SOAS campus (image by poeloq, used under CC license)

The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, is offering scholarships to residents of the Indian state of West Bengal. The awards, known as the Bishwa Bangla Scholarships, are for entry in September 2017. There is one scholarship for a PhD, and two for masters programs.

The total value of the Bishwa Bangla scholarship for 2017-2018 is £32,874 (PhD) and £35,111 (masters). The masters scholarships are for one year, and the PhD scholarship is for 4 years, subject to satisfactory progress. The normal duration of a full-time student’s registration for a research degree is three years followed by a fourth or writing up year.
 

Who is eligible
To be considered, you must be ‘ordinarily resident’ in West Bengal, India, and eligible to pay fees at the overseas rate.

The PhD scholarship is not restricted to any particular program, while the masters scholarships are for the one-year programs in South Asian Area Studies and the Languages and Cultures of South Asia (both one-year, full-time). Part-time programs are not eligible.

To be considered, you must have an offer of admission by the scholarship application deadline, which is February 22, 2017. SOAS therefore recommends that you apply for admission to your program about six weeks before the scholarship deadline (so ideally by January 11, 2017).

You must also meet the English language requirements for your admission offer by June 1, 2017. You cannot hold a Bishwa Bangla scholarship alongside any other major scholarship or studentship.
 

Two-step application process
First, apply for admission to your chosen program of study online. Masters applicants can apply here, and PhD applicants, here. A complete application for admission includes transcripts, an explanation of the grading system for degrees obtained outside of the UK, two references, CV, and a personal statement. PhD applicants will also need a research proposal.

And second, apply for the scholarship by 5 pm (UK time) on February 22, 2017. You can apply via the on-line scholarship application form, which will be available here on January 24, 2017.
 

How applications are assessed
Applications will be assessed on academic merit by an advisory panel of at least three academic members. The assessment will be based on your scholarship application as well as your on-line application for admission. Selectors will look at your marks, academic references, statement and other relevant information. Successful candidates will be notified by the end of June.
 

SOAS library (image by 3X0=3, used under CC license)

About SOAS
Located in central London, SOAS is a public research university, and part of the University of London. Founded in 1916, it is regarded as one of the world’s leading institutions for the study of humanities, social sciences, and languages of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its alumni include several heads of state and other top leaders from around the world.

SOAS offers around 350 undergraduate bachelor's degree combinations, over 100 one-year master's degrees, and PhD programs in nearly every department. It has more than 5,000 students from 133 countries, and slightly over half of them are from outside the UK. Around 55% of its students are undergraduates, and the rest are postgraduates.