Somerville College and the University of Oxford - Oxford-Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarship

Oxford-Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarship

You will receive a full PhD scholarship at the University of Oxford. This will cover all your tuition and college fees, as well as a monthly stipend towards your living costs. The funding applies for the entire period during which you are required to pay fees for your PhD. The funding comes from Somerville College and the University of Oxford and is financed by the Indian Government. Upon completion of your studies, you are expected to return to India and contribute to tackling development challenges there, often through teaching. Only one place is awarded each year.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have applied to study for a full-time DPhil (as the doctoral degree is known at Oxford) at Oxford.
• Where you're from: They usually live in India or have studied at an Indian university.
• Research topic: Your proposed research project relates to sustainable development in India. Relevant subject areas include liveable cities, combating global warming, environmentally friendly energy, better and more affordable healthcare, nature conservation, and securing food and water supplies. Projects on the topics of law, rights and governance are also included, provided they are linked to these objectives.
• Your own idea: You can design your own project on any topic relating to India, provided it is in line with these sustainable development goals.
• Selection basis: You will be assessed on the basis of your academic achievements, the relevance of your research, your understanding of the development challenges facing India, and your potential to take on leadership roles and drive projects forward.

How to apply

Submit the standard University of Oxford postgraduate application form for your course by the funding deadline, which is in December or January depending on the course. You do not need to specify a college. All eligible applicants will be automatically considered, and the selected scholarship recipients will be referred to Somerville College. Around February or March, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your interest via a short online form. Shortlisting and interviews will take place in April or May.

How realistic are your chances?

Only one scholarship is awarded each year, aimed at a specific target group: Indian PhD candidates whose research projects are in the field of sustainable development. This leads to fierce competition for the top places, but because of the narrow focus, the pool of applicants is smaller than for the University of Oxford’s open funding schemes. If your project clearly fits these themes and you already have a conditional offer for a DPhil at Oxford, you are a strong contender.