AquaCulture, Environment and Society (ACES) Scholarship Program for International Students 2017/2018 (Erasmus Mundus)

The EM JMD ACES will propose best ranked students to be awarded with individual Erasmus Mundus scholarships according to the student selection criteria approved by the EACEA and the Erasmus Mundus programme guidelines.

Application Deadline: 17th February 2017.

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Two scholarship categories are established: Partner Country students (Category A) and Programme Country students (Category B).

Category A is open to students who are not nationals of an EU country, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, Turkey or the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Category B is available to all applicants that do not meet the criteria for Category A.

To be taken at (country): The ACES Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree  involves study periods in three different European countries (UK, France and Greece)

• Semester 1: SAMS, University of the Highlands and Islands, UK
• Semester 2: University of Crete, Greece – focus on finfish aquaculture
• Semester 3: University of Nantes, France – focus on shellfish aquaculture
• Semester 4: research projects in Oban, Nantes or Crete

About the Award: The concession of the scholarship will be subjected to the following limitations:

• Exclusively full-time enrolment.
• Not being awarded with other EU grants for the same joint course over the length of the course concerned.
• No more than two of the students with the same nationality.

Type: Masters

Eligibility: The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in AquaCulture, Environment and Society is open to students who meet the following minimum conditions:

• Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in one of the fields of environmental or social sciences. An appropriate background could include; Aquaculture-related studies, Marine Science, Aquatic Biology, Biology, Environmental Sciences or Marine Resources, Environmental Economics and Environmental Policy. You should have a bachelor degree at the time of application for the scholarship, i.e. by 17 February 2017.
• English competence equivalent to 6.5 Academic IELTS (with a minimum of 6.0 in all four components).
• We particularly welcome applications from mature students and/or those with practical working experience in the aquaculture industry.

English Language Requirements

• All candidates must hold an IELTS (Academic) qualification or an equivalent qualification obtained through a Secure English Language Test (SELT), which is valid until at least September 2017.
• Please note that TOEFL iBT testing will no longer be accepted for UK visa granting purposes.

Selection Criteria and Process:

• Academic excellence and suitability
• Level of language skills
• Motivation and potential
• Quality of reference

All candidates who submit eligible and complete applications will receive information on their final scores.  The top 50-60 applicants will be sent an email during early March 2017 to invite them to take part in a Skype interview on either 13th or 14th March 2017. Further details of dates and times of interviews will be sent to all applicants who are invited to interview.

Number of Awardees:  The number of scholarships will be defined on a yearly basis.

Value of Scholarship: 

• € 2,000 per year for travel costs + € 1,000 for installation costs for scholarship holder resident of a Partner Country whose location is situated at less than 4,000 km from the EM JMD coordinating institution (i.e. UHI-SAMS).
• €3,000 per year for travel costs + € 1,000 for installation costs for scholarship holder resident of a Partner Country whose location is situated at 4,000 km or more from the EM JMD coordinating institution (i.e., UHI-SAMS).
• € 1,000 per month monthly allowance for the entire duration of the EM JMD study programme (i.e. 24 months).

Duration of Scholarship: 2 years

How to Apply: To apply for a place on the programmme, you will need to download and complete in full TWO application forms. Both forms must be completed in English and then emailed, along with all supporting documents, as a single PDF file to Helen Bury at ACES@sams.ac.uk.

The following documents should be emailed as a single PDF file:

1. Completed EM JMD ACES-Application-Form-2017 (in Microsoft Word) in English, including a 350-word statement of motivation and 350-word essay reflecting on your professional experience and understanding of the issue facing the aquaculture industry;
2. Completed UHI Application 2016 -Web (applicable for ALL students, including European). This is a standard UHI application form, which needs to be completed in English. However, for the Course Details section please insert UHI-SAMS; and please leave blank the Personal Statement in this form as this information will be included in the EM JMD ACES application form above;
3. Curriculum vitae (CV) in freestyle format;
4. A professional reference;
5. Copy of your passport;
6. Copy of your degree certificate (plus certified translation into English if applicable);
7. Copy of your transcript of marks (plus certified translation into English if applicable); and
   
8. Copy of your IELTS certificate which is valid until the end of Sept 2017 (you must have obtained this qualification, with an overall score of 6.5, by the time you apply for the ACES course).

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details

Award Provider: European Commission

Important Notes: Please note that EM JMD ACES is very competitive, only the highest ranked of the selected applicants will be offered an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.  Other accepted applicants will be placed on the reserve list for Erasmus Mundus scholarships. Candidates are strongly encouraged to seek other sources of funding.