Please note, that this web page may be updated regularly.
GOOD NEWS on International Advancement Awards
See also http://www.liv.ac.uk/international/scholarships.htm (Pay attention to 4. Accommodation Voucher £500 for all PGR international offer holders living in University Accommodation.)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON FUNDING OPPURTUNITIES FROM THE DEPARTMENT HERE.
First, if you actually are interested in a taught programme leading to the MSc degree, consult http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~alexei/MScApplications/MScApplications.html.
Please note that there is currently no online PhD Programme in our Department.
To apply for PhD/MPhil in Computer Science you should have at least BSc or MSc degree in a subject related to Computer Science (at the time you intend to start your PhD or MPhil study).
If English is not your first language we would require evidence of an IELTS - Score 6.5 or TOEFL - Score 580 Paperbased Test or 237 Computer Based Test or Cambridge Proficiency Exam in English - Grade C or above, or Cambridge Advanced Exam - Grade A. If you are from China, I am sorry to inform you that we do not recognise CET. Suitable evidence is required before you can begin your studies. But any preliminary information on this presented in your Application Form is desirable. If you were taught in English in your school or university or did your degree in English instruction, we need an evidence from your university to confirm the language of instruction. Also if you state you are working in a company using their English, again we need an evidence.
You can request information in the form of booklets, etc. and Application form for PhD/MPhil study via
http://www.liv.ac.uk/request_prospectus/
or from the Departmental secretary Miss Helen Bradley, H.Bradley@csc.liv.ac.uk, providing her with your postal address.
You can also download the Application Form or apply online via
http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/index.htm
Your application will be processed faster if you include immediately in the application form your research interests in a short form starting with keywords. Please also mention a Research Group (http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/research.html) most closely related with your research interests. This is extremely important on the first stage of consideration of an application, before passing it to a potential supervisor. Actually, these requirements are essential.
You should realise that it is sometimes not easy to extract research interests of some PhD applicants from too vague and long description and to decide whom of potential supervisors the application should be shown.
You also can send a separate research proposal in a longer form (which may be useful when your application will already be passed to a potential supervisor). Note that without any information on your research interests it is impossible to process your application. Applications without this information will not be considered and even can be rejected if during two months after receiving your application in the Department (usually after 2-3 weeks after your Application will be received by the address below) we will not have such an information as well as all the other necessary (and available) documents.
You should realise that the main and really difficult and delicate problem consists in finding a supervisor for each applicant. Therefore, it is crucial that before applying you investigate via the above mentioned pages on the Department whether there are some current staff whose research is close to what you want to do in your PhD. You might contact them (mentioning that your goal is establishing contact on research and finding a potential supervisor, and that you already know how to apply). It is important that you not only express your interest to work with a person, but explain this in specific detail, demonstrating your knowledge of the subject. Note, that people are usually very busy so please be as concise as possible. If you are not sure that you have enough reason to disturb a person, it is better to postpone. If you already know who is the most appropriate supervisor or which Research Group is most appropriate for you, you can mention this in your Research Proposal. This will accelerate processing of your application. But, if a person is very busy, like the Head of Department, and he/she did not confirm interest in your suggestions, then this might not work.
Please, send any additional documents as soon as possible to the same address as your Application Form (making sure that they contain your full name and that you have applied to become a research student in the Department of Computer Science):
The University of Liverpool, UK Student Recruitment Office (UKSRO), Postgraduate Recruitment Team, Student Services Centre, 150 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L69 3GD, U.K.
Tel. 0151 794 5931/4199, Fax 0151 794 2060, e-mail: pgrecruitment@liv.ac.uk
Please, send your applications only to the above address.
You should realise that there is usually a lot of applications. The sooner we get all your documents, including recommendation letters, the sooner your application will be processed.
The tuition fees for postgraduate study for a home or EU students are �3,085 p.a.
If the student is overseas, i.e. Non EU, the fees are �10,500 p.a.
Fees increase by a small amount each year.
Also, maintenance consists of about �6,000 p.a.
Besides said above, You should also realise that part-time study in Computer Science Department is an exceptional case. It will depend on an agreement with a supervisor, if he/she would be especially interested, and on the Head of the Department.
For part-time study a student must either be in full-time employment or caring for a relative. A letter from the employer is required confirming the student is employed full time and they agree to his part-time study. If the employer is going to pay tuition fees then again a letter is required confirming this.
The time to start PhD Study is usually October and is strongly recommended, although in principle it could be any time if you have a corresponding agreement with your potential supervisor.
Meanwhile, try to find out some information on CS DEPARTMENT:
http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/research.html
http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research_opportunities/computer_science_research.htm
on studying at the University:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/University/study.htm
on International Recruitment and Relations Office:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/international/
and, if appropriate, on SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UK, EU and INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS as listed below.
Please note that you should apply for the scholarship yourself. Typically, you can do that only if you already have an offer from the Faculty of Sciences for your PhD study. The offer itself is not a guarantee of getting scholarship or any other funding from the Universsity.
Postgraduate research studentship opportunities: http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/opportunities.htm.
The Duncan Norman Research Scholarship 2007/8: http://www.liv.ac.uk/international/scholarship/duncan_norman.htm. The closing date for applications is Tuesday, 1 May 2007.
Scholarships and sources of funding for international students 2007/2008: http://www.liv.ac.uk/international/scholarships.htm (GOOD NEWS: Pay attention to 4. Accommodation Voucher £500 for all PGR international offer holders living in University Accommodation.)
http://www.liv.ac.uk/University/study_at_liverpool/scholarships.htm (for UK and EU applicants)
Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS):
http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/international_students/scholarship/ors.htm (Deadline 16th March 2007 )
Ses also http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/ors/
**NEW** Applications invited for PhD Studentship from UK/EU candidates only. Closing date for applications is Monday, 26th March 2007. See details in http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~sazonov/2007_studentship.html.
Finally, do not forget to send (to the address shown in the Application Form, according to the instruction provided with the Application Form and independently of whatever you might send to me by e-mail) also all the necessary (available) documents confirming your qualifications such as
If over a long period we had no necessary documents from you, we may conclude that you have not enough interest to be a PhD student here.
I hope that realizing all these aspects will help you to become a PhD student.
Good luck!
If necessary, please, send me e-mail with plain text (possibly with attachments, but no pictures, etc).
Vladimir Sazonov,
V.Sazonov@csc.liv.ac.uk,
PhD and MPhil Admission Tutor
(Computer Science Department)