Thailand: Master Scholarships for ASEAN Students

The SCG (Siam Cement Group) Foundation is pleased to grant up to 6 full scholarships for individuals wishing to study at the Master of Arts Program in International Development Studies (MAIDS) at Chulalongkorn University for the upcoming 2010-2011 academic year.

Please note that in previous years the scholarship was limited to full-time government employees or civil servants, but it is now open to non-governmental workers, students, and other individuals with a background in development, as well as government employees.

1. Eligibility (6 Scholarships)

Scholarships are open to government workers, non-profit sector employees, students and other individuals with a background in development from each of the following Southeast Asian countries:

1. Thailand
2. Vietnam
3. Cambodia
4. Laos
5. Indonesia
6. Philippines

The SCG Foundation and the MAIDS programme will seek to distribute one scholarship per country.

2. Scholarship Coverage

I) Living Expenses

- Roundtrip airfare (up to 25,000 baht)

- Housing (5,000 baht/month)

- Food (8,000 baht/month)

2) Education Costs

- Tuition Fees (Thai Scholar: 252,000 baht; International Scholar: 337,500 baht)

- Workshop and/or Fieldtrips (15,000 baht)

Total Scholarship Value

- Thai Scholarship: 464,800 baht/scholarship

- International Scholarship: 575,300 baht/scholarship

3. Scholarship Conditions:

I) Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for MAIDS admission AND be admitted to the MAIDS program.

II) SCG Foundation Scholars are expected to graduate within the prescribed 12 month period (excluding the pre-session course). Students who are required to enroll in additional semester(s) will have to bear the additional cost of living and tuition fees.

III) SCG Foundation Scholars must not be employed - either part-time or full-time - during their studies/scholarship tenure.

IV) Following graduation, SCG Foundation Scholars are expected to return to work for their home governments for a period of two years.

4. MAIDS Program Admission Requirements:

I) Entry Requirements

- Applicants should possess a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in the social sciences with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

- Applicants should also have 2 years work experience in a related field. Mature students, junior to mid-level government officials with experience in development are encouraged to apply.

II) English Language Requirements

Candidates will be required to demonstrate an acceptable level of language proficiency. Applicants should have achieved an English language score of at least 6.0 on the British Council IELTS, 550 in the paper-based TOEFL, 213 in the computer-based TOEFL, or 550 in CU-TEP (Chulalongkorn University Test of English Proficiency). These three above-mentioned tests are the only ones excepted by Chulalongkorn University. Please also note English tests scores must be less than two years old at the time of application.

Please note that these scores, although a minimum requirement for admission, do not guarantee successful admission or completion of the program. The candidate should feel comfortable writing graduate-level academic essays and participating in class discussions in English.

5. Recruitment Procedure:

I) Application Deadline:

March 31st, 2010

II) Preliminary Applicant Screening:

April 2010

III) Short-listed Candidate Interviews:

April/May 2010

IV) Final Selection:

June 2010

V) Pre-session Course for Selected Students:

August/September 2010

VI) Program Commencement:

October 2010

6. Application Procedure:

I) Application period

As stated above, MAIDS scholarship applications are due March 31st , 2010.

II) Required Materials

Students applying for the Master of Arts in International Development Studies must submit the following materials:

• Application Forms: The application form can be downloaded here. Please complete the form, either by typing or writing clearly in block letters.

Application form.doc
Application form.pdf

Please contact the MAIDS office if you are unable to download the form on this website.

• Transcripts: Applicants must submit an original or certified copy of their transcript from the college or university previously attended. Transcripts that are not in Thai or English must be translated and certified in the English language.

If you are currently enrolled in an academic programme, please submit an official report of your current mid-term grades. You can send your final grades at a later date when they become available.

• Photocopy of previous degree(s)

• English language test scores (if applicable): The programme accepts photocopies of English test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, CU-TEP) for the application process. Please note, however, that the admitted students will have to present the original score record to Chulalongkorn University at the beginning of the academic year.

Alternatively, the student can have ETS, the company that administers TOEFL, send the score directly to the programme. Chulalongkorn University 's TOEFL institutional code is 0227. The MAIDS programme does not have a departmental code registered with ETS, so make sure to write clearly “M.A. in International Development Studies, Faculty of Political Science” on the score report request form.

