The Cultures of Resistance Network Foundation

Application Deadline: March 20th 2015

The Cultures of Resistance Network Foundation and the American Friends of SOAS (AFSOAS), offers a set of new postgraduate scholarships available at SOAS.

The scholarships will benefit people from countries that have been affected by wars and extreme poverty. This scholarship embodies the values of the Cultures of Resistance Network Foundation, which seeks to empower and enrich communities – especially those that have been affected by armed conflict – through the promotion of human rights, justice for victims of war crimes and the enrichment of civil society and robust grassroots democracy.

Scholarship recipients will pursue careers that, among other things, promote universal human rights, international law, equal justice for all and the enrichment of civil society and robust grassroots democracy.

Two Cultures of Resistance Scholarships will be available in 2015/16. Each scholarship is valued at £15,000 in total. Fees will be deducted from this amount and the remainder will be used toward maintenance. In addition, each scholar will benefit from a 20% reduction in their tuition fees, from free accommodation at International Student House (ISH) and food vouchers to be spent in the ISH restaurant.

Eligible programmes

The following full-time programmes are eligible:

MSc Development Studies with special reference to Central Asia
MSc Globalisation and Development
MSc Migration, Mobility and Development
MSc Violence, Conflict and Development
MSc Development Economics
MSc Political Economy of Development
MA International and Comparative Legal Studies
MA Dispute and Conflict Resolution
MA Environmental Law and Sustainable Development
MA Human Rights Law
MA International Law
MA Law, Development and Globalisation
LLM Dispute and Conflict Resolution
LLM Environmental Law
LLM Human Rights, Conflict and Justice
LLM International Law
Part-time programmes are not eligible.

Candidate Criteria

Although priority will be given to students resident in Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Kashmir, Kurdistan, the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza), Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tibet, Western Sahara, Yemen, West Papua and Papua, the scholarship programme is also open to students resident in the following countries/territories:

Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bir Tawil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chechen Republic, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Golan Heights, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Candidates must hold (or be expected to obtain) a good honours degree, preferably first class, from a UK institution or overseas equivalent.
Candidates should describe in their personal statement of their admission application:

how the political situation in your home country, especially violent conflict, war, poverty, and/or military occupation, has shaped your experiences and ambitions in life.
how these experiences have affected your interest in human rights, social justice, and grassroots democracy.
what academic and social issues you plan to explore during your studies at SOAS.
what you hope to do upon completion of your program at SOAS.
what the most pressing problems are in your home country and how the pursuit of education at SOAS in your chosen field would promote human rights, social justice, equality, and the enrichment of civil society in your home country.

Candidates must have an offer of admission to pursue a full time eligible programme by the scholarship closing date.
Applicants must meet the English language condition of their offer of admission to study at SOAS as soon as possible but no later than 1 June 2015. If your offer is conditional on English, please arrange your English test and ensure you meet the English requirements as soon as possible.