rs 6 lakh to 9.4 lakh for four years and Research Fellowship worth Rs 5.45 lakh per annum.

 

The University will also support meritorious undergraduate and master's students to cover some portion of their education cost through its specific scholarship programs.

 

Characterised by different qualifying criteria, the scholarship programs also require the selected students to meet academic and non-academic performance standards throughout their program of study.

 

Scholarships for Undergraduate programs:

 

• Merit scholarships providing 100 per cent tution fee waiver for four years.
• Merit-cum-needs based scholarships covering up to 98 per cent of tuition and some other expenses for four years to support deserving meritorious students whose weak financial family backgrounds are a constraint to pursuing quality education.
• Special scholarships are aimed at promoting exceptional students from diverse settings such as rural parts of the country, who have demonstrated academic and non-academic achievements through sports, arts, music, etc. A special rural scholarship program called the Vamasundari Scholarship Scheme is being introduced featuring 98 per cent fee waiver for students.
• Interest waivers program will seek to make education more affordable for students as the University will cover the interest cost on education loans up to a maximum of Rs 4 lakh for the first three years of a students' program of study.

Scholarships & Fellowships for Masters Programs

• Full Tuition & Fees Waiver Program for outstanding scholars is inclusive of all the academic tution and hostel fees for two years of the program.
  Tution Fee & Special Fee Waiver will be provided to selected high scholastic achievers for two years.
  In addition to scholarships, these master's students would also be entitled to receive a stipend or Post Graduate Fellowship of Rs 1.65 lakhs per annum.

Scholarships & Fellowships for PhD Programs

• Selected students will be awarded scholarships covering their tution fee and special fee expenses for the full duration of the PhD program. Doctoral students will also receive a competitive Research Fellowship of Rs 5.45 lakh per annum for four years for working as a research or teaching associate of SNU faculty.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria for eligibility varies between categories, however, academic merit remains the University's foremost consideration to award scholarships. The University will identify suitable candidates for its scholarship programs through a comprehensive assessment procedure. Besides taking into account the academic performance of an applicant, the University will administer an aptitude test, whereby shortlisted candidates will be interviewed to conclude the final selection process.

 

Firm about maintaining high admission standards, the University hasn't fixed any number of scholarships to be handed out to students. "We'll know when we see how many students apply. It's (scholarship) a function of admissions to the University," said Nikhil Sinha, founding vice-chancellor, Shiv Nadar University, addressing media at the event's press briefing. He added, however, that the University expects to have around 60 per cent of its students taking the benefit of some form of scholarship offered through this initiative in tune with its goal of ‘social transformation through education'.

 

Expansion plans

The University also shared its expansion plans announcing the launch of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, starting undergraduate, post-graduate and PhD programs in English and Economics.

 

The School of Natural Sciences that began with a single department last year will spread its wings taking new courses in Physics, Chemistry, and Life Sciences under its fold.

 

All programs begin from August 2012 and students can apply for these scholarships during admission time latest by June 15, 2012.