The Research & Innovation Office

Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) Scholarship at USP

CLOSED

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund [SYLFF] Scholarship to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by research only at The University of the South Pacific (USP).

The award is tenable from early 2024 and may be held in any member country of the USP.

The Sylff Awards are available in any social science and humanities discipline . The university will also consider funding interdisciplinary research and research in other disciplines which have significant implications for Pacific societies and cultures.

Benefits and Conditions
A Sylff award in 2024 will comprise of the following:

• Tuition fees (paid directly)
• Book allowance of up to $450 per semester
• General Services fees paid directly
• Health Services fees paid directly
• Living allowance of $24,000 per year to be paid on a monthly basis
• Dependents Allowance of $10,883.00 per year to qualifying awardees
• Establishment Allowance of $1,942.00 (one-off) to qualifying awardees
• Research grant – only after the research plan and budget have been approved by the appropriate Academic Unit Research Committee (AURC)
• One return airfare when the person receiving the award has to travel to a USP campus in another country to take up the offer.

All amounts are in Fijian dollars.

Scholarship Conditions
These scholarships are for full-time study. Awardees are not permitted to be in paid employment during the tenure of their awards. Scholarship holders will also have the opportunity to contribute to ongoing teaching in their respective academic units for a maximum of eight hours per week only during semester time.

Research Degree at USP
PhD awards are for 36 months. Applicants for a PhD should normally should have completed a Masters degree. The University recognises that there are special circumstances in which some applicants without these pre-requisites may be eligible for enrolment in these degree programmes. More details in the University Calendar at www.usp.ac.fj/publications.

Applications
Applicants must be citizens of a USP member country, and preferably be 45 years or younger for PhD studies at the time of application to be considered for the scholarship.

Closing date for applications is midnight Friday, 22 December, 2023

Completed applications must be sent via email to pgrscholarships@usp.ac.fj with the subject line “SYLFF 2024 Application – [Your Name]”. 

Emailed applications must include:

1. Completed Applicant Form
2. Cover letter or a letter of application
3. An outline of a proposed research topic*
4. Curriculum vitae
5. Name and contact details of three referees
6. Certified true copies of relevant transcripts and certificates
7. Proof of citizenship

*Applicants may discuss their applications with a potential supervisor. 

An Applicant Checklist is provided to aid the applicant and must be submitted with the application.

Please Note:

• The SYLFF Scholarship is for research programmes only and does not cover any pre-requisite courses for entry into the  PhD programme.
• Applicants must enrol in their respective academic units; the scholarship does not guarantee a place in the academic unit.

Queries regarding the scholarship can be emailed to pgrscholarships@usp.ac.fj or to:

Anushka Maharaj
Research Student Coordinator
Email: anushka.maharaj@usp.ac.fj 
Phone: 3231888