• Letters of recommendation: Applicants are required to ask two instructors or employers familiar with their work to send sealed letters of recommendation with letterhead and original signatures. Please also provide the following reference form to your referees and ask them to fill it out:

Student Reference Form.doc

Please provide your referees with the above form and ask for a confidential reference to be returned to you in a signed and sealed envelope. Please return the unopened envelope to the MAIDS Office with the application form. The referee also has the option of sending the reference directly to the MAIDS Office.

• Curriculum Vitae/Resume: The resume must provide information on current and past employment, academic awards and scholarships, international travel, publications, and extracurricular activities, including volunteer work.

• Statement of Purpose: The statement of purpose should be between 600 and 1000 words, and include the following elements:

- Describe your most valued experience or accomplishment.
- Describe your research interests, and outline a tentative topic for your M.A. thesis.
- Describe your career expectations (personal and professional objectives), and explain how the M.A. in International Development Studies at Chulalongkorn will help you achieve these goals.

• Writing Sample: The MAIDS programme requires all applicants to submit a sample of their critical or analytical writing. This may be a paper written for an undergraduate course, a published academic or journalistic article, or another appropriate writing sample. Applicants should briefly explain - using a separate document - the context in which the sample was originally written, including information on the nature of the publication in which it appeared, and the date of publication.

The objective of the sample writing is to assess the applicants' analytical and writing skills. The ability to write clearly in English – both for native and non-native speakers - is essential to fulfill the written requirements for this M.A. programme in International Development Studies.

• Photocopy of ID Card (for Thai applicants) or passport (for non-Thai applicant) .

• Two photographs: Applicants must submit two recent one inch photographs.

• Application fee: There is a non-refundable application fee of 800 Thai baht .

The fees can be paid in cash at the MAIDS office, or deposited directly in the programme's bank account (see details below). If the money is transferred to the programme's account the applicant must submit a photocopy of the bank transfer receipt with the application. Applicants who are not in Thailand must pay the fee by sending us a $30 US “Bank Draft” only (US$26 plus US$4 for bank charge).

Please note that the programme will not begin to process any application until the reception of the application fee has been confirmed.

Account Details

Account Name : M.A. in International Development Studies
Account No : 045-2-90843-0 (Saving Account)
Bank Name : The Siam Commercial Bank (SWIFT CODE: SICOTHBK)
Bank Branch : 1873 Henri Dunant Road , Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 THAILAND
Bank Tel : 02-254-1555

Applicant Interviews

The MAIDS admissions team may decide to interview applicants by phone or in person if it is viewed as necessary. The purpose of the interview is usually to ensure that students have an adaquate understanding of development issues combined with an appropriate level of English language proficiency to complete their M.A. degree within the prescribed 12-month period.

Please note that the MAIDS admissions team will inform those students requiring after the application deadline.

MAIDS Pre-Session

Shortlisted students who are accepted to the programme following their interview may also be required to participate in a four-week intensive introductory session in Bangkok prior to the beginning of classes in October. This session will cost approximately 15,000 baht and will include classes in the following areas: Academic English, Research Methods and Development Theory.

Checklist: Documents to enclose in your application

*
Completed application form
*
Photocopy of bank transfer of non-refundable application fee of 800 Baht, if not paid in cash.
*
2 photographs
*
Official transcript from the college or university previously attended - Photocopy of previous degree(s)
*
2 letters of recommendation (please use Student Reference Forms)
*
Curriculum Vitae/resume
*
Statement of purpose
*
One paper/report/article previously written by the applicant
*
Photocopy of ID card (for Thai applicants)
*
Photocopy of passport (for non-Thai students)
*
TOEFL, IELTS or CU-TEP English language test results, if applicable

Where documents are found to be INVALID, the University will revoke the admission agreement and retain all payments made to the university.

When complete, please sign, date and return the form enclosing all necessary documentation to:

M.A. in International Development Studies
Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
Henry-Dunant Road, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330 , THAILAND
Tel: (+66) 2-218-7313
Fax: (+66) 2-252-6277
E-mail: maids@chula.ac.th

Please note that we are currently unable to receive and process online applications.

Acceptance of Admission

Successful scholars will be notified whether or not they must attend the pre-session at the same time they are notified of their scholarship status (see above timeline). If the pre-session is not required, scholars may come to Thailand in early September 2010 to settle in Bangkok. The MAIDS program will begin the first week of October 2010.

Read the original post on http://www.ids.polsci.chula.ac.th/SiamCementFoundationScholarshipProgram.htm