In Phase I, supervisors are asked to indicate their availability and willingness to supervise a Hume doctoral scholar and to indicate the broad research topics/ areas that they are available to supervise in and that applicants should address in their application. Supervisors will be asked to provide information about the research area’s alignment with the University research strengths and priorities in the MU strategic plan. The closing date for submission of Expressions of interest is Wednesday 19th March 2025 at 12 noon. No late applications will be accepted.
Supervisors:
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
1.1 John & Pat Hume Doctoral Awards
The John & Pat Hume Doctoral Awards will be offered to successful doctoral applicants with demonstrated excellence in academic course work and research and high potential for postgraduate research. Consideration will also be given to the relevance of the proposed doctoral research to Maynooth University research strengths, priorities and beacons as outlined in the University Strategic Plan 2023-28.
There will be up to 15 scholarships offered for the academic year 2025-2026; 12 awards will be at faculty level (4 awards in each of the 3 faculties) and 3 cross-Faculty awards (WISH and MAP awards; see Sections 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 below).
Each of the 15 awards offered is a four-year scholarship; below is the value for each year of study.
| Award 2025-2026 |
Stipend |
Research expenses
allowance |
Fees* |
Open to |
| Hume Doctoral Award |
€25,000 |
€2,000 |
Full EU fees |
Full-time students |
* Successful applicants must pay the standard application fee and annual student levy in accordance with Maynooth University regulations.
1.2. John & Pat Hume Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Doctoral Awards
As part of Maynooth University’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), three Hume Doctoral awards are funded annually to address areas of significant under-representation, including women in STEM, and the Maynooth Access Programme (MAP) target groups, as highlighted in the University’s Strategic Plan 2023- 2028.
1.2.1 Women in STEM Hume (WISH) Scholarship
- As part of the Athena SWAN initiative, Maynooth University provides two Women in STEM Hume (WISH) scholarships annually. The WISH Scholarship aim to encourage women to take up a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics through research.
Awards will be offered to the top two ranked female doctoral applicants in STEM project areas, with priority given to disciplines in which women are under-represented: Chemistry, Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Physics and Mathematics and Statistics.
All applicants are subject to the eligibility requirements as stated in the John & Pat Hume Doctoral Awards Programme Terms & Conditions.
1.2.2 Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP) Hume Scholarship
The Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP) Hume scholarship aims to encourage people from communities and groups under-represented in higher education, and who often face barriers to participation and success in higher education, to take up a career in research.
For MAP awards, priority may be given to applicants from target groups that are particularly under-represented in higher education, and/or who have faced additional challenges in accessing opportunities in education (e.g. socio-economic disadvantage; applicants with a physical/sensory disability; Irish Travellers; lone parents; refugee/asylum seekers; or where an applicant is member of more than one target group under-represented in higher education). Priority may be given to applicants from target groups who face multiple challenges.
If you are considering applying for a Hume Scholarship please join us for our online information session where we will run through a step by step guide to making an application. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions.
Sign up HERE, add your email address, and we will send you a link to join the information session on Thursday, March 27th, 11-11:45am.
General:
I wish to inquire regarding international students applying for the upcoming Hume PhD Scholarship 2025 call. The T&Cs state that full EU fees will be paid. However, what happens in the case of an international student? Are their full fees covered as well?
Successful awardees who are Non-EU students may be awarded a non-EU fee waiver. This waiver can be applied for separately by succcessful applicants and may be awarded on a needs basis.
Eligibility:
I am interested in the John and Pat Hume doctoral program and would like some details to see if I qualify. I have an honours degree in business and a diploma in law. Is that sufficient?
All applicants must have a first class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, in the discipline of the department of application. More details on eligibility can be found in the "Terms & Conditions above".
I have completed a research postgraduate degree in English at Trinity college dublin. However, I noticed that the exemption criteria specify that international students who completed their primary degree in English are not subject to this requirement. Could you please confirm whether an MPhil degree qualifies for exemption, or if I am still required to submit an English language proficiency test?
If you have the required grade of 1.1 or 2.1 in your Masters Degree from Trinity College Dublin you are not subject to the english language proficiency requirement.
Application Form:
In the Guide of Applicants, I see that it says another document may be uploaded to include references/bibliography. Does this mean that the research proposal may be submitted with only the in-text citations and not a reference list provided that the reference list is provided in additional document?
Correct - the research proposal may be submitted with only the in-text citations and the reference list/bibliography is provided as an upload in additional documents.
If my application is in the Irish language, do I need to submit an English translation?
Yes - We ask that when you submit your application in the Irish language you include an English translation. The reason for this is that the faculty review panel members come from various departments and may not be native Irish speakers.
Supervision:
Some supervisors dont respond to my email, how can I sumbit my application without a supervisor?
Submitting a Hume application requires that you have a commitment of support from a suitable MU supervisor. Some supervisors are being contacted by many many students. If you are emailing a supervisor that you do not know you would be advised to include as much information as possible about your unique research project proposal, including your own academic achievements, and the reason and fit for selecting that supervisor.
Reference:
I am applying for the John Hume Scholarship and my referee is more comfortable sending in the reference letter via email as that is the method of submission, she is more accustomed to. Just wanted to double check that this would be okay.
Unfortunately, that is not the process for the Hume awards. This year's process requires that the student must upload the single academic reference, signed by their supervisor and Head of Department to their application.
Without the academic reference the application will be ineligible.
Supervisors will submit an Expression of Interest with reasearch areas they are willing to supervise a Hume studuent in. The research areas and supervisors will be advertised here for the Faculty of Arts & Humanities.
Applicants can only apply for a Hume scholarship in the research areas advertised.
You can review the research areas by faculty, by department, by supervisor, below. Please review all Hume supporting documentation before application.
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You can review all research areas across all faculties below.
Supervisors will submit an Expression of Interest with reasearch areas they are willing to supervise a Hume studuent in. The research areas and supervisors will be advertised here for the Faculty of Science & Engineering.
Applicants can only apply for a Hume scholarship in the research areas advertised below.
You can review the research areas by faculty, by department, by supervisor, below. Please review all Hume supporting documentation before application.
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You can review all research areas across all faculties below.
Supervisors will submit an Expression of Interest with reasearch areas they are willing to supervise a Hume studuent in. The research areas and supervisors will be advertised here for the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Applicants can only apply for a Hume scholarship in the research areas advertised.
You can review the research areas by faculty, by department, by supervisor, below. Please review all Hume supporting documentation before application.
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You can review all research areas across all faculties below.
