Tokyo University of Agriculture-SEARCA Scholarship for Dissertation Doctorate Program

This is a collaborative project of Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA) and SEARCA. The Dissertation Doctorate Program for Agriculture and Natural Resources aims to contribute to the enhancement of agricultural research and development in Southeast Asia through the provision of a TUA-SEARCA scholarship for eligible candidates to be able to complete a doctorate dissertation.

Effective School Year 2010/2011 for a duration of three years, the scholarship provides one slot annually for a three-year graduate program leading to a Dissertation Doctorate at TUA. The scholarship is open only to nationals of the regular member countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

The following are the scholarship eligibility criteria:

1. Must be a researcher with full time employment at the university or research institution;
2. Holder of a master’s degree in agriculture or related fields;
3. Has produced at least two peer-reviewed scientific papers in scholarly journals in applicant’s country or abroad and has served first author of at least one of those papers;
4. Must have already made a substantial progress in a research project which will deserve a doctorate degree in three years; and
5. Not more than 48 years of age at the start of the program.
   

Application and Selection Procedure

1. Applicant must submit application form, bio-data, dissertation proposal, list of publications, and letter of agreement from the home institution to SEARCA Graduate Scholarship Department by 15 February 2010.
2. SEARCA does the preliminary screening and selection of candidates and forwards a shortlist of candidates to TUA on or before 31 March 2010.
3. The TUA makes the final selection of one awardee and appoints suitable adviser for the candidate; TUA then informs SEARCA of the final awardee and his/her assigned supervisor on or before the end of May 2010.
4. The SEARCA Graduate Scholarship Department informs the successful candidate immediately. The scholarship awardee will start his/her study program in July 2010.
   

Scholarship Entitlements

The TUA-SEARCA scholar is entitled to the following:

1. One international travel (round-trip) per year for three years for the one-month consultation with adviser at TUA.
2. Allowance for one-month food and accommodation at TUA per year for three years.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit the following requirements to SEARCA:

1. Duly accomplished DA-SEARCA Scholarship Application Form (3 copies);
2. Original transcript of academic records for the BS and MS degrees bearing the seal of the University and fresh signatures of the Registrar or Head of the University;
3. Certification of employment;
4. A recommendation letter from employer;
5. Updated curriculum vitae;
6. Brief description of the research the applicant plans to conduct for dissertation;
7. Two copies of passport-size photo of the applicant;
8. Certification from a medical doctor that the applicant is in good physical and mental health condition and is fit to undertake graduate studies; and
9. Proofs of at least two peer-reviewed scientific papers published in scholarly journals in the applicant’s country or abroad; the applicant must have served as first author of one of these papers.
   

Project Duration

Effective School Year 2010/2011, the scholarship project will award one scholar per year for a period of three years.