The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), together with the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK Dir), are pleased to announce a call for applications for the NORSTIP scholarship for higher education. The scholarship is intended for students from certain NTNU’s partner universities in low- and middle-income countries who wish to take a master’s degree within certain fields of study at NTNU. The scholarship is valid for studies starting in autumn 2025.

At Makerere University (MAK), students and staff from the following departments are eligible to apply: Department of Development Studies; Department of Geography, Geo- Informatics and Climatic Sciences, Department of Environment Management, and Department of Forestry, Bio-diversity and Tourism having completed a bachelor’s degree may apply for a scholarship for one of the following two-year master’s programmes at NTNU:

• MSc in Globalisation and Sustainable Development (up to 4 scholarships)
• MSc in Natural Resources Management Specializing in Geography (up to 2 scholarships)

MSc in Globalisation and Sustainable Development (MSGLOPOL 2-years) is a two-year international, interdisciplinary master’s programme that provides students with critical insights into global sustainability challenges combining academic studies with practical experiences. As part of the programme, the students will undergo an internship in a globally oriented organisation or corporation. The programme provides students with specialist knowledge and transferable skills to pursue careers in multinational corporations, foreign policy, international organisations, NGOs and research. Please consult the programme’s webpages for more information about admission requirements and content.

Master of Science in Natural Resources Management Specializing in Geography (NARM 2-years) is a two-year international interdisciplinary programme, consisting of the specializations Biology and Geography. The specially designed programme gives the students an understanding of the importance of managing natural resources sustainably, while developing an understanding of the connections between different disciplines and actors. It will also help you to be able to communicate with actors across disciplines. This programme aims to give an outstanding, and unique, education and the required knowledge that will contribute to finding sustainable solutions to interdisciplinary challenges related to the management of natural resources. Please consult the programme’s webpages for more information about admission requirements and content.

Who can apply?

To be eligible for the scholarship you must fulfil the following criteria:

1. Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree at the Department of Development
   Studies, Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences, Department of Environment Management, or Department of Forestry, Bio-diversity and Tourism or being an employee ¹ at these respective departments
2. Be between the ages of 20-30
3. Be a citizen of and reside in Uganda
4. Not already hold a master’s degree

To be awarded the scholarship you will also need to be formally accepted to MSc in Globalisation and Sustainable Development at NTNU or Natural Resources Management specialising in Geography. Admission to the master’s programmes at NTNU will require:

1. A first degree (a bachelor’s degree) in a relevant field
   • a. To be admitted to MSGLOPOL or MSNARM, applicants must have a relevant bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of at least C by the Norwegian grading system (First class and second class upper by Makerere University standards). A-C grade, however, does not guarantee admission.
   • b. For specific academic requirements visit:
     https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/msglopol/admission or
     https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/msnarm/admission
2. Documentation of English language proficiency according to NTNU’s requirements

How to apply – Deadline 23^rd of September

Applications should be sent to NORSTIP_Geography NTNU at Email: NORSTIPapplicationmakerere@gmail.com before the 23^rd of September including CV, motivation letter which also indicate your research interests (max 1-page A4), transcripts of records and BSc certificates (all documents need to be in English).

Applicants will be shortlisted for a digital interview with a selection committee at the NTNU in collaboration with partners at MAK. Candidates will be ranked based on academic performance, and personal and interpersonal qualifications. Selection will follow NTNUs principles of gender balance and equality. Female students are encouraged to apply.

Applicants are advised of the result of their application by 15^th of November and will receive information about the further application process. Accepted students’ needs to apply for admission to NTNU by the 1^st of December 2024 (included all relevant documentation, language test and more).

The scholarship

The scholarship amounts to a total of 920 000 NOK per student for the two years of studies. It covers your tuition fees, visa fees, travel costs to/from Norway before your studies and after graduation (max 30 000 NOK), funding for field work where relevant, and reasonable costs for living and studying in Norway. The Candidate is personally responsible for ensuring that the scholarship payments satisfy their various monetary obligations (housing, fees, etc.) and general living costs. Candidate must cover travel expenses and visa application fee (about 5400 NOK per August 2024) themselves and will be reimbursed for this after arrival at NTNU in Norway.

The NORSTIP start-up grant (15 000 NOK) together with the scholarship amount for the first 4 months will be paid out to the Candidate upon their arrival at the Institution’s campus in Norway. The candidate will receive these funds on a cash card (kronekort) which may be used as a regular debit card. This card cannot be used online or to pay invoices. The rent to Sit[2]² housing may be paid using the cash card in Sit’s housing office. Subsequent monthly payments will be made out to the Candidate’s Norwegian bank account on the date set by the Institution for such pay-outs.

Upon acquisition of their identification number, the Candidate will be required to open a personal bank account in a Norwegian bank and provide the account details to the contact person at the Institution. Upon receipt of the Candidate’s Norwegian banking details, the Institution will make all subsequent payments to the Candidate’s Norwegian bank account.

The scholarship will not cover expenses for family members/children in the home country or in Norway or costs associated with sending extra luggage to/from Norway.

Conditions for entitlement after having been awarded the scholarship
To become and remain entitled to the Scholarship, the Candidate must:

• a) obtain and continuously uphold a valid residence permit from UDI³;
• b) accept enrolment into the Master’s programme provided by the Institution, and continuously meet the requirements set by the Institution for upholding his/her student status and right to attend the Master’s programme;
• c) arrive at the Institution’s campus in Norway and commence their studies in accordance with the Master’s programme;
• d) keep the study progression set by the Institution for the Master’s programme.

It is expected that the Candidate returns to her/his home country after completing the Master’s programme in Norway.

For additional questions about the NORSTIP scholarship programme, please contact:

1. Per Ivar CHUTKO, study advisor, Department of Geography. NTNU. Email: per.chutko@ntnu.no
2. Associate Prof. Hilde REFSTIE, Department of Geography, NTNU. Email: hilde.refstie@ntnu.no
3. Dr Paul Isolo MUKWAYA, Department of Geography, Geo-informatics and Climatic Sciences, Makerere University. Email: pmukwaya@gmail.com
4. Dr Eria Serwajja, Department of Development Studies, Makerere University. Email: eserwajja@gmail.com

Footnotes

1. Employees of partner universities who have an agreement with their employer to return
   to their position after the completed master’s degree will be prioritised. ↩︎
2. Sit is the Student Welfare Organisation who is in charge of a number of services for
   students at NTNU. Please see https://www.sit.no/en for more information. ↩︎
3. UDI is the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. Please see https://www.udi.no/ for
   more information. ↩︎