The Research & Innovation Office

Pacific Regional Sports Research Scholarship (PRSRS)

CLOSED

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the Pacific Regional Sports Research Scholarship (PRSRS) to undertake a Master’s by research degree at The University of the South Pacific (USP).

This scholarship is a collaboration between the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) and USP. The two partners are keen to fund interdisciplinary projects that fall within the following research themes with a focus on sports:

• Economics
• Social Impact
• Physical Education

The awards are tenable from early 2024 and maybe held in any member country of the USP. There will be three scholarships awarded for the 2024 academic year.

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

• Tuition fees (paid directly)
• Book allowance of up to $750/year
• General Services fees paid directly
• Health Services fees paid directly
• Living allowance of FJD 21,600
• Dependents Allowance of FJD10,883.00 per year to qualifying awardees
• Establishment Allowance of FJD1,942.00 (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 only. Awardees are not permitted to be in paid employment during the tenure of their awards. Scholarship holders will be expected to contribute a maximum of eight hours per week to ongoing teaching in their respective academic units for one semester and for another semester at an industry placement, terms of which will be discussed upon confirmation of award.

Applications

Applicants must be citizens of a USP member country (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) and preferably be 40 years or younger at the time of application to be considered for the scholarship. Applicants for the Pacific Regional Sports Research Scholarship must have a grade point average [GPA] of 3 or above. A postgraduate diploma is preferred however not mandatory.

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

Emailed applications must include:

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

*Applicants may discuss their applications with a potential supervisor. 

Please Note:

• Applicants must enrol in their respective academic units; the scholarship does not guarantee a place in the academic unit.

Closing date is midnight, Monday 18th December, 2023.

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