Student applications for the 2021-22 intake will be accepted via this online form until Monday, 23rd November 2020.
What We Offer
The DTP operates across four research-intensive universities (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter) providing students within our programme access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of each institution. Many DTP projects are co-supervised across two or more of these universities, allowing students to join existing and emerging research partnerships
The GW4 BioMed MRC DTP offers competitive, fully-funded studentships in one of our three research themes:
All projects within our programme reflect on the collective strengths of the DTP:
- Quantitative skills (including mathematical modelling)
- Using data for discovery
- Interdisciplinary skills and approaches (including physics, engineering, chemistry and health economics)
Students in the GW4 BioMed MRC DTP have access to a broad range of training opportunities across all four universities in addition to bespoke training specific to students within the programme that spans the three strands of our training programme including research skills, professional and career development skills and opportunities to broaden horizons.
Key Documents
Application Timeline
| Monday 21st September – Sunday 22nd November 2020 | Projects advertised for student applications | |
| Monday 23rd November 2020 | By 5 p.m. | Student application deadline |
| Wednesday 25th November – Friday 11th December 2020 | Panel scores and shortlists applicants | |
| Wednesday 16th December 2020 | 13:00 – 15:00 | Student shortlisting panel |
| Friday 18th December 2020 | midday | DTP notifies candidates and supervisors of successful applications |
| Friday 15th January 2021 | By 9 a.m. | Supervisor interviews all candidates |
| Friday 15th January 2021 | By 9 a.m. | Candidates send references and transcripts to the DTP |
| Wednesday 20th January – Thursday 21st January 2021 | DTP interviews | |
| Thursday 21st January 2021 | 13:00 – 15:00 | Student shortlisting panel |
| Friday 22nd January 2021 – Friday 26th February 2021 | Clearing period | |
| w/c Monday 27th September 2021 | Local induction events | |
| Friday 1st October 2021 | Official funding start date |
How to Apply
Students can apply to the GW4 BioMed MRC DTP online beginning 21st September 2020 using this online form. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm on Monday, 23rd November 2020.
Eligibility
GW4 BioMed MRC DTP studentships are available to UK, EU and International applicants.
UKRI fully-funded studentships through the GW4 BioMed MRC DTP are now available to applicants who would be classed as an international student. The GW4 partners have all agreed to cover the difference in cost between home and international tuition fees. This means that International candidates will not be expected to cover this cost.
Importantly:
- All studentships will be competitively awarded
- There is a limit of the number international students we can accept onto our programme (up to 30% cap across our partnership per annum)
Academic Requirements
Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a UK degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences. However, the DTP also welcomes students from non-medical backgrounds, especially in areas of computing, mathematics and the physical sciences. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside any significant relevant non-academic experience.
English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS (and no less than 6.0 (Bath) or 6.5 (Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter) in any section) by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university for further information.
Funding
A GW4 BioMed MRC DTP studentship includes full tuition fees at the UK/Home rate, a stipend at the minimum UKRI rate, a Research & Training Support Grant (RTSG) valued between £2-5k per year and £300 annual travel and conference grant based on a 3.5-year, full-time studentship.
These funding arrangements will be adjusted pro-rata for part-time studentships. Throughout the duration of the studentship, there will be opportunities to apply to the Flexible Funding Supplement for additional support to engage in high-cost training opportunities.
The Application Process
To begin a GW4 BioMed MRC DTP studentship, applicants must secure an offer of funding from the DTP and an offer of study from the home institution of the project for which the applicant was granted funding.
Stage 1: Applying to the DTP for an Offer of Funding
- Select your projects from the project descriptions available on this website. You may select up to three projects in your application.
- Submit your application using this online form before 5 pm on Monday, 23 November 2020.
- Student shortlisting is conducted in a blind review of studentship applications by theme-specific panels. Up to 60 top candidates who emerge from this deliberation will be invited to interview.
- Informal, virtual meetings will be arranged by the successfully shortlisted candidates with the lead supervisors of each project to which they have applied before the formal interview.
- Formal interviews will occur virtually by theme-specific panels including representatives from each GW4 institution on 20-21 of January.
- Student selection for up to 17 funded studentships occurs after the formal interviews. Projects are allocated based on the rank of the successful candidates, therefore, it is not always possible to offer an applicant their first-choice project.
- A clearing period will follow until approximately mid-March until all places have been offered and accepted. For this reason, it is not possible to provide immediate interview results to shortlisted applicants.
Stage 2: Applying to the lead institution for an Offer of Study
Once you have been offered a studentship with the GW4 BioMed MRC DTP, you will need to apply for an Offer of a Place at the home institution of your lead supervisor. Please note that each institution has different application processes.
Applicants for projects based at the University of Bath, the University of Bristol or the University of Exeter should apply to the DTP first to secure an offer of funding. Once an offer of funding is issued by the DTP, you will receive more information on submitting a formal application to the relevant institution, guided by the DTP and local admin contacts.
Applicants for projects based at Cardiff University should submit an application for postgraduate study via the Cardiff University Online Application Service (SIMS) at the same time they submit an application for funding to the DTP. Applicants should apply to the eligible research programme at Cardiff University for the chosen project, with qualification Doctor of Philosophy and with the start date of October 2021. In the research proposal section of the application, please specify the project title and supervisors of this project and copy the project description in the text box provided. In the funding section, select “I will be applying for a scholarship/grant” and specify advertised funding from GW4 BioMed MRC DTP. If you are applying for more than one Cardiff University project, please note this in the research proposal section as the form only allows you to enter one title.
Selection Criteria
Written application forms will be evaluated against the following criteria:
Proven academic quality: normally evidenced by an excellent performance to first degree and/or Master’s level but may also be demonstrated by a record of relevant professional practice.
Research potential: evidenced through their supporting statement and supported by performance in research projects at first degree and/or Master’s level, or another form of dedicated preparation for research.
Personal motivation & commitment: evidenced through their supporting statement, by their enthusiasm for the project area and how they see it relating to their career goals.
Non-biomedical disciplines: In line with supporting interdisciplinary and quantitative skills, special consideration will be given by the interview panels to non-biomedical applicants. Such candidates should not feel the selection criteria are biased towards biomedical applicants as their unique skills will be taken into account.
Candidates selected to interview will be evaluated against the following criteria:
Critical thinking assessed via discussion of a student-selected piece of data
Fit with the project: The interview panel will evaluate the candidate’s aptitude and understanding of the key issues in the project, supported by feedback from informal meetings with the potential lead supervisor.
Personal commitment & motivation
Contacts
If you have any queries about the GW4 BioMed MRC DTP or about applying for an Offer of Funding, you can get in touch with the DTP Team by emailing GW4BioMed@cardiff.ac.uk.
If you have any questions about applying for an Offer to Study, you can get in touch with the administrative team at your home institution:
- University of Bath: Simon Gane (sg205@bath.ac.uk) or John Brice (ecsjrb@bath.ac.uk)
- University of Bristol: Sarah Wilde (sarah.wilde@bristol.ac.uk)
- Cardiff University: PGR Quality & Operations Team (pgr@cardiff.ac.uk)
- University of Exeter: Helen Pisarka (stemm-pgr-manager@exeter.ac.uk)