International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) call for applications is now open for four fully-funded Ph.D. Scholarships to Ph.D. candidates. Candidates from Africa and South Asia who wish to start their Ph.D. at the University of Sussex in Brighton (UK) can apply in the academic year 2023.

The British and Norwegian governments, along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are the generous sponsors of the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) located at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex. They intend to fulfill their goal with collaborative research and engagement. Furthermore, this research center aims to improve administration and tax policy in lower-income countries.

To be qualified, all candidates should propose Ph.D. projects focusing on taxation in African and South Asian countries. Hence, applicants can select a topic from a broad area in the field, focusing on any issue of their interest. Due to the multidisciplinary attribute of the ICTD, suitable proposals can select any disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach, including:  

• Economics
• Political Science
• Anthropology

The ICTD exception is a competitive scholarship for the academic year 2023. 

Brief Details

Application Deadline: 15 March 2023 (23.59 BST) 

Application Status: Open

Shortlisting: 31 March 2023

Application Revised: 8 May 2023

Final Decisions: 31 May 2023 

Host Organization: International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD)   

Duration: 2 Years

Location: United Kingdom  

Degree Level: Ph.D. 

Gender: Male/Female

Medium of Instruction: English 

Number of Opportunity: Four

Eligible Country: Africa and South Asia

Fields of Study: Taxation (Economics, Political Science, Anthropology, etc.)

Benefits of the ICTD Ph.D. Scholarship

The Scholarship will cover the following allowances:

• University fees;
• A stipend of 17,668 GBP per year in line with UK research council funding;
• Funds to attend conferences
• Visa costs;
• Relocation expenses.

Additionally, successful applicants will benefit from the following:

• Fully participation in the ICTD team and networks;
• Residing at IDS or a department of the University of Sussex;
• For connections with the ICTD team and involvement in training opportunities, applicants will spend at least the first and third year at IDS or Sussex in person.

Requirements of the ICTD Ph.D. Scholarship 

All applicants should qualify for the following requirements to apply for this Ph.D. scholarship:

• Hold a nationality of African and South Asia countries;
• Propose Ph.D. projects focusing on taxation in African and South Asian countries. Required Materials;
• Prove previous academic degree programs;
• Applications should meet three primary levels of English language proficiency, depending on the course applied for standard, high and advanced:
  

  Applicants with IELTS Academic scores:

  • Some small degrees require an advanced Academic IELTS total score of 7.0, with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four components.
  • For some degrees, an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four components is a high score. 
  • A usual IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four components is necessary for some degree programs. 

  TOEFL iBT Scores:

  • Total 95 score and minimum 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, and 24 in Writing for the advanced manner 
  • Overall 88 score with a minimum of 20 in Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, and 23 in Writing, is a high number
  • A total score of 80, with a minimum of 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking, and 17 in Writing, is standard TOEFL iBT.

  Applicants with the CAE Scores:

  • 185 total scores, including at least 176 in each skill for the advanced manner 
  • 176 totals, including at least 169 in each skill for a high manner 
  • 169 overall, including at least 162 in each skill, is a standard number of CAE for this scholarship 

  Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Scores:

  • Advanced: 185 overall, minimum 176 in each skill 
  • High: 176 overall, minimum 169 in each skill 
  • Standard:169 overall, minimum 162 in each skill

  Duolingo English Test Scores:

  • All applicants should prove 140 totals in an as advanced manner, with no component score below 125
  • High score for Duolingo is 130 total score with no component score below 115
  • An overall 120 score, with no component score below 100, is a standard Duolingo score 

  Pearson (PTE Academic) Scores:

  • Advanced: 67 overalls, including at least 62 in all four skills
  • High: 62 overalls, including at least 59 in all four skills
  • Standard: 59 overalls, including at least 59 in all four skills

  Note: For more details about English proficiency, please visit the link.

Required Documents for the Ph.D. Scholarship

Applicants should prepare the complete list of documents required for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

Records as are necessary for application till 15 March:

• Dedicated Form
• CV
• Research proposal (1500 words)
• Personal statement

Documents required for shortlisted candidates (deadline 8 May):

• CV
• Research proposal (2000-3500 words)
• Two academic references
• Degree certificates and transcripts
• English language qualification (where applicable)

How to Apply?

To submit a complete application package for the Ph.D. scholarship, applicants must prepare all required documents first and then enter the link below.

 

Apply Now

 

 

Check More Opportunities  

 Ajinomoto Foundation Scholarship to Japan

Z Zurich Foundation Scholarship to Attend One Young World Summit (Fully Funded)

Chinese Government Scholarship at Donghua University for Postgraduate Students

 

For further information about this Ph.D. scholarship, please visit the official website of the ICTD. In case of any questions, please get in touch with Susanne Schirmer at [email protected].