The Open Society Foundations / University of Essex Scholarships in Human Rights
We are not currently accepting applications. Please check this page for updates.

The scholarships aim to provide opportunities for independent postgraduate study in the United Kingdom for students who are engaged in or intending to pursue postgraduate work in their own country and who have demonstrated both academic excellence and the potential to become leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers in their own country. Subject to satisfactory progress, the scholarships lead to the award of a Masters degree.
 
The scholarships will enable suitably qualified students to pursue the following taught postgraduate programmes within the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex:
 
MA in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights
MA in Human Rights and Cultural Diversity
LLM in International Human Rights Law
LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
 
Each award will provide for payment of academic tuition fees, examination fees, a monthly stipend for living expenses sufficient for a single student, and other agreed allowances including one return economy airfare. 
 
2. Who is eligible to apply?
 
The scholarships are open to applicants from Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lebanon, Nepal, Palestine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
 
Applicants must:
  • be nationals of, and normally resident in, the selected country during the academic year in which they apply for the award; applicants who are temporarily out of the country (for a total period of less than three consecutive months) may be treated as being resident;
  • display intellectual ability and leadership potential;
  • already hold (or expect to hold by the time of taking up the award) a relevant first degree of an equivalent standard to a good UK second-class Honours degree;
  • have passed an IELTS test at an appropriate level (this must be at least 7.0 overall with no individual band less than 6.5) at the time of taking up the award;
  • previous relevant practical experience will be considered;
  • return to their home country at the end of their scholarship period to continue their studies / work there.
  • Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously studied outside of their home country.

 

Please note that if you have applied, or are applying, for other grants, fellowships or scholarships with the Open Society Foundations you should alert us to this in your application.  While you may apply for more than one program simultaneously, you can be awarded only one Open Society Foundations scholarship or grant for a given period.

 

Employees, employees’ relatives (or former employees who have left employment less than two years before) of the local representations of the Open Society Scholarship Programs directly involved in the Open Society Scholarship Programs administration and the participating universities will not be eligible to apply for these awards.
 
3. How can I apply?
 
You can obtain application forms (including information about the courses at the Human Rights Centre) from your local representative offices of the Open Society Scholarship Programs listed at the end of these Guidance Notes.
You will have to complete a Graduate Admissions Applications Pack (this requires that you submit a number of additional documents, such as academic references.)  
 
You must submit all the necessary documents to your local representative offices of the Open Society Scholarship Programs by Monday, 21 January 2013 at the latest (one original set, plus two complete photocopied sets).
 
Please note the following important points:
  •  Incomplete applications will not be considered, three complete copies (the original and two photocopies) of your application must be received.
  • The overall impression of your application will be taken into consideration. Applications should be typed if possible or, if this is not feasible, they should be written clearly - with defined paragraphs and margins. If we cannot read the application then it is unlikely to succeed. 
  • Statement of Purpose - this should be clear and concise and hand-written. You should remain within the 500 word guideline as only the first 500 words of your statement will be taken into consideration.
  • References - please note these must be academic (from the institution where you gained your degree). You may, if you wish, include a professional reference in addition to the two academic references.
  • If your application for a scholarship for the MA or LLM is unsuccessful, we cannot subsequently forward your application to the University for consideration. If you want to make a separate application to the University, then please contact the relevant department.
  • Applicants must reach the required level of English language. This should be at least IELTS 7.0 overall with no individual band less than 6.5.
  • Completed applications should be sent to your local representative offices of the Open Society Scholarship Programs specified below. You must NOT send the completed application form directly to the University, and you must NOT send it by email. Any applications sent directly to the University of Essex or by email will not be considered.
  • Ensure that you retain a copy of your application for yourself.

 

4. How does the selection procedure work?
 
All applications will be sent by the local representative offices of the Open Society Scholarship Programs to the Human Rights Centre at Essex. Applications will be considered by a selection panel for the programmes at the University that will prepare a shortlist of applicants who will be invited for interview.  
 
By the end of March, applicants will be informed as to whether they have been invited for interview, and later on whether they would need to take an English language test. It is expected that these will take place in late March/early April 2013.
 
The final decisions as to which applicants will be offered scholarships will not be taken at the time of the interviews. These decisions will be taken later by the University in conjunction with the Open Society Foundations. It is expected that all applicants will be informed by the end of May 2013 as to whether they have been successful or not.
 
Please note that all successful applicants will be expected to attend a one-month preparatory academic writing summer school in August 2013. The Open Society Scholarship Programs Pre-Academic Summer Program is designed to prepare Open Society Scholarship Programs grantees for a successful academic experience in the UK. Scholars will be provided with the opportunity to refine their research and writing skills through intensive courses in academic writing and social sciences. The exact date and location of the summer school will be available at a later stage in the selection process.
 
5. How can I find out more about the University of Essex and the Human Rights Centre?

Visit the University of Essex website: http://www.essex.ac.uk or http://www.sx.ac.uk

The sheet containing the relevant web links for the University of Essex campus information will guide you.
 
Visit the Human Rights Centre homepage:           http://www.essex.ac.uk/hrc
 
6. Who should I contact if I have any questions?
 
First of all, please make use of all of the written documentation available to you: these Guidance Notes, the University web pages, etc.
 
If you have any queries about these Guidance Notes, then you should contact AMIDEAST
 
7. Contact details of the Local Representatives of the Open Society Scholarship Programs
 
You can obtain application forms at www.amideast.org . Please note that completed application forms (one original copy and two photocopies), together with all other necessary documents, must be returned to AMIDEAST by 21 January 2013.
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