The Paul Foundation

Please notify us as soon as you receive confirmation of your admission. You will not be called for interview by Selection Committee if you have not received a confirmed admission.

The international scholarships are open to all Indian citizens resident in India, below 30 years of age on November 1, 2007.

Scholarships are not awarded to those who have already started a course or project abroad. Proposals covering courses available in India are discouraged. Scholarships are not awarded to those whose intended course of study will involve fieldwork in India during the tenure.

As a merit-cum-means grant, the Foundation requires the applicant to submit duly authorized proof of family income.

Duly filled-in Application forms must include the following :

1. Detailed official record of the applicant's academic achievements.
2. Letter of application, along with receipt/acknowledgement, for admission to a course of study in top ranked universities, institutes or centers, in India or overseas.
3. Evidence of participation in extracurricular activities in addition to academic achievements.
4. A 2000-word proposal on your area of specialization including your understanding of the broader context of the subject of specialization and an assessment of the value of your proposal not only to your career but on the contribution you hope to make to knowledge and society. The essay should be presented in printed format.
5. A 300-word personal profile (hand-written) introducing you, the person, to the evaluators.
6. 2 separate samples of the applicant's written work. These could be essays, articles, course work that you have done for your degree in the immediate past. Please note that all written work must be certified by Principal, Director, Head of Department, Dean or Supervisor
7. Two photocopies of the completed application form, the 2000 word printed proposal and 300 word handwritten personal profile.
8. Note: Answer all questions and mail your completed application form to The Paul Foundation Office. (Please note that the application will not be accepted on any format other than hard copy.)
9. APPLICATIONS OPEN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON FEBRUARY 15, 2008. SELECTION INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD IN JUNE-JULY 2008.

Essays

The Paul Foundation requires the applicant to write a 2000 word proposal that is crucial to the process of evaluation of the application by the independent body of experts who are associated in assessing the academic and intellectual merit of the candidate. The 2000 word proposal is NOT meant to be a Statement of Purpose that is part of most applications submitted by candidates applying to universities overseas. The 2000 word proposal must set out why the candidate is eager to study in his/her area of specialization, what made him/her choose that area of specialization, what he/she expects to learn and how this learning will be utilized, what the candidate believes will be the social, community, intellectual or academic benefit of studying a particular field within the broader area of the subject. In other words, if an applicant is aiming to study theoretical physics, then he/she will have to explain how she/he arrived at the point where studying theoretical physics was the only meaningful way of spending his/her time for which she/he was willing to approach institutions like The Paul Foundation. The candidate would therefore need to explain his/her understanding of physics, theoretical physics, that particular aspect of theoretical physics that is his/her area of specialization and how pursuing such knowledge would make a difference. The Proposals are not essays in which the applicant meanders enthusiastically, but in vague terms through the subject without making specific points as to why she/he is studying a particular aspect.

Profiles

Profiles are meant as an introduction of the applicant to the evaluators. It must be noted that the Profile is not a Bio-data nor a Curriculum Vitae. The applicants personal details – age, academic qualifications, marital status are all contained within the application form. The profile is to gain an insight into the aims and personality of the applicant.

We have posted several sample proposals, personal profiles that you can study before submitting your application to us.

The essays or examples of written work that you have done during the period of your undergraduate or post graduate studies is a way of informing the evaluators about the standard of your work. It is mandatory that you submit these samples. Your application would be disqualified if you do not submit these samples of written work.

SAMPLE ESSAYS INCLUDING SAMPLE PERSONAL PROFILES

Download		Proposal for MSc in Development Finance with a Personal profile of Honours Programme in Economics and Sociology
Download		Proposal for M.S./Ph.D. in Computer Science with a Personal profile of B.E. in Computer Science
Download		Proposal for M.Phil (Environmental Studies) with a Personal profile of B.A. (Biology/Env. Studies)
Download		Proposal for Ph.D. in English with a Personal profile of M.A. in English
Download		Proposal for Bachelor’s degree in Music with a Personal profile of MA in English and PG Diploma in Journalism
Download		Proposal for M.Sc. in Physics with a Personal profile of Final year of B.Sc.
Download		Proposal for Internship in the Conservation of Art with a Personal profile of B.Sc. in Physics and MA in Conservation
Download		Proposal for Masters in Journalism with a Personal profile of Masters in English and PG Diploma in Mass Communication