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CSC-UU PhD Programme 2009: 

2009 China Scholarship Council
Utrecht University PhD Programme

1. Information
Following the agreement between the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Utrecht University (UU), a maximum of 20 excellent Chinese PhD students per year can come to Utrecht as from 2007 to pursue a PhD on a CSC scholarship. In general a PhD at Utrecht University takes 4 years. Qualified students from Mainland China in all disciplines conducting research at Utrecht University Partners (UUP)* are considered eligible candidates. Applications from PhD students who are not registered at one of the Utrecht University Partners are also welcome, but will not have a priority. Applications in the 15 Utrecht University Research Focus Areas, see www.uu.nl under ‘research’, have a priority. This is the call for applications with information on the programme procedure and attached the application form.

The selection of the Chinese PhD candidates is a multi-stage process, which means that first the Executive Board of Utrecht University will approve the candidates on academic grounds, after which the candidates that have been issued with a letter of acceptance by the UU Executive Board must send their applications (including this letter of acceptance) to CSC. If CSC approves the candidates as well (thus awarding them a four-year scholarship), the students can enter the CSC-UU PhD programme.

The 2009 application deadline is Friday 28 November 2008

Complete applications must be submitted on this date to the Executive Board of UU by the Utrecht University supervisor of the Chinese PhD student.

CSC has set the deadline for submitting applications on Friday 20 March 2009. Candidates that receive a letter of acceptance from the Executive Board of UU in January 2009 must submit complete applications in hard copy to CSC. We advise the students and UU supervisors to prepare the CSC application before or right after submitting their application to UU.

Considering the deadlines for submitting applications we strongly advise all interested students to contact possible UU supervisors and, if necessary, arrange to take an IELTS or TOEFL (English proficiency) test as soon as possible.

*Utrecht University Partners in Mainland China
Beijing University
Fudan University
Nanjing University
Tsinghua University
Wuhan University
Xiamen University
Zhejiang University
NB: According to CSC regulations students from the Utrecht University Partners in Hong Kong are not eligible to apply.

CSC-UU PhD Programme 2009

2. Schematic procedure

1 Applicants from Mainland China presently doing their PhD (or a combined Masters and PhD programme) at a university or research institute in China are eligible to submit applications.  The application form is attached to this document. Only Chinese citizens studying or working in Mainland China are eligible to submit applications. For details on the CSC requirements kindly see the CSC website: http://en.csc.edu.cn/.

2 Applicants must have a relevant Masters degree and preferably already started there PhD in China. Students who have been participating in a combined Master’s and PhD programme (and therefore do not have a Masters degree) for at least one year are also eligible for the Programme.

3 First of all the PhD student must identify a UU Professor willing to be his/her supervisor for the PhD in Utrecht. To do so see the website www.uu.nl/english, click ‘Faculties’ and select the faculty of your studies. Then click ‘research’ and look for institutes or staff working in your field of expertise. For the faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences kindly contact Ms Els van Kampen at e.vankampen(AT)uu.nl, for Medicine you can contact Mr. Willem Peeters at w.m.peeters(AT)umcutrecht.nl and for the faculty of Law, Economics and Governance you are requested to contact research(AT)law.uu.nl. If you can not find a suitable supervisor you can contact the department or institute secretariat via email or telephone as mentioned on their website.

If the student finds such a UU supervisor the student should fill in the application form and send it to the UU supervisor for approval. If the UU supervisor approves of the application the PhD student must send the UU supervisor:

- A copy of his or her Master’s degree or proof of participation in a combined  Masters–PhD programme;
- Electronic copy of signed letter of recommendation and approval of the suggested research in Utrecht by the students home university (in China) Faculty Dean or supervisor;
- Copy of IELTS or TOEFL score (proof of English skills), the test taken not more than three years previously*.
* IELTS: 6.5 (average) with a minimum of 6.0 for the writing section. TOEFL: 237 for the computer test; or 580 for the written test; or 93  for the internet test.

4 The following step is the research proposal. The UU PhD supervisor and Chinese PhD student must jointly write the PhD research proposal (the research to be done in Utrecht when granted the scholarship) which is part of the application.

5 When the applicant and UU supervisor agree on the application the UU supervisor should arrange:
- A nomination letter by the UU supervisor him/herself for the application which
should describe the benefits of the PhD programme for both the PhD student(‘s research group) and the UU research group. The letter should also include a strengths and weaknesses analysis of the application (and how the latter will be handled);
- An electronic copy (scanned) of the signed standard format approval letter of the UU Faculty Dean. To obtain the format of this letter you can contact Mrs. Joke de Wolf of the Academic Affairs Office secretariat: J.L.M.dewolf(AT)uu.nl

6 Applicants have to be nominated by the Utrecht University supervisor: not the PhD student but the UU supervisor will submit the complete application via email. Complete applications must be submitted electronically by Friday 28 November 2008 the latest to the UU Executive Board, c/o Mrs. Fatima Shahrabi, Academic Affairs Office, e-mail: f.shahrabi(AT)uu.nl

7 Based on the advise of the UU Region Committee Asia the Executive Board of Utrecht University will select the most qualified candidates. After the selection the applicants and their UU supervisor will receive a letter of rejection (via email only) or approval (via email and hard copy) in the second half of January 2009.

8 The PhD students that are selected by UU will submit their application to CSC no later than 20 March 2009. NB: without the abovementioned approval letter from the Executive Board of UU CSC will not consider the application.

9  In May/June 2009 CSC will select and notify the candidates to be awarded the scholarships to do research at Utrecht University within the CSC-UU PhD programme 2009.

10 Candidates will not be accepted by Utrecht University unless they have been nominated by the Executive Board of UU and selected by CSC (through the award of a four-year scholarship).

11 Selected students will not be able to start their research at Utrecht University before 1 September 2009 and will most likely start their PhD in Utrecht in the fourth quarter of 2009.

12 For information or questions about the programme you can contact Mrs. Fatima Shahrabi, Academic Affairs Office, Utrecht University: T  +31-(0)30-253 5484  , at f.shahrabi(AT)uu.nl or see the CSC website: http://www.csc.edu.cn or UU website: www.uu.nl/phd.

Complete Details: http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/homeuu/homeenglish/research/doctoraldegreeph/4462main.html

Application Form: CLICK HERE to see