2019 IRC Postgraduate Scholarship

c00lkat007

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone has applied for this programme and when the results are expected to be released?

PavlovsPuppies

c00lkat007 wrote: »

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone has applied for this programme and when the results are expected to be released?

I've applied for the funding in the AHSS stream. Not word yet on when we will hear but it's supposed to be before the end of March so I would imagine it'll be in the next few days. Nerve-wracking wait!

deviari

Nerve-wracking indeed. They came out on March 27th last year at around 11 am...

Pandora13

At this stage, whether good or bad news, I just want to know either way. The waiting game is the worst!!

deviari

Pandora13 wrote: »

At this stage, whether good or bad news, I just want to know either way. The waiting game is the worst!!

Yeah true. Kind of starting to doubt that “end of March” prediction at this stage.

c00lkat007

I feel like the results will be released by tomorrow, as it would really be shameful on their part to keep us waiting beyond this week as they had promised.
The programme seems to be getting more and more competitive and I feel like it would be great if they made the process more transparent. I`ve heard that once you are on the 2nd stage, your chances of success increases to 50/50, so lets keep our fingers crossed.

Anyone in the STEM stream?

deviari

c00lkat007 wrote: »

I feel like the results will be released by tomorrow, as it would really be shameful on their part to keep us waiting beyond this week as they had promised.
The programme seems to be getting more and more competitive and I feel like it would be great if they made the process more transparent. I`ve heard that once you are on the 2nd stage, your chances of success increases to 50/50, so lets keep our fingers crossed.

Anyone in the STEM stream?

I really hope it’ll be tomorrow, although they have been known to release results at the beginning of April so I wouldn’t hold my hopes too high.

Oh really? I thought that the top 40% progress to stage two, but either way I’ve got everything crossed!

I’m STEM too.

MaHanke

I was really hoping we would get the result today, but as it is already after noon it's a bit unlikely, no?

Pandora13

MaHanke wrote: »

I was really hoping we would get the result today, but as it is already after noon it's a bit unlikely, no?

I'm still holding out hope results will be released at 2pm, but I agree, it's not looking good!

deviari

They came out at 11am last year and the “submitted applications” section of the site went down the evening beforehand.

I’m dying to get that email

tomhed_94

Also waiting in the Arts & Humanities stream... every email gives me a minor heart attack! Feeling like it will be next week You'd think they would at least let us know if something has delayed them until next week.

dco_1987

Good luck to all applicants this year. The wait is horrendous but no matter the outcome, don't doubt the value of your research. I truly believe that it can be luck of the draw and that much more investment is needed for research in Ireland. Fingers crossed for everyone who has applied. If you are not successful, make sure you apply for any upcoming internal funding opportunities (college based) and keep an eye out for affiliated organisations who match your research. Sometimes they offer bursaries etc. **Sending positive vibes

deviari

Results seem to be up for some. An email has been sent. I’ve not yet heard anything but a friend has. Anyone else?

jdivision123

I am on the AHSS reserve list Good luck all and congrats to those who get awards today! I will move on now

deviari

jdivision123 wrote: »

I am on the reserve list by one point (those who scored 89.5 to 92 were placed on reserve). Do note that I am an international student, so I am on a different category as only 10% of the scholarships go to international students

Good luck all and congrats to those who get awards today! I will move on now

Can I ask if you’re AHSS or STEM? I wouldn’t be too discouraged yet, I saw disappointed students offered places after conditional offers were rejected last year.

jdivision123

AHSS, sorry, forgot to edit my post on time!

deviari

jdivision123 wrote: »

AHSS, sorry, forgot to edit my post on time!

Being placed on a reserve list with a score of 92 is crazy, it’s so competitive

jdivision123

Yeah I know I will take solace on doing well enough to make it this far. And good luck to those who are still to get their results!

deviari

jdivision123 wrote: »

Yeah I know I will take solace on doing well enough to make it this far. And good luck to those who are still to get their results!

Thank you the wait is killing, I wish it was a generic ‘check the status of your application’ email...

