United Kingdom
1 Fulbright/University of Reading Award in Food Security
Accepted Degree Levels
|
Grant PeriodFall StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
Specialized Grant Types
- Science/Public Health
- Environmental
Fulbright Graduate Degree Grants
- Yes
Award Profile
The Fulbright University of Reading Award in Food Sciences offers funding for a Master's or PhD in Food and Nutritional Sciences with an emphasis on food security.
The Fulbright University of Reading Award in Food Sciences offers funding for the following Master’s and PhD programmes in Food and Nutritional Sciences with an emphasis on food security:
This award is possible through generous legacy gifts by Harry and Jean Nursten to the University of Reading and to the US-UK Fulbright Commission. Harry Nursten was a Fulbrighter and a leading food scientist who chaired the University of Reading’s Food Science Department for 16 years. His experiences as a Fulbright Scholar were transformative both to his career and to food science in the UK. Jean Nursten was a noted sociologist who was also affiliated with the University of Reading. Both were committed to advancing knowledge, promoting civic engagement and developing students to be compassionate leaders, which align with the values of both the Department and the Commission.
An added attraction about this award is that it is paired with the Fulbright Nursten Award in Food Security for a British postgraduate student (also made possible thanks to the legacy gift from Harry and Jean Nursten). As part of their award both students will be required to collaborate on an initiative to share information and research on food security with the wider public on both sides of the Atlantic. The form this initiative takes will be up to the two students to develop with support from the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
Reading is a Top 30 UK University (QS World University Rankings, 2022) based in the South East of England, 25 minutes from central London by train.
Founded in 1892 as a University of Oxford extension college, Reading gained its Royal Charter in 1926. Since its beginnings, the University of Reading has educated 150,000 people from 180 different countries, with the first international student joining the University in 1908. Reading is a campus university offering on-site student accommodation, and its beautiful parkland campus, Whiteknights, won the Green Flag Award for the top university green space in the UK for the 9th time in 2019.
The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences is a global player in food and health research. Students benefit from access to the largest range of dedicated food laboratories in a UK university, extensive links with industry, and expert academics who work on cutting-edge research. The University of Reading is in the top 10 universities for food science in the UK (6th in the Guardian University Guide for Agriculture, Forestry and Food, 2021).
Students also have the opportunity to use an extensive range of facilities, which are primarily used for supporting teaching and learning. These include:
- a large pilot plant, containing almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of food development equipment
- advanced taste panel facilities
- and specialist research laboratories for assessing human gut microflora.
The University of Reading is proud of its research impact in Food Sciences, 100% of which has been recognised as world leading or internationally excellent (REF, 2014 – Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science). Its academics strive to improve the quality and nutrition of food that will deliver real benefits for society.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Master's programs in the UK may last up to one year (and in rare circumstances, 2 years). Unless otherwise stated, funding is provided for the first year of the degree - although the grant period is 10 months, tuition waivers cover the entire first year and student visas are not impacted by grant length.
Stipend amounts are set and do not change based on length of the degree.
Orientation
Candidate Profile
The Commission is seeking applicants who demonstrate:
- Rigor in scholarly enquiry and academic or professional excellence;
- Strong reasons for wishing to pursue the proposed project in the UK and at a particular institution;
- A desire to gain a better understanding of the peoples and cultures of their host country;
- Commitment to the community through volunteer and extra-curricular activities;
- Flexibility and dynamism necessary for active involvement in the host country.
Eligibility
6 Months
The following applicants are ineligible for consideration: applicants who have extensive previous experience in the UK, applicants whose proposals are to complete any part of a medical degree, including internships or residencies, or applicants who hold a Ph.D. at the time the grant is to begin.
Applicants who have previously spent time at their selected university will be at a competitive disadvantage.
Accepted Degree Levels
- Bachelor's
- Master's
Special Application Instructions
In your Fulbright online application, for Award Name, please select the specific award you are applying for from the drop down menu
Foreign Language Proficiency
Fulbright Proposal Types
No
Yes
Affiliation
Letter recommended but not required at deadline
Applicants are responsible for arranging their own affiliation and must apply for admission according to the relevant university’s admissions procedures. Applicants are not expected to have a letter of admission/affiliation at time of application, but awards are made conditional upon acceptance by the chosen institution before arrival.
Applicants will complete two applications, the Fulbright application and the university’s application (according to the university’s admissions procedures). Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their university applications as early as possible, ideally before January 15, 2023. Applicants who fail to do so may be at a competitive disadvantage. The Fulbright Program does not cover the application fee for the university.
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Tuition for the first year of study will be waived internally by the host university.
Dependents
Grant Amount
- Full tuition waiver for the first year of study
- £14,000 living stipend a (contribution towards general maintenance costs including airfare).
The living stipend is intended as a contribution towards general maintenance costs towards the first year in the UK.
Interviews
Based on university partner feedback, select semi-finalist applicants will be interviewed mid-February to early March. Interviews will take place via video conferencing.