Lord Selborne PhD Scholarship

This prestigious new scheme fully funds a PhD studentship in vision science.

The purpose of the grant is to support and encourage the next generation of researchers in vision science by helping universities and research institutes meet the cost of supervising research degree programmes. We welcome applications from staff at UK universities and other eligible organisations, such as research institutes. Potential PhD supervisors apply to us for funding, then recruit the student who will benefit – the Lord Selborne scholar.

The maximum award will be matched to the UKRI’s PhD studentship’s stipend and support for tuition fees amounts each year, with an additional £5,000 for consumables and £1,000 for attending conferences per year. The award will be made for three years. However, if an appropriate case is made by the supervisor(s) and student during the final year of the award, an additional 6 months’ award may be made. The latter will not include a consumables or travel award.

For this round, it is expected that the student will be recruited in time to start their PhD in the autumn of 2024.

The Lord Selborne PhD Scholarship has been set up in honour of our former Chairman, Lord Selborne (1940-2021). Lord Selborne was the Chairman of Rank Prize for nearly 30 years, retiring only in 2015. He led the organisation through its formative years with great wisdom and foresight as well as charm and charisma. His legacy is the universally high esteem in which Rank Prize is held today. The Optoelectronics committee are awarding the first scholarship, to be followed by the Nutrition committee in the autumn of 2024.

The call for this grant closed on Monday 15 January 2024 at midnight.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by Friday 2 February. Interviews are to be held on the afternoon of Thursday 15 February.

If you have any questions about the process which are not covered in the terms & conditions or FAQs below, please email enquiries@rankprize.org.

1. The maximum award will be matched to the UKRI’s PhD studentship’s stipend and support for tuition fees amounts each year, with an additional £5,000 for consumables and £1,000 for attending conferences per year. The award will be made for three years. However, if an appropriate case is made by the supervisor(s) and student during the final year of the award, an additional 6 months’ award may be made. The latter will not include a consumables or travel award.
2. The award will be made to the applicant’s university and is to be used to fund a PhD student who will be supervised by the supervisor(s) who submitted the application. If the supervisor moves to another university, the receiving university will be required to accept the terms and conditions relating to the original award.
3. The topic of the project must be relevant to vision science and any changes to the topic can only be made with the approval of Rank Prize.
4. Only one application per department is to be submitted and these must be approved by the Head of Department.
5. The grant must be used to fund a full-time student.
6. The university must cover any additional costs that UKRI would support, such as, but not limited to, parental leave.
7. Students must be registered with an appropriate UK university and receive a full training programme in both specialist and transferrable skills.
8. The award is to be made available to both home and overseas students. However Rank Prize is unable to provide additional funding for overseas students.
9. Students may be invited to meet with Rank Prize’s optoelectronics committee at any time during the project.
10. The responsibility for ensuring student progress remains with the university. The supervisor(s) are required to make an annual statement to the Rank Prize about student progress. The award may be withdrawn if the student fails to make satisfactory progress.
11. Students may be asked to submit a short, informal summary of their progress, which may be used on Rank Prize’s website or social media.
12. The support of Rank Prize must be acknowledged in all publications and presentations arising from the grant.
13. Applications must be submitted by 23:59 Monday 15 January 2024 and shortlisted applicants must be available to attend a Zoom interview with members of the optoelectronics committee on the afternoon of Thursday 15 February 2024.