The arrangements for recruiting and allocating students to EPSRC DTA studentships (previously QUOTA studentships) within the School of Physics are as follows:
An initial allocation of studentships to the School's Research Groups will be made in October of each year. These will normally be made to Research Groups, although allocations may be made to specific supervisors in the case of newly appointed staff. The allocations will be decided by the Postgraduate Admissions Officer, in consultation with the Chair of Research Committee and the Head of School.
Students interested in PhD places should meet with the Postgraduate Admissions Officer in January of their final year. S/He will then direct them to the appropriate groups. Individual groups will then be responsible for deciding which projects and students be earmarked for their studentship(s). Potential students should be informed of the projects on offer, and of the need to submit their application forms promptly, irrespective of the apparent availability of funding. No firm offers will be made to students at this stage but the PG Admissions Officer should be kept informed of potential applicants.
If, by the end of the Spring Term (week T2:11), groups or individuals have been unable to find suitable students, the unfilled studentships will revert to the School (see below). At this stage, the School may start to make offers to students - all offers will be made by the PG Admissions Officer. A studentship will only be deemed to have been 'filled' by a group or individual when an application form has been received by the PG Admissions Officer.
It should be emphasised to all potential applicants that applications received after the end of the Spring Term may be too late to be considered. Allocations of these remaining studentships will be made by the Postgraduate Admissions Officer, in consultation with the Chair of Research Committee and the Head of School.
Clearly, the projects undertaken by EPSRC DTA students have to be within the remit of EPSRC. If, in the future, the School is awarded similar studentships from other Research Councils, a similar approach will be adopted for their allocation as that outlined above.