What is a Graduate Research Assistantship?

A Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) is a means of funding for graduate school that waives your tuition fee and pays a stipend in exchange for your services as a Research Aid, Teaching Aid, School/Department support staff, etc.

Eligibility

Anyone can apply for a GRA/GTA position, regardless of:

• Country of origin
• Course of study
• CGPA
• Gender
• etc.

However, the route to follow differs depending on the strength of your CGPA. Graduates with HND, 2.2, 3rd Class may need to write and pass GRE, TOEFL, WES evaluation, etc.

Step 1: Identify Your Research Interest

• Your research interest is a sub-discipline of the course you studied for your first degree.
• Your research interest may even be in a different body of knowledge that is interrelated to the one you studied in your BS.
• Example: For your first degree, you studied Mechanical Engineering, but your research interest is Thermodynamics and Fluids, which is also a sub-discipline of Physics. Thus, in searching for a GRA, you may get funding in the department of Physics.

Step 2: Create an Academic CV

• An Academic CV is distinctively different from a work CV.
• Include the following:
      – Personal info
      – Education
      – Research Interest
      – Research Experience
      – Professional experience
      – Research publications
      – Skills
      – Professorial affiliation
      – Volunteer activities
      – Referees
• Note: The content may vary depending on the position available and the country.

Step 3: Obtain Your Academic Transcript

• While seeking out Professors that may have vacancies in their Research Laboratory and department, it is customary to submit your Academic Transcript alongside your inquiry mail.
• Your academic transcript may be the official or unofficial one. However, you need to have it handy.
• There are several ways to get this from your institution.

Step 4: Search for Professors

• Once you’ve gathered all the items in steps 1-3, the next step is searching for professors in your research interest.
• Places to search for professors include:
      – Twitter
      – LinkedIn
      – ResearchGate
      – Google Scholar
      – etc.
• To search for a Professor of Chemistry on Twitter:
      – Go to the search bar
      – Type ‘Professor of Chemistry’
      – Click on people
      – Peruse through the dropdown list
• The secret is looking out for Associate and Assistant Professors, as they are usually the ones with research grants and openings.
• Copy out their emails and search out their research publications for use in Step 5.

Step 5: Cold Mailing (Fishing for Vacancies)

• One strong route of finding a GRA/GTA position is by cold mailing.
• A cold mail is a form of ‘solicitation’ mail used to fish for openings in a Professor’s Dept or Lab.
• A good cold mail is one that is able to effectively convince the recipient that you are a high-flying candidate who can add value to their research work.

Not only are postgraduate degrees brilliant ways to specialise in particular areas of research, but they can also increase your employability. We have compiled some tips that can help you towards getting a PhD scholarship.

Publish at least one research paper

During your master’s/MPhil, you will work on several projects some of which will be research-focused especially your thesis project. Make sure that you work on projects with the potential to get you a published paper. Don’t wait for the right time. Write and submit your papers.

Choose a supervisor active in research

While selecting a supervisor for your master’s/MPhil thesis, go for the one who is publishing good quality papers. This supervisor will help you to publish papers and introduce you to future opportunities.

Build a couple of international collaborations

It’s always good to start collaborating with international professors. Build these collaborations during your master’s/MPhil. You can volunteer at this time. This collaboration may get you a PhD position after completing your master/MPhil.

Select courses that have high demand in industry and research.

You will the option to select courses from a large pool of courses. Don’t go for the easy courses. Instead, select courses that either make you ready for industry or research.

Develop at least three hard skills.

Pick at least 3 hard skills and master these skills. For example, if you are in IT/computer science, you can pick Python programming, data engineering, and ML to master.

Develop at least three soft skills

Similarly, pick at least 3 soft skills and master them during these 2 years. These skills can be presentation, networking, and interview skills.

Learn how to create opportunities

Opportunities won’t knock at your door themselves. You need to learn how to create opportunities such as an industry internship, a research visit, establishing collaboration, and landing your dream position after the completion of your degree.

