How to apply for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship

My name is Tabassum Ahmed and I come from the buzzing city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. In this article I'm going to explain more about the the Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship from the University of Huddersfield.

My Academic Background

Drawings and buildings have always fascinated me, even when I was young. Growing up, Bangladesh’s national assembly building, which I later learned was built by the master architect Louis I Kahn, captured my attention every time I crossed it on my daily commutes. This interest in buildings is probably one of the main factors that led me to do an undergraduate degree in architecture at the North South University in Dhaka.

After graduating and practicing as a project architect for almost four years, both at home and abroad, I decided to expand my skills and pursue my interest in cities. I started a Master's in Urban Design at the University of Huddersfield.

During my Master's, I was exposed to a varied range of topics, methods and cohort exchanges related to architecture and urban design. The opportunity allowed me to shape my theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Every module was shaped in a way that it challenged the way we see, explore and think about our built environment. From visualising Yorkshire cities in 2040 to interacting with locals through research testbeds in the town centre, I got to experience it all. By the end of the course, I had also bagged the experience of a diverse range of public activities such as co-curating a research exhibition at the Temporary Contemporary gallery and getting invited to participate at the Kirkless Woven Festival with funding, all thanks to the multidisciplinary exchanges our school practices. Although it was a taught degree, it introduced me to research-led thinking and design. With all those experiences and skills acquired, I finished my Master's in Urban Design with a distinction. Like anyone else, I was thrilled. All the all-nighters, pressure and staying away from home felt all worth it.

By this time, thanks to my supervisor’s constant encouragement to explore more through a very collaborative method, I was already thinking about going further with my dissertation topic and pursuing more by doing a postgraduate research degree.

Why do a PhD?

Two things contributed to this decision.

First, I was (and still am) passionate about my research topic which investigates how communities can better manage their urban resources through bottom-up collaborative frameworks, especially in the context of a climate crisis.

Secondly, I applied for the prestigious Vice-Chancellor (VC) Scholarship that the University of Huddersfield offers for alumni. The University also offer many other research scholarships and numerous international scholarships.

What is a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship?

“Well, what is a VC Scholarship?” you might ask. A Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship is a highly competitive scholarship scheme offered by the University of Huddersfield to alumni, which provides a full fee waiver on either full-time or part-time research degrees for home students, and a 50%-100% fee waiver for international students.

This means if you secure the scholarship, you may not have to pay any tuition fees for your research degree. For you to be eligible, you must either have a first-class honours degree or a distinction in a taught Master’s programme. You can also qualify if your school/supervisor recommends you for it based on your Master’s research degree and have graduated from the University of Huddersfield in the last three years.

How to apply for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship

The process to apply for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship is very straightforward, you need to initially complete a Research scholarships expressions of interest form

Once submitted a panel of academic staff will review the application. If you are shortlisted, you will be interviewed by the Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise and the Director of Graduate Education. Don’t worry - it is not a scary interview at all. If you know what you want to do and have a plan, you will be fine. If your interview is successful, you will receive an email or letter from the School Research Office and the University offering you a place and the scholarship.

Doing a PhD at the University of Huddersfield

As someone new in the world of academic research, I have found the staff and tutors here to be very supportive and encouraging. No matter how naïve my questions have been, I have always had them answered or at least given an idea of where to look for help. Also, the University of Huddersfield is equipped with some of the best facilities I have ever seen – such as a library where you can find anything including 3D printing labs, that still amazes me!

Currently, I am living the life of a full-time PGR student pursuing a PhD that feels both extremely rewarding and challenging. Not only am I embedding myself into the research more through learning but also, the university is providing various skills training that I am sure will help me as a researcher.

How to apply for a Vice-Chancellor Scholarship - my tips

• Start today! Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships are highly competitive and require planning.
• Understand what you want to do and what your goals are.
• Get your 'what', 'why' and 'how' sorted.
• Always ask questions, no matter how stupid you think the question may be. The University of Huddersfield has very supportive staff and they are always happy to answer questions

I have found some of my best support systems among my peers. You can get in touch with current students on Unibuddy, so if you have any questions just drop them a message.

Interested in postgraduate study? Book a place on our next Postgraduate Open Day and explore your options.