Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships are for highly skilled researchers from other Commonwealth countries to spend one or two years at an eligible UK university or higher education institution conducting postdoctoral research.
These fellowships are funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)through the Rutherford Fund, with the aim of attracting global talent and supporting the UK’s research base.
Purpose: To support world-class research and innovation, and to contribute to the UK’s research base by attracting high-calibre international candidates and encouraging links and collaboration
Intended beneficiaries: Highly skilled and highly motivated PhD graduates whose proposed research topic is innovative, timely, and likely to lead to wider impact beyond the academic community and build research collaboration between the UK and other Commonwealth countries
In your application, you are expected to identify one institution that you think is the most appropriate to host your fellowship, and to explain your reasons. You must also provide evidence of agreement to host your fellowship from an academic at your chosen institution.
Eligibility
To apply for these fellowships, you must:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, or be a British Protected Person
- Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the UK, and not based in the UK at the time of application
- Be available to start your fellowship in the UK before 31 March 2018
- Have been awarded your PhD no more than ten years prior to 1 November 2017
- Not have previously held a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship awarded by the CSC
You may apply for support for postdoctoral research for one or two years.
The CSC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourages applications from a diverse range of candidates. For further information on the support available to candidates with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.
The CSC is also committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner – for more information, see the CSC anti-fraud policy.
Terms and conditions
For full details, see the Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships 2017-2018 terms and conditions
Selection process
Your application will be considered by the CSC’s selection committee in competition with other candidates and according to the following selection criteria:
- Personal and academic background
- Quality of the proposal
- Impact potential
For further details, see the Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships 2017-2018 selection criteria
How to apply
You must make your application directly to the CSC using the Electronic Application System (EAS). Information on how to use the EAS
All applications must be submitted via the EAS by 12.30 (GMT) on 11 December 2017 at the latest.
You must provide the following supporting documentation, which must be received by the CSC by 12.30 (GMT)on 13 December 2017 in order for your application to be eligible for consideration:
- References from at least two individuals. One of these referees must be your PhD supervisor; without a reference from this person (except in exceptional circumstances) your application will be ineligible
- PhD certificate
- Supporting statement from your proposed supervisor in the UK
- Copy of your passport showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship
You must ask three referees to submit a reference on headed paper by email toreferences.rutherford@cscuk.org.uk as soon as possible. Your EAS number must be included in the subject line of each email. You must also include the name and email address of each of your three referees in your application. When you submit your application, each referee will receive an email reminding them to submit their reference by the deadline above, in case they have not already done so; this email will include a link to your application, which they can view.
You must also ask your proposed supervisor in the UK to submit a supporting statement on headed paper by email to statement.rutherford@cscuk.org.uk as soon as possible. This statement should confirm that they:
- Are willing to host you in their department for a period of one or two years from a date no later than 31 March 2018
- Have approval from their head of department and relevant university authorities to make an offer to host a postdoctoral researcher
Your EAS number must be included in the subject line of the email. You must also include the name and email address of your proposed supervisor in your application. When you submit your application, your proposed supervisor will receive an email reminding them to submit their statement by the deadline above, in case they have not already done so; this email will include a link to your application, which they can view.
Please note that the CSC does not charge candidates to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its Electronic Application System (EAS).
Enquiries?
If you have an enquiry, please contact the CSC
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