Work as a teaching assistant or research assistant

If your schedule allows you to work as a teaching assistant or research assistant during masters, go for it. It will get you skills that would help you in getting future jobs.

Get good grades

While doing the rest, don’t forget to get good grades as they do help to get you a good job or PhD position afterward.

Don’t just do it for the sake of the degree

Some students just take courses without significant learning and complete the degree. Don’t take this path. Do the program with a clear purpose such as learning skills, landing a specific job, or getting a top-notch PhD position.

Once the purpose is defined, then execute accordingly.

A Statement of purpose is a rich but concise essay where the applicant clearly justifies their motivations for their choice of research, program, and school with strong reasons for why he/she should be considered for the admission / funding or scholarship.

It is required as part of the application process and serves as an opportunity for you to showcase your qualifications, demonstrate your commitment to the applied field of study, and explains why you are a suitable candidate for the program.

A SOP helps convince the institution on how you can give the institution the best of you. It’s about what you are willing to give and how your effort will transform your career and your field of study. This statement must be very clear, true and upfront.

The SOP should provide a clear and concise narrative that highlights your academic achievements, research experience, relevant skills, and career aspirations. It should also address how the graduate program aligns with your academic and professional goals.

Essential Components of an SOP

Here are some key elements of a statement of purpose:

• Introduction: Begin by introducing yourself and providing a brief overview of your academic background, including your undergraduate degree, major, and any relevant coursework or research projects.
• Research experience: Describe any research projects, internships, or work experiences that have shaped your interest in the field and helped you develop relevant skills. Highlight specific achievements or contributions you have made.
• Academic achievements: Discuss any notable academic achievements, such as awards, scholarships, or high grades in relevant coursework. Emphasize how these achievements demonstrate your dedication and aptitude for the field.
• Motivation and goals: Clearly articulate your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in the concerned program and how it aligns with your academic and career goals. Discuss your passion for the subject matter and your long-term aspirations.
• Fit with the program: Explain why you believe the particular graduate program is a good fit for you. Discuss specific courses, faculty members, or research opportunities that align with your interests and explain how you intend to contribute to the program.
• Relevant skills and qualifications:
• Highlight any specific skills or qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the program, such as technical skills, research methodologies, or relevant work experience. Provide examples to demonstrate your competence.
• Future plans: Outline your intended research interests, potential thesis or dissertation topics, and how you plan to apply your graduate education in your future career. Show that you have a clear vision of how the program will help you achieve your goals.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and reiterate your enthusiasm for the program. Avoid clichés and end on a strong and memorable note.

In writing a good SOP especially for Erasmus scholarship, you must know the core values and goals of the programme. For example, if they intend to raise passionate leaders, you must be able to connect all your achievements and short/long term plans to that goal.

Remember to tailor your statement of purpose to each specific program you are applying for highlighting how your background and goals align with the program’s strengths and resources. It’s essential to showcase your unique experiences and perspectives, as well as your passion for the field of study.

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study.

Conclusion

A statement of purpose is an essential part of your application for a graduate program. While your academic transcripts and letters of reference reveal your academic credentials, and your extracurriculars and graduate school resume show your professional capabilities, your statement of purpose gives you the chance to present yourself as a candidate in a more well-rounded and compelling way.

This is your opportunity to make yourself stand out as an applicant! Your preparation for writing and completing the statement of purpose is not unlike your preparations with graduate school interview questions— you need to leave yourself an ample amount of time to ace it.

Of course, each school is different, and you need to make sure you have checked the specific requirements of your chosen institutions before you begin writing your statement. But no matter which school you’re applying to one thing is certain: a strong statement of purpose is crucial to your success!

Though they both provide funding for Graduate studies, they are however quite distinct and requires different writing  style of the Academic CV and other documents to get.

Scholarships are financial grants given to a student to aid the financial burdens of his/her study. It may be in the form of research grant, tuition fee payment or an arrangement in place for outright waiver.

