Funding: fees and scholarships
This page is updated as and when sources of funding become available for application. The funding environment is ever changing and opportunities often become available at relatively short notice, so you may wish to bookmark both this page and the University Scholarships Office webpage.
Fees
Tuition fees for postgraduate research students are available via Research Student Administration (please note that ITS fees are within the Sciences category). Details of indicative living costs are available from Leeds University Student Union.
Scholarships / current funding opportunities
If you wish to apply for a scholarship advertised on this page, you must first apply for an academic place on the ITS PhD programme. Some scholarships are tied to a specific topic/project, whereas others allow the student to propose their own, within an overall theme - the description of each scholarship will specify. For queries related to PhD application processes, please contact Keith Harrison.
For UK/EU applicants
Each year, ITS normally has a number of Research Council scholarships, for which UK and EC students are eligible to apply. Details are posted here when available:
ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre (WR DTC) Studentship (UK/EU): Real-Time Planning for Resilient Transport Futures
Applications are invited from talented and motivated individuals to undertake a fully-funded PhD research programme in the area of Transport Planning. One of three potential topics is available focussed around planning for resilience, planning for low carbon futures and planning with social media and is based within the Sustainable Transport Policy Research group at the Institute for Transport Studies.
Value of the studentship
The successful applicant will receive a maintenance grant (if eligible) (£13,590 in Session 2011/12) at standard Research Council rates, together with a Research Support Grant - £750 a year for each standard full-time Research studentship holder and £450 for part-time research students..
Eligibility
Applicants should have at least an upper second-class honours degree (preferably a first class degree), or an equivalent combination of qualifications and experience. Ideally, applicants should have an Masters degree in social science or transport planning subject e.g., economics, business, planning.
The ideal candidate will be also able to demonstrate:
- Good analytical skills in using either qualitative or quantitative data
- Experience in data generation techniques
- Creativity coupled with the ability to generate practical outcomes from primary research
- The ability to disseminate research findings for scientific publication.
Please note that under the terms of this studentship, applicants must meet ESRC residency requirements.
Supervision team
Three different topics are offered by different supervisors. Main supervisors for the topics include: Frances Hodgson, Dr Greg Marsden and Dr Susan Grant-Muller. This supervision team offer expertise in transport planning, social analysis, methodological development and statistical analysis. In addition to the expert guidance of these individual supervisors, the successful PhD student will benefit from on-going activities of the Sustainable Transport Policy research group led by Frances Hodgson and ongoing collaborations in the Disruptions project (www.disruptioniproject.net).
Informal enquiries
Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss this opportunity prior to formal application, by contacting Dr Grant-Muller, Frances Hodgson or Greg Mardsen, by email in the first instance: G.R.Marsden@Its.leeds.ac.uk; S.M.Grant-Muller@its.leeds.ac.uk; F.C.Hodgson@its.leeds.ac.uk
How to apply
Applicants for the scholarship should first make an application for an academic PhD place with the University of Leeds. Details of how to apply for a PhD place can be found at: www.its.leeds.ac.uk/courses/phd/apply.
Applicants should then apply for the scholarship by visiting the University of Leeds scholarships page at: http://scholarships.leeds.ac.uk/. From the "UK and EU" link, applicants should access the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre Studentships and follow the links to an application form. The completed form should be sent to Mr Keith Harrison at the Institute for Transport Studies (email K.Harrison@its.leeds.ac.uk) to arrive no later than midnight (GMT) on 17th February 2012.
Deadline for applications
Application deadline is 17th February 2012.
Download this advert as a Word doc here
EPSRC studentship (UK/EU): Real-Time Traffic Control Solutions
Applications are invited from talented and motivated individuals to undertake a fully-funded PhD research programme in the Design of Real-Time Optimal Traffic Control Solutions for Heterogeneous Intelligent Traffic Networks. The research forms part of a larger 5-year EPSRC programme on Advanced Traffic Flow Theory and Control for Heterogeneous Intelligent Traffic Networks, and is based within the Modelling Group at the Institute for Transport Studies. Further details of the research programme can be found on the EPSRC website.
Value of the studentship
The successful applicant will receive a £13,590 tax free annual maintenance award, a tuition fee waiver, and a training support grant (EU applicants are eligible for an award of tuition fees only).
Eligibility
Applicants should have at least an upper second-class honours degree (preferably a first class degree), or an equivalent combination of qualifications and experience. Ideally, applicants should have an MSc in traffic, mechanical, electronics, computing or control engineering. The ideal candidate will be also able to demonstrate:
- Good Programming Skills (MATLAB and/or C++)
- Experience in data fusion and pattern recognition
- Creativity coupled with the ability to generate practical outcomes from technical and field research
- The ability to disseminate research findings for scientific publication.
Please note that under the terms of this studentship, applicants must meet EPSRC residency requirements.
Supervision team
The PhD supervision team brings together the expertise in traffic flow dynamics and optimal control methods of the grant holder, Dr Dong Ngoduy, with the expertise in advanced statistics in transport of Professor David Watling. In addition to the expert guidance of these supervisors, the successful PhD student will benefit from on-going collaborations between ITS and the programme’s international academic partners, including the Queensland University of Technology, Hong Kong University, Delft University of Technology and the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong.
Informal enquiries
Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss this opportunity prior to formal application, by contacting Dr Dong Ngoduy, by email in the first instance:d.ngoduy@leeds.ac.uk (please note that applications sent to this email address will not be accepted)
How to apply
Applicants for the scholarship should first make an application for an academic PhD place at the Institute for Transport Studies. Details of how to apply for a PhD place can be found at: www.its.leeds.ac.uk/courses/phd/apply.
As part of that application candidates should submit a 2,000 word Research Proposal explaining how they would address the Real-Time Traffic Control Solutions research theme. Applicants should then submit a completed Scholarship application form and include an identical Research Proposal. The Scholarship application should be sent by email or post to Mr Keith Harrison, email: K.Harrison@its.leeds.ac.uk. This email address can also be used for any queries you have about the application process.
Deadline for applications
The deadline for application is 31 January 2012 (the successful candidate will be invited to commence the PhD programme in Spring 2012).
For International applicants
ITS only occasionally has departmental scholarships for international students. Funding is more typically in the form of scholarship competitions offered by the University of Leeds or administered on behalf of other sponsors. Details are posted here when available, but please explore the opportunities detailed by the University's Scholarships Office.
