Here are Sonja Franke-Arnold's answers to some frequently asked questions relating to applications by prospective postgraduate students:

1) How do I apply for admission?

To apply for admission to our Graduate Programme, please download an application form for our Faculty Graduate School at http://www.physci.gla.ac.uk. All the information (and any new announcements) are available on the website.

If you have limited internet access a paper version and departmental brochure is available by request by emailing physci-grad@gla.ac.uk.

Please indicate on your application form to which research group(s) you wish to apply.

2) How do I obtain information on Physics and Astronomy research in Glasgow?

The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451 and is the fourth oldest University in Britain. Glasgow has a long tradition as a centre for the study of Physics and Astronomy. Physics was taught from an early stage in the history of the University and reached world-wide prominence with the work of Lord Kelvin in the 19th century.

In its present research activities, the laboratory is one of the foremost in the UK and its work is internationally recognised. This work is organised around the following research groups:

• Institute for Gravitational Research
• Particle Physics Experiment
• Particle Physics Theory
• Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Solid State Physics
• Nuclear Physics
• Optics
• Microwave Thermography

Information is available on the departmental website, http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk. You can find the summaries of the activities of each research group at http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/research/ and specific information on postgraduate opportunities at http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/postgraduates/.

Please contact Sonja Franke-Arnold s.franke-arnold@physics.gla.ac.uk or the heads of the research groups if you require any further information.

3) Which higher degrees are being offered?

Our standard research degree is the funded three-year PhD.

There is no taught MSc in Physics or Astronomy. MSc by research degrees are occasionally offered if you have reached an agreement with the head of the group you wish to join. No funding is available from the group for these degrees.

4) Am I eligible for UK funding council financial support?

The majority of our research studentships are funded by the UK Government research councils, EPSRC and PPARC. These research councils have eligibility rules which mean that only people who have been resident in the UK for three years are eligible to receive a stipend (currently 12,000 pounds per annum). EU Citizens will have their fees paid but not receive this maintenance grant, hence UK candidates are preferred for these grant awards. All candidates must have obtained, or expect to obtain, a BSc 2.1 or better. These grants also provide travel funding.

Applications for these positions are accepted an any time, but the main allocation of places occurs around March each year (with discussions with candidates occurring in the months preceding this) for entry that October. However, a few additional places often become available after this period right up to the start of the positions in October as extra funding is obtained.

5) Am I eligible for a Glasgow University Scholarship?

Yes! Glasgow University runs a Postgraduate Scholarship scheme to which applicants from anywhere in the world can apply. The scheme is highly competitive so only students with exemplary academic records should apply. Information about this scheme will be available at http://www.physci.gla.ac.uk.

The next new application cycle for PG scholarships will require applications next January for PhD projects beginning in the following October. If you would like to apply for this scheme you may wish to hold preliminary discussions with the postgraduate admissions tutor and the head of the research group to which you wish to apply.

6) Am I eligible for a Prize Studentship?

Yes! These prestigious and competitive awards are intended to attract outstanding students from around the world to study for a PhD in Scotland. These studentships are part of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA) initiative. There will be a total of 8 studentships a year and the next round of applications will begin at the end of November. Application is online via http://www.supa.ac.uk/SUPA_F/Graduate_School/Prize_Studentships.htm.

7) Do any other funding opportunities exist?

Other PhD scholarship schemes and places funded in collaboration with industry do sometimes become available. Alternatively you may have another possible source of funding (e.g. a scholarship from your home government, or other private funding), if so please clearly indicate this on your application form. Please also refer to the website http://www.physci.gla.ac.uk/funding.html where you can find specific funding possibilities for students from outside of the United Kingdom.