A scholarship can be awarded by the Government, a corporate organisation, an individual or an institution of learning. Usually, the beneficiary gives nothing back in return. Classic examples includes the NNDC, PTDF, Commonwealth, Chevening, Fulbright, Google, and ISP scholarships.

However in Graduate Assistantship, a Graduate student is awarded a tuition fee and paid stipends for a service rendered to the graduate school, Laboratory or Principal Investigator (PI). Beneficiaries of GA funding might serve as Teaching Assistant, Research assistant, Sport Coach or admission representative for the University or Department offering funding. It is not a FOC but a barter.

Unlike scholarships where excellence is a major determiner in who wins, Graduate Assistantships requires service in exchange for funding. Ability and Aptitude is preferred over Academic Excellence.

This explains why Graduates with Second class lower or Third class that have built Research abilities, Data Analytics skills or Sport coaching aptitude will be preferred over a First class graduate in a Graduate Assistantship Funding offer.

We are in the season of Graduate Assistantship offers from Universities in the US and Canada. If you are priming up to get accepted in one or more of these universities, you must beyond your academic grades demonstrate the;

1. – Ability to Teach
2. – Ability to carry out a quantitative research
3. – Proficiency with Data analysis
4. – Community service skills.

You know you are ready for GA funding when you have these things in place.

Written by Moses Udoisoh and Edited by the Team

The Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) in conjunction with the MTN Foundation (MTNF) announces entrance examinations for the Fifteenth set of the MTNF/MUSON Diploma course in music for the 2021 – 2022 academic year.

Our goal is to produce a well rounded, thoroughly educated musicians who would qualify for direct entry as transfer students into a university to fulfill the remaining requirements for an undergraduate music degree. We strive to produce graduates comparable to those found in a Conservatoire and we have patterned our syllabus on those standards.

Host: MTN Foundation
Category: Undergraduate Scholarships
Eligible Countries: Nigeria
Reward: Full Scholarship | N250,000
Deadline: August 21, 2022

The diploma course is a full time 2 year course offering advanced training in music with the following majors: Piano, Organ, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion, Classical Guitar, Voice.

Students are also required to take 2 terms of an instrument minor other than their major instrumental family. All voice students must pass grade 2 piano, instrumentalists must pass vocal techniques and all students must belong to the choir. Orchestra is required for all string majors. All wind and percussion majors must belong to band. Others who may not be majors are welcome to audition for the orchestra band.

The MUSON also holds an annual Donors Appreciation Concert to show gratitude to individuals and Corporates who provide consistent support to the school. The MUSON partnership is a veritable platform that supports music scholars with the skill to effectively participate in the Arts and Culture value chain.

Scholarship Requirements:

To be considered for the IMES, you must:

• Have the General Certificate of Education (G.C.E) Ordinary Level with credits in five (5) subjects including English Language, or
• The Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) with a credit in English Language
• Have obtained the 5 credits at not more than two sittings and before admission to the diploma course

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

PRACTICAL: Grade five (5) or higher pass certificate of The MUSON School of Music or any other music examining body recognized by the MUSON School.

THEORY: Grade five (5) or higher pass certificate of the MUSON School of Music or any other music examining body recognized by the MUSON School.

NB: Applicants who possess the above practical or theory certificates would have also satisfied the GCE (O/L) or SSCE requirements. Applicants who are deficient in the theory requirements but show outstanding practical ability may be admitted. These students must take a remedial theory course and must pass the minimum requirements in the first year

Scholarship Duration and Reward

The Scholarship period will run for 2 years
The scholarship will provide a full tuition fee waiver, books and transportation worth N250,000 over 2 years

Required Documents

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• Application Form to be filled online
• cover letter
• Copies of Certificate (G.C.E or SSCE certificate)
• Passport Photograph

Method of Application

Interested candidates should complete the online application form.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY.

Deadline:

August 21, 2022