PhD Scholarships smooth path for Arts students

09 September 2014

Chris_Barber_PhD_Scholar Chris Barber

The University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships are generous scholarships offered by the University to outstanding PhD students. Being awarded a Doctoral Scholarship has made all the difference for two postgraduate students in the Faculty of Arts.

Chris Barber, who has just started his doctoral research in History, says that the scholarship “has provided me with the means to conduct my research without the more routine yet all-consuming realities of financial concerns, the student loan, and living costs. At the same time, the generous stipend is sufficient to enable me to do overseas research trips. In sum, it has made the doctoral research possible.”

Fellow scholarship recipient Geena Chakiamury, an international student from India who is studying for a PhD in Sociology, likewise emphasises how the scholarship has helped combat some of the challenges of doctoral study. “When I first arrived in New Zealand, I found juggling academics and financial pressures extremely stressful. The University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship was so timely, and has enabled me devote myself to the goal of completing this project without financial burdens.” In Geena’s case, the financial injection also eased the immigration process. “Having this scholarship, with an annual stipend and tuition fee waiver for three years, has also enabled me to secure a hassle-free visa for the period of my study in New Zealand. It has made a real difference.”

 

Geena_Chakiamury_PhD_Scholar Geena Chakiamury

The Faculty of Arts Research Adviser, Dr Anne Pelzel, consults with postgraduate students on funding opportunities. Anne comments “I thoroughly enjoy learning about the high level of research that Arts students are undertaking, and am so impressed by their passion and commitment.” Funding for postgraduate study in Arts is limited, and scholarships rounds are very competitive. The Postgraduate Committee, charged with nominating students for Doctoral Scholarships and Doctoral Bursaries, fully evaluates applications according to the stated selection criteria: quality of the research proposal, letters of reference, academic merit, CV, and alignment with the Faculty’s strategic plan.

Successful Doctoral Scholarship recipients receive a tuition fee waiver and a living stipend for three years. Doctoral Bursary recipients, nominated from the same applicant pool, receive an award applied to tuition fees. “Both”, says Anne, “are a distinguished accomplishment, and look great on a CV!”

PhD student Pia McKay received a Bursary to assist with her doctoral study in Politics and International Relations. “I was really pleased to hear about the Doctoral Bursary after applying for a Doctoral Scholarship.” She says the award has helped in more ways than one. “The Bursary has made a difference for me both economically and in terms of a confidence boost. I was quite nervous starting a provisional year towards a PhD because it’s a big deal, a big project, and a huge opportunity. It’s been a major help to receive this funding. I really appreciate both the assistance itself and the feeling of support that the selection panel believed in my proposal.”

International student Vladimir Krstic says that “receiving this Bursary meant I could stay in New Zealand to study, as without this bursary I would probably have had insufficient funds for the visa application.” Vladimir is studying toward a PhD in Philosophy, and considers himself very lucky to be studying at the University of Auckland with supervisor John Bishop, who he describes as “the best in the world.” In Vladimir’s words, “being a postgraduate student in the Faculty of Arts is, without a lie, a dream that came true for me.”

Geena Chakiamury encourages other doctoral students to put in the effort to apply for the financial support on offer. “Scholarship applications can be time-consuming, but having a scholarship undoubtedly brings life back under control for students.”

The next round of applications for Doctoral Scholarships in Arts subjects closes on 1 November 2014. For more information, visit our website