Postgraduate | The 2020 Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme

6 Sep 2019

The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is an established national initiative, funded by the Department of Education and Skills and managed by the Council.

In 2018, the Irish Research Council invested in a total of 1,193 postgraduate scholars, with over 5,000 individual scholarships for excellent research awarded to date.

The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is unique in the Irish research landscape and complements other channels for funded postgraduate education in the Irish eco-system. Among its features are:

• Individual, prestigious awards for excellent research in the name of the applicant;
• An objective selection process using international, independent expert peer review;
• Funding across all disciplines, from archaeology to zoology;
• Awards for bottom-up, non-directed research, with the exception of those funded by our strategic funding partners.

The programme provides outstanding students with the opportunity to direct their own research at the early-career stage, working with a supervisor, in their chosen area of interest. Pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or those introducing creative, innovative approaches are welcomed. Proposals of an interdisciplinary nature are also encouraged as it is recognised that advancing fundamental understanding is achieved by integrating information, techniques, tools and perspectives from two or more disciplines.

The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is highly competitive, with an average success rate of 18% over the past five years. Successful applicants who become scholars under the programme are recognised as demonstrating world-class potential as future research leaders and in the quality of their ideas.

What the Irish Research Council Offer

• A stipend of €16,000 per annum
• A contribution to fees, including non-EU fees, up to a maximum of €5,750 per annum
• Eligible direct research expenses of €2,250 per annum

How to Apply

Potential applicants should read the 2020 Terms and Conditions carefully to ascertain whether or not they are eligible to apply. Indicative versions of the applicant, supervisor and referee forms are provided for information purposes only. All participants must create and submit their forms via the online system.

UCC Information Session

To provide information and advice to students interested in applying to the IRC Postgraduate Scholarship Competition, UCC Research Support Services will hold a general Information Session. Places are limited and must be booked in advance. To request a booking, please email patricia.deasy@ucc.ie.

Location: Lecture Room A1, Block A, Level 1, Food Science Building
Time: 2pm – 3pm
Date: Thursday 12^th September

Related Links

• Find out more about The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme
• How to Apply for a Research Course in UCC
• School of Chemistry Research Themes