MaHanke

I'm also in the AHSS and haven't heard anything. Is the submitted application page down for you all? It's's still up for me.

deviari

MaHanke wrote: »

I'm also in the AHSS and haven't heard anything. Is the submitted application page down for you all? It's's still up for me.

The submitted application part didn’t go down for a friend who was emiled about an hour ago, so that bug must be fixed! Waiting very very impatiently...

Any word of unsuccessful emails or conditional offers from anyone? Not sure how they’re releasing the results but for the first round the unsuccessful applicants were informed a week in advance of the applicants that progressed through to the second round.

MaHanke

Yeah a friend of mine didn't make it out of the firs round and was informed a few days ahead of me, but it would really suck if they made us wait any longer...

tomhed_94

So I haven't gotten an email but got notified on the portal! They must be doing it in batches!

PavlovsPuppies

I just keep refreshing the page, hoping it'll pop up. I'm going to try to distract myself for the afternoon until I hear. Good luck everyone.

deviari

tomhed_94 wrote: »

So I haven't gotten an email but got notified on the portal! They must be doing it in batches!

How do you mean notified on the portal? :eek:
My nerves...

tomhed_94

The status of mine changed to conditional award, so not a notification, but I just opened the submitted application page and it had changed! Still no email though!

deviari

tomhed_94 wrote: »

The status of mine changed to conditional award, so not a notification, but I just opened the submitted application page and it had changed! Still no email though!

Aw well done! I’ve still got no email and my application is still under assessment

PavlovsPuppies

Just got the email. I have a conditional award in the AHSS stream with a score of 88.

Good luck to everyone else.

MaHanke

Scored 89 in the AHSS and have a conditional award. Congrats to those who got it and really sorry if you din't make it. E-mail came about twenty minutes ago.

deviari

MaHanke wrote: »

Scored 89 in the AHSS and have a conditional award. Congrats to those who got it and really sorry if you din't make it. E-mail came about twenty minutes ago.

Conditional awards all around for ye, well done! Make sure ye celebrate tonight!

Hoggy159

Howayas lads,

Got a reserve place there on the STEM applications.

Can anyone tell me what the story is about deadlines for accepting your conditional offers or if there is one at all?

Well done as well to the successful lads

Pandora13

Hoggy159 wrote: »

Howayas lads,

Got a reserve place there on the STEM applications.

Can anyone tell me what the story is about deadlines for accepting your conditional offers or if there is one at all?

Well done as well to the successful lads

The email asked for a response by 12 April 2019 on whether we were accepting the offer or not. But it said the minute someone rejects an offer, an offer will be made to someone else who is on the reserve list by rank. Best of luck, hope you get the place and won't have to wait too long!

coolmobile

I also got a reserve place in STEM. Were those who also got the reserve list email given the range that applicants had to score to be put in the reserve list?

Hoggy159

coolmobile wrote: »

I also got a reserve place in STEM. Were those who also got the reserve list email given the range that applicants had to score to be put in the reserve list?

My email said the reserve range was from 84.5 to 88 points. Was this the same as what yours said?

coolmobile

Hoggy159 wrote: »

My email said the reserve range was from 84.5 to 88 points. Was this the same as what yours said?

Yeah, mine said the exact same! I’m still hoping we’ll get it 🤞🤞

kelly_d

I have some doubts regarding the IRC scholarship. Could someone help me?

I´m afraid to accept it and then not having enough money for expenses, because the rents are so high.

the scholarship is 16000 per year, this amount is paid monthly for the 12 months of the year, 1333 per month?
they usually pay on time?

the 2500 a year for research expenses, we have to pay with our money and then we are reimbursed? How long does it take to get the refund?

dco_1987

kelly_d wrote: »

I have some doubts regarding the IRC scholarship. Could someone help me?

I´m afraid to accept it and then not having enough money for expenses, because the rents are so high.

the scholarship is 16000 per year, this amount is paid monthly for the 12 months of the year, 1333 per month?
they usually pay on time?

the 2500 a year for research expenses, we have to pay with our money and then we are reimbursed? How long does it take to get the refund?

