Funding sources

Sources of funding for research projects in the School of Mathematics

Available funding sources

There are a number of possible sources of funding for vacation scholarships. The School of Mathematics will underwrite a minimum of 10 scholarships per year, at £300 per week for six weeks.

Many of the scholarships and bursaries have different conditions so the relevant websites must be consulted for precise details. Although some are awarded externally their submission may either be via the College or require the Head of School’s approval.

List of funding sources

All sources have individual application forms and eligibility requirements. Please consult the individual websites for details. Some of the relevant information has been summarised below.

Before applying to any of these sources, please read about the application process.

Funding from the School of Mathematics - deadline March 15-th

In stage 2 of the application process, invited students will submit an application to the School of Mathematics. Funding is available only for projects with supervisors in the School of Mathematics, and students should be on track for obtaining at least a 2:1 (second class upper division) honours degree. Students should not be in their first or final year of study. Students should be based in the School of Maths (ie have a personal tutor from the School of Maths), or be on a joint degree with maths (ie Computer Science and Maths, Economics and Maths, Philosophy and Maths or Mathematical Physics).

Funding decisions will be based on academic performance. Priority wll be given to students that have not been awarded a scholarship previously, and a maximum of two scholarships per year is available to students who have previously been awarded vacation scholarships.

The value of each scholarship is £300 a week for six weeks. If an invited student applies for funding from the School of Maths, and is successful in obtaining funding from another source paid at a lower rate, then the student should accept the funding from the other source and the School of Maths will pay any additional top-up required to make the total £300 per week for six weeks.

Students should submit the application form (available in word and pdf) by March 15-th, and apply for at least one other source of funding listed below.  We strongly recommend that every student applies to the College vacation scholarships below.

Funding sources administered by College of Science and Engineering - deadline March 31st

Scholarships and Student Funding

https://uoe.sharepoint.com/sites/CSCE/AcademicAffairs/SitePages/Scholarships.aspx

Most of the funding administered by College (British Association Travel Fund, College Vacation Scholarships, Barnson Bequest, Mackay Greenland Fund, Weir Fund) has an application deadline of March 31st.

College vacation scholarships

This application will usually ask you for a budget for your project. If you are also applying for School funding, then please ask for the maximum amount and if you are successful in your application, then the School will top up the amount of funding you receive to £300 per week for six weeks.

EPSRC undergraduate vacation internships

Applicants should be in the middle years of their degree (i.e. not first or final year).

Barnson Bequest Scholarship

Applicants have to be of Scottish nationality or extraction. Applicants must still be a current student when undertaking the project.

This application will usually ask you for a budget for your project. If you are also applying for School funding, then please ask for the maximum amount and if you are successful in your application, then the School will top up the amount of funding you receive to £300 per week for six weeks.

External funding sources

London Mathematical Society

Applicants should be in the middle years of their degree (i.e. not first or final year). Students in the final year of their degree intending to undertake a taught Masters degree immediately following their undergraduate degree may apply. Usual annual deadline February 1st.

Edinburgh Mathematical Society

Students may only take up the award during the summer vacation between the intermediate years (usually between years 3 and 4) of their undergraduate degree. Researchers in Mathematics or Statistics at universities and research institutions within Scotland are eligible to apply. Usual annual deadline March 10th.

The School of Maths can only submit two applications per year for this scheme, so please contact the vacation scholarship organiser before you apply for these scholarships. If you apply for funding from the School of Maths, then you will automatically be considered as a potential applicant for this funding, and the vacation scholarship organiser will email you in early March if you have been selected to apply for this funding.

Royal Society of Edinburgh

The Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Cormack scholarship is suitable for those interested in Astronomy. A potential supervisor for such projects is Dr M.Ruffert and students should contact him to explore the feasibility of a project. Applicants should be in the middle years of their degree (i.e. not first or final year).

Medical Research Scotland  

Applicants must not have graduated by the time of completing their Vacation Scholarship. Applications must be submitted by the supervisor.

Carnegie Trust

Applicants must be registered at one of select Scottish universities, and should be in the third year of a four-year degree, or the third or fourth year of a five-year degree. Usual annual deadline January 31st.