Introduction
The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems (SNMHS) is offering funded scholarships for entry into the PhD programme with registration commencing in September 2024. The PhD programmes at SNMHS provide comprehensive research training that enables students to develop and deepen their understanding of their chosen topic.
Full-time PhD scholarships offer EU academic fees for a maximum of 4 years. No stipend is provided and no contribution to the School is requested.
Part-time PhD Scholarships offer EU academic fees for 6 years on the part-time register. No stipend is provided and no contribution to the School is requested.
Important Dates
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | 20 February 2024 |
| Application Deadline | 26 April 2024 |
| Notification of Successful Applications | To be confirmed |
Applications to the scholarship programme are submitted via email to (opens in a new window)researchdegrees.nmhs@ucd.ie no later than 26th of April 2024.
Our Research
The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems are committed to developing knowledge that informs health and social policy, advances professional practice and education in nursing and midwifery, and generates impact in the wider health system, both nationally and internationally. To find out more about the SNMHS research please visit our webpage.
Ph.D. Scholarship Domains
We are offering full and part-time scholarships which are aligned to one of the four SNMHS research domains:
- Holistic health and wellbeing across the life continuum.
- Learning design and teaching practice.
- Advancing care practices in nursing and midwifery.
- Health systems and inclusive healthcare.
The scholarships are open to registered nurses and midwives, who are excited by research. Scholars will seek to create an impact for their discipline and profession through the generation and translation of evidence that builds health across the life continuum, advances nursing and midwifery practice or education, or strengthens health systems nationally and globally.
Eligibility Criteria
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be a legal resident of Ireland at the time of the application.
Applicants must have an active nursing or midwifery registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).*
Applicants must fulfil one of the following criteria*
- The candidate has obtained a minimum of an upper second-class degree or equivalent in a relevant honours Bachelor’s degree;
- The candidate has obtained a relevant master’s degree;
- In certain circumstances, the candidate has demonstrated other evidence of academic standing and/or relevant professional experience as satisfies the Governing Board of their suitability for admission to the degree programme. These criteria are considered non-standard admission requirements.
English Language Requirements
Candidates whose first language is not English and whose primary degree was obtained in a country where English is not the official language of instruction must provide proof of proficiency in English such as IELTS or TOEFL. The original certificate of completion of an English language test must be enclosed with the application. In all cases, the test results must not be more than two years old.
If you are unsure about your eligibility please contact the Research Degree Programme Administrator at (opens in a new window)researchdegrees.nmhs@ucd.ie.
*SNMHS Undergraduate Direct Entry
Applications are invited from UCD undergraduate nursing and midwifery students who are in the final stage of their undergraduate programme (Stage 4).
In order to be considered eligible for the scholarship programme UCD undergraduate nursing or midwifery students must fulfil the following criteria:
- Be in the final stage of their registration programme with anticipation of NMBI registration in 2024
- Provide evidence to support a predicted degree of a minimum of upper second-class honours (stage module transcripts and academic reference)
Successful applicants may be offered a research degree programme scholarship conditional to the candidate achieving a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree in 2024 AND subsequent NMBI registration.
These candidates may defer the commencement of their research degree registration to January 2025
How to Apply
Interested and eligible applicants are advised that they should discuss their research plans with a member of staff in the SNMHS ahead of their application. For the application to be eligible for review prospective students must secure the support and nomination of an academic staff member of the School who will become the primary supervisor for the PhD.
In advance of their scholarship application, candidates must apply to register as a PhD student with the SNMHS following normal due process and observing the registration guidelines. Applications are made online through UCD Applications and require the payment of an application fee (€60). For more information on SNMHS PhD application requirement, please visit our website. Once the application has been accepted and the student is provided with an offer of registration to the research degree programme they may make an application to be considered for the scholarship programme.
If you are already registered as a PhD student in SNMHS you must be in the first year of the register i.e., from September 2023. This applies to students registered Part-Time or Full-Time.
Application Materials
In order to apply for a Scholarship individuals should submit:
- A cover letter indicating the applicant’s discipline and which NMHS research domain(s) their application aligns to.
- The cover letter should state whether its an application for a full-time or part-time scholarship
- A personal statement (max 500 words)
- A Curriculum Vitae
- A research proposal (max 1,500 words)
- A supervisor support statement
Application Assessment Criteria
Personal Statement/CV
- Evidence of a commitment to nursing/midwifery research and academic development of the profession
- Evidence of relevant transferable skills for example communication, leadership, self-management
- Experience in research dissemination (peer-reviewed journal article(s), conference presentations, posters, policy briefs)
Research Proposal
- The aim(s) of the proposed research are clear and are placed within a suitable context
- The proposed research demonstrates the potential to have a novel contribution to theory, methodology, practice, and/or education
- There is a clear understanding of the overall research process demonstrated (from question to results)
Throughout
- The rationale for pursuing a doctoral research degree is explained
- The application is clearly aligned to the school research domains and/or existing school research activity
- Excellent written presentation (spelling, grammar, graphical) with essentially no presentation errors
Application Deadline
Applications to the scholarship programme are submitted via email to (opens in a new window)researchdegrees.nmhs@ucd.ie no later than 26th of April 2024.
Current PhD Scholarships
Currently there are three PhD scholarships available through The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Systems (SNMHS) and UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education, and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS). These offer a full-time PhD Scholarship with registration commencing in January 2025. The PhD programme may focus on the areas outlined below and each scholarship offers a stipend of €22,000 per annum plus academic fees for a maximum of 4 full-time years.
The deadline for applications varies. Further information about each scholarship including details on how to apply can be found using the links below: