Palestine-Oxford Scholarship in Geography and the Environment

Call for Applications

The School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE) at the University of Oxford invites applications for the Palestine-Oxford Scholarship in Geography and the Environment. This scholarship will fully fund a Palestinian scholar to pursue a DPhil (PhD) commencing in October 2027 at the School of Geography and the Environment. The scholarship is intended to contribute to the resilience and continuation of Palestinian universities by equipping a future academic leader with world-class research training in the areas of geography and the environment.

Candidates who are interested in applying for the scholarship, and think they meet the admissions criteria, should sign up for an information session scheduled for 22 October, 4-6pm (UK time), online. Here is the registration link. All collected information will not be shared with any other party and will be deleted after the event.

The successful applicant will pursue doctoral level graduate studies (starting in October 2027) in a relevant field of geographical and environmental research for which SoGE can provide appropriate supervisory support. Intended for applicants who already have a recognised master’s level degree with appropriate research training, the scholarship will provide support for three years of full-time study on the Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) program. Further information about DPhil programmes at SoGE can be found here: https://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/study/graduate/dphil/index.html

The Scholarship is open to candidates who are residents of the Palestinian Territories (East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank), and Palestinian refugees registered in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Applicants will normally have been resident in or have received at least 5 years of education in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, or East Jerusalem.* Priority may be given to suitably qualified candidates from Gaza in the selection process. Candidates will be expected to have completed a recognised Masters level qualification with suitable research training before they begin the DPhil. Candidates will be expected to meet the regular Oxford University admissions criteria, including academic proficiency in the English language.

*The selection committee may consider some exceptions in the cases of applicants affected by conflict and displacement. Applicants affected by displacement should describe their situation in the statement and how it disrupts the residency requirement.

• Applicants should begin by developing an initial outline of the kind of DPhil/PhD research area/project they would like to pursue.
• They should then review the research and research staff pages on the School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE) website to identify possible supervisors for their research area, before contacting those supervisors with an initial expression of interest. Information on available supervisors and their areas of research expertise at SoGE is available here:
  • https://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/study/graduate/apply/topics.html
• Informal inquiries about the areas of research supervision provided by SoGE, and the application more generally, can be addressed to Dr Hashem Abushama (email: hashem.abushama@ouce.ox.ac.uk)
• Applicants should then complete the normal DPhil application process, details of which are here:
  • https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-geography-and-environment
• The deadline for applications to applications is 12:00 midday UK time Tuesday 26 January 2027.
• There is an application fee but applicants who are refugees or displaced persons may be eligible for an application fee waiver. This is explained in the application form.
• In your online application form please:
  • Indicate that you would like to be considered for the Palestine Oxford Scholarship.
  • Provide a proposal outlining your planned area of research.

Separately you submit to the Research Degrees Coordinator (research-degrees-coordinator@ouce.ox.ac.uk):

• A statement about your interest in and eligibility for the scholarship. This should include proof of residence in one of the areas listed above. This can include, for instance: high school certificates, undergraduate degree certificate, UN refugee registration card, airport logbook.
• A statement about your commitment to contributing to the future of Palestinian higher education.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of academics at SoGE, and some candidates may be selected for online interview. A successful applicant will then be chosen and provided with further support.

Selections will be based on assessed academic merit, potential for postgraduate research, and a demonstrable commitment to the areas of study and research covered by DPhil programme at SoGE. A central aim of the scholarship is to contribute to a new generation of Palestinian academic leadership in geography and related fields. Where possible and appropriate, the successful applicant will be encouraged to organise collaborative academic events between Palestinian Higher Education institutions and researchers at SoGE.

The scholarship will provide full coverage of:

• Course fees for 3 years of the DPhil programme
• A living stipend at the standard University of Oxford graduate rate
• Research expenses comparable to United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) rates 
• Support for travel to and from the UK (maximum of 2 trips across the Scholarship + travel to the UK to take up the scholarship and return after completion)
• Visa and NHS surcharge costs 
• The scholarship programme will not provide support for spousal or family travel, maintenance, or visa costs