Steps towards a PhD

1. Getting Started

A full list of research activities undertaken in the School in Medicine can be viewed on the School's Research. Please feel free to contact potential supervisors directly if you are interested in their research area.

2. Getting Registered

After initial discussions with your potential supervisor, the intending student must complete an application form and send it to the Graduate Studies Office [Application Form]. All registration in Trinity College is handled centrally. Once the application is approved, the postgraduate student will register in the Examination Hall either in October or April. General information about Postgraduate Studies, together with Postgraduate application forms, are available at the following website http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/prospectivestudents/howtoapply/index.php.

3. Funding Postgraduates

Supervisor sourced: The major source of funding for postgraduates is research grants obtained by the supervisor. Student stipends can vary greatly between individual positions.
Trinity College awards: Trinity also offers studentships in the form of Postgraduate Research Studentships and Postgraduate Ussher fellowships. For further information on these awards go to: http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/prospectivestudents/awards/index.php.
IRCSET: The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET) Embark Initiative Postgraduate Research Scholarship Scheme funds up to 150 new entrant Masters or Doctorate level researchers in the sciences, engineering and technology annually. For information go to: http://www.ircset.ie
PhD Scholars programmes: Students that are accepted onto PhD Scholars programmes in Neuroscience, Molecular Medicine, Health Services Research are funded on these programmes for a period of four-years.

4. Other Sources of Finance

Local Authority Awards: Students who received maintenance grants from their local authorities as undergraduates may be eligible for a continuation of the award as a postgraduate.
Demonstrating and Invigilating: Postgraduate students are encouraged to act as demonstrators in undergraduate practicals. Demonstrators get paid €24.58 per hour (2009/2010). Postgraduate students may also act as invigilators during examinations. Invigilators get paid €45.51 per 3 hour session (2009/2010).

5. Promoting Process for Postgraduate Students

1. All documentation and information relevant to new and progressing postgraduate students is centralized through the School Postgraduate Office, Old Stone Building, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James Hospital [e-mail: gradapps.hs@tcd.ie]
2. All postgraduates undertaking a Ph.D. must either (a) complete a Transfer Report to allow them to transfer from the M.Sc. to the Ph.D. register or (b) complete a Confirmation Report if they are already on the Ph.D. register (the latter applies mainly to students from October 2008).
3. The Transfer Report/Confirmation Report should be of the same format as an M.Sc./Ph.D thesis. The Report should be submitted within 15 months of starting your postgraduate research.
4. No Ph.D. thesis should take longer than 4 years to complete (6 years in the case of a part-time Ph.D. student from October 2008). No M.Sc. thesis should take longer than 2 years (3 years in the case of a part-time M.Sc. student from October 2008) and no student should spend longer than 2 years on the M.Sc. register. Failure to fulfil these time frames results in financial penalties to the School.
5. As part of the Postgraduate Research experience the School hosts an annual Postgraduate Research day. The postgraduate research day provides an avenue for postgraduate students to communicate and share ideas with other postgraduates within the School, and also gives them a chance to present their work, ideas and information.

6. Thesis Submission and Examination

Details regarding Thesis Submission and Dean’s Grace can be found on the Graduate Studies website

Click here for details on the format of the viva voce examination in the School.