Q-
Will just an application to foreign or Indian university
suffice when I apply to you?
A-Yes. Proof that you have applied is enough
at application stage. Please attach a photocopy of the acknowledgement
so that we know that your application has been accepted. We
must be informed of the confirmation of admission as soon
as you get to know about it. This must be attached with the
duly filled in application form, GRE and TOEFL score (if applicable)
Q- I am in the process of applying. Am I eligible
for scholarship?
A- Being in the process of applying
does not make you eligible. However if you have applied and
received an acknowledgment, then you are eligible. Please
attach a photocopy of the acknowledgement so that we know
that your application has been accepted.
Q- Does The Paul Foundation support scholars going
in for Professional Degrees?
A- The Paul Foundation provides
support to candidates who wish to pursue professional courses,
but the purpose for doing so must fit in with the vision and
ideology of The Paul Foundation. We aim to make a difference
through the support we give our scholars and we want that
our scholars should in turn want to make a difference through
the work they do after acquiring their degrees. The work that
they do must not only expand the frontiers of knowledge and
understanding but must make a social contribution. We do not
want our scholars to obtain a degree and then use it to personal
advantage. The only condition for acceptance of application
is that it should be as per criteria and carry documents as
stipulated.
Q- I want to study further in Architecture?
A- We are willing to support applicants going
in for higher studies in Architecture, Law, Engineering, management,
medicine, but you must satisfy us that your reasons for doing
so fit in with our vision and ideology. Please refer to the
section on Application –Selection Eligibility under
the Scholarships page. We have explained our position on the
subjects that we are willing to support.
Q- I missed First Class by a few marks. Am I eligible?
A-If you do not have first class marks at
every stage, then you do not qualify to apply to The Paul
Foundation. Should you, however, feel that you deserve to
apply, then please do so. Please note that you will be competing
against others who do fulfill the requirements of The Paul
Foundation, which would put you at a disadvantage. We stipulate
that a first class degree is essential, which means that at
every stage the applicant must have obtained first class marks.
If your examination system is based on grades, then please
calculate the numerical equivalent. Please inform us what
is the numerical value of the Grade you have obtained.
Q- I do not have a first class at
every stage (10+2+3+2). Am I eligible?
A- If you do not have first class marks
at every stage, then you do not qualify to apply to The Paul
Foundation. Should you, however, feel that you deserve to
apply, then please do so. Please note that you will be competing
against others who do fulfill the requirements of The Paul
Foundation, which would put you at a disadvantage. We stipulate
that a first class degree is essential, which means that at
every stage the applicant must have obtained first class marks.
If your examination system is based on grades, then please
calculate the numerical equivalent. Please inform us what
is the numerical value of the Grade you have obtained.
Q- I have a Diploma after I completed 10+2 stage.
Now I want to go in for higher studies. Am I eligible?
A- Diplomas after the 10+2 stage do
not qualify under our eligibility rules. We will accept applications
from you only if you have studied for a taught undergraduate
programme of three years, leading up to a Bachelor’s
degree.
We appreciate that a diploma holder has aspirations that include
higher studies in India and overseas. We, however, regret
our inability to support such aspirations.
Q- Can I apply for the scholarship without having
a confirmed admission? I am expecting confirmation soon
A- Yes you can apply on the basis of the
application you have submitted to the university of your choice.
Q- Can I ask for scholarship
in the middle of a course in which I am already enrolled?
A- Yes! Being already enrolled in a
course is not a disqualification. You can apply if you are
in the middle of a Post Graduate course or you have begun
your doctoral studies. However, the logistics of adhering
to our procedures would probably be a barrier if you are studying
abroad. By logistics your place of location and your inability
to attend the interview in April/May if selected due to time
or finances. Our rules are firm on your personal appearance
at an interview with the Board in April/May when we finalise
our selections in Kolkata and we do not make any exceptions.
This travel has to be at your own cost.
The scholarships will be awarded to students aspiring to excel
and to lead. The purpose is to make a difference by encouraging
and stimulating outstanding scholars who have a demonstrated
ability and intellectual excellence to produce thoughtful
and thought-provoking work and who can in turn contribute
to making a difference to society.
Q- Why do you not support Undergraduate
studies ?
A- The Paul Foundation after careful
consideration decided that the scholarships would not be open
to applicants at the undergraduate level. The reasons for
this are:-
1. Undergraduate courses in India are well
regarded and recognized all over the world.
2. A student at the undergraduate level has
not firmed up her/his future plans. Offering a scholarship
for study overseas at this stage would be denying a dedicated
scholar an opportunity that would make a difference.
3. By the postgraduate stage, students are
more or less clear as to what are their future plans. They
have acquired the maturity to make choices and take decisions
and to be fully responsible for doing so. The postgraduate
student takes the first step by committing to investing time
and effort to pursue higher studies in India or overseas.
It is only after the student clearly recognizes and expresses
the ambition to pursue this further that the need for funds
arises. The Paul Foundation assists the student to pursue
this ambition for academic and intellectual excellence through
its scholarship programme.
4. The Paul Foundation does not encourage
students to pursue a second undergraduate degree overseas,
unless it is in an area that is unrelated to the earlier degree
and only if the taught programmes in the subject in India
are not adequate to support the abilities and aims of the
applicant. In other words, the applicant has to demonstrate
and prove outstanding ability in the choice of specialization.
Please refer to our website to get an idea as to what we mean
by reading through the profiles of the Previous Year's Paul
scholars.
5. The Paul Foundation supports students
at the post graduate and doctoral level. The applicant may
be going in for a second post graduate programme or an integrated
post-graduate doctoral programme. The applicant has to clearly
state the purpose of going in for a second post graduate programme,
especially if it is overseas.
6. The Paul Foundation supports exceptional
students whose chosen areas of specialization are not covered
by post graduate taught programmes. There are specializations
where diplomas are the preferred degree. Please refer to our
website for details about scholars who have been awarded scholarships
to pursue a diploma. The duration of the course can then be
less than a year.
7. The Paul Foundation aims to cover as much
ground as it can by supporting diversity in the subjects for
which scholarships are offered. What The Paul Foundation does
not support is a student who uses the academic opportunity
offered by the scholarship as a stepping-stone for purely
personally advantage and a commercially rewarding career.
8. The Paul Foundation has been established
to make a difference to 1. the applicant’s ambition
to excel and to lead 2. to contribute to society and the world
of learning and knowledge through thoughtful and thought provoking
work, be it in academia, research, philanthropy or through
public and private initiatives. The idea is to pass along
the benefit accrued through the scholarship to as many others
as are in need. The Paul Foundation expects its scholars to
have a sense of social responsibility which is reflected in
the career choices they make.
9. Often the choice of specialization reflects
the end purposes of the applicant, which may fit in with The
Paul Foundation’s vision, that is, to make a difference
for the scholars who wish to pursue academic excellence and
the quest for knowledge so that they can, in turn, through
thoughtful and thought-provoking work make a difference.
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