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Call for Applications for the PhD Thesis/Dissertation Completion Funds

Makerere University supports the PhD Completion Scheme that support doctoral students in the final year of their Thesis/dissertation by enabling them to focus full time on research and writing. With the Thesis/Dissertation Completion Fund Scheme, DRGT supports early stage candidates of all disciplines in the last phase of their PhD programmes. It is the aim of the scheme that the funded PhD-projects should be finalised and submitted within the period of up to six months.

Target group:

Candidates in the last phase of their PhD programme (Six months to Submission of Thesis for examination).

Requirements

  • You are an employee of the University, fully-enrolled, degree-seeking doctoral student in a full-time study program administered by Makerere University
  • The completion and submission of the PhD-thesis should be expected within 6 months. At the time of the application, approx.. two thirds of the PhD-thesis should be finalized.
  • You are engaged full-time with writing your thesis/dissertation and communicate regularly with your advisor.
  • You are able to complete your Thesis/dissertation in 6-months.
  • Normal progress and sound academic standing record
  • Good academic record (evidence of publications, conference presentations etc).
  • Positive statement from the Supervisor of the PhD-project
  • No parallel funding from other external institutions and/or Mak for the same activities.
  • The payment the fund depends on a successful evaluation of the work progress
  • Women are strongly encouraged to apply.  DRGT has made a commitment to the University that 50 percent (7-8) of the fund will be awarded to qualified female applicants.

Application documents:

  • Applications should be accompanied with the PhD  research proposal with detailed information on the current stage of work and a timeline for the completion of the (Max. 10 pages) and a statement of motivation (Max. 2 pages)
  • CV including list of publications and other academic achievements (Max. 1 page)
  • Evidence of approval of research proposal and letter of full admission
  • You must have completed coursework requirements
  • Pass any written and oral preliminary exams
  • Copy of the most recent draft of the PhD Thesis
  • Recent Annual progress Report
  • Individual Student Study plan endorsed by the Supervisor with a commitment that the final version of the PhD will be submitted at the end of the fund (6-months).
  • Statement of the Supervisor. Without this statement from your Supervisor, your application is not complete.
  • All documents have to be in 12pt, 1,5 line spacing.

Selection procedure

Formal criteria: The DRGT will check all applications for completeness and if all formal criteria have been fulfilled. 

Selection procedure: A panel of senior academics, appointed by the Board of Research and Graduate Training, will review all applications and select the projects, which are to be funded.

Main criteria for the selection are: 

  • Current state of the PhD- project and timeline for completion: Has the applicant convincingly made clear that her/his PhD-project can be completed within 3-months?
  • Statement from the Supervisor: Does the Supervisor fully support the application?

The Thesis/dissertation completion Fund will be awarded competitively based on the submitted documents and within the financial limits of the available funds. For applications of similar quality additional selection criteria like academic (publications, conference presentations) and study record (length of studies, etc.) will be applied.

Amount and Duration of Fund

Amount: Uganda Shilling 5 million (UGx. 5million), under well-motivated circumstances a slight budget increment could be approved.

Duration: up to 6 months

Start: 1 February 2020 – 1 August 2020

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday 7th February 2020; 5.00pm E.A time

Application submission:

  1. Electronic submission of application for scholarship with supporting documents should be sent to the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training,
    Makerere University; director@rgt.mak.ac.ug
    copy to Email: conference@rgt.mak.ac.ug   
  1. Three (3) Hard copies should be addressed to:
    The Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training,

Level 4, Senate Building

Room 410, Makerere University
P.O.BOX 7062, Kampala.

NB: The applicants enjoy no legal right for funding.