Hi Kelly, so yes, IRC gives your scholarship to your institution (Trinity/UCD/NUIG/etc) and you are paid monthly on the payroll date. In Trinity this is on the 20th of the month and has always been on time.

With regards research expenses- so far I have used a bit of mine for training courses/software etc. In these instances- I was able to raise a purchase order from the college and they paid for the services directly. If you are buying a computer, often the college will have a supplier and they can do the transaction on your behalf from your research expense account. Your supervisor will approve any such purchases and in my case the School administrator organised everything for me. I do know from others that if you pay for something yourself and need to be reimbursed- it is usually done fairly quickly (separate to payroll and usually in a couple of days/ 1 week max).

In relation to living in Dublin- rent is outrageous, not so sure about elsewhere. It is manageable though in shared accommodation (I currently pay €575 p/m for a small single room, though I know I am lucky). I do have to be meticulous about my spending and have a monthly budget but so far it is manageable and I have a social life- albeit a bit more conservative than if I was in full-time employment. I don't really drink, so my social expenses are really limited to going for dinner occasionally with friends or cinema. The usual.

There are opportunities for exam invigilation etc which can pay well, as a means of topping up your income. Be careful in terms of engagement with teaching in the university. This is totally worthwhile and a good tick-box exercise if you wish to pursue a career in academia, but can be very time consuming. Make sure you balance workload with your PhD obligations. It's what you are there to do.

In my opinion, it's doable and I hope it will all be worth it in the end. Good luck with it all.

kelly_d

Thank you very much dco_1987 . Can I also ask you if the payment is divided by 12 months, just to know how much I have per month for rent, food, public transport, etc.
The single rooms that I have seen on the net are around 800 and 900 euros, so I'll have to be very careful with the budget.

dco_1987

Hey- so yeah, the stipend started on September 20th and will be paid in 24 installments (I applied for 2 years funding). Yeah- accommodation is the biggest killer. If you can get a decent owner occupier who is doing the room to let scheme, it can be cheaper. But you have to be sure that they are not going to be awkward about weekend stays etc. Get in touch with your host institution and see if they have anything coming up on their bulletins. I know that in some colleges you can apply to live on campus as a resident assistant (rent free). Only thing with this is dealing with 1st year undergrads etc. But can be a way of saving money. Where will you be based? I was in Maynooth and now Trinity so I'd only really know those areas for rent.

coolmobile

Has anyone on the reserve list heard back yet?

kelly_d

Hi dco_1987,
again, thank you so much for all the information you gave me. Meanwhile, I discovered a room rental website and I've started looking.
We will see

kelly_d

Hi coolmobile,
those who received a conditional offer have until the end of May to present the proof of the academic degrees, I think that who is on the reserve list should be contacted after that date, but I'm not sure.
I think the number of scholarships is insufficient and I wish everyone good luck.

conor_od98

Anyone in STEM doing a PhD with IRC funding able to tell me what grades they got in 3rd/4th year if they went straight in after the degree? Currently sitting 3rd year exams in hopes to apply next semester?

coolmobile

conor_od98 wrote: »

Anyone in STEM doing a PhD with IRC funding able to tell me what grades they got in 3rd/4th year if they went straight in after the degree? Currently sitting 3rd year exams in hopes to apply next semester?

Hey Conor,
I can't speak as someone who is IRC funded but I can tell you it isn't all based on grades. My GPA was maintained between 81 - 85% for the four years of my undergrad and I was put on the reserve list. Those who were rejected got a breakdown of the grade given to their application under the headings Applicant (40 marks), Project (40 marks), Training and Career Development (10 marks), and Environment (10 marks).
Hope this helps.

coolmobile

Also, does anyone know of anyone who got an offer this year and is planning on rejecting it?

monireh

Hi

I got a reserve place on 2022 AHSS with a 93. Is it possible to get the award yet? 😢😢