John Orr Research Awards at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, 2024

Application is now open for the John Orr Research Awards at the University of Edinburgh. Interested candidates are encouraged to send their applications in before the deadline date.

About the University of Edinburgh and Award

The University of Edinburgh, steeped in history and scholarly tradition, stands as a venerable institution of higher learning in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 1582 under the authority of a royal charter granted by King James VI and officially opened in 1583, it holds the distinction of being one of Scotland’s four ancient universities and the sixth-oldest continuously operating university in the English-speaking world. The university played a pivotal role in the Scottish Enlightenment, contributing significantly to Edinburgh’s reputation as the “Athens of the North.”

Renowned for its academic excellence, the University of Edinburgh consistently secures a prominent position in global university rankings. The QS, THE, and ARWU rankings all place Edinburgh within their respective top 40. The university is an active member of esteemed research-intensive university associations, including the Coimbra Group, League of European Research Universities, Russell Group, Una Europa, and Universitas 21. Financially robust, Edinburgh had a total income of £1.262 billion in the fiscal year ending July 2022, with £331.6 million sourced from research grants and contracts, boasting the third-largest endowment in the UK, surpassed only by Cambridge and Oxford.

The University of Edinburgh spans five main campuses across the city, featuring buildings of historical and architectural significance, particularly in the Old Town. Enrolling as the seventh-largest university in the UK, it garners over 75,000 undergraduate applications annually, making it the second-most sought-after university in the UK by application volume. In 2020, Edinburgh ranked eighth in average UCAS points among British universities for new entrants.

The university maintains a strong connection with the royal family, having had Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as its chancellor from 1953 to 2010 and Anne, Princess Royal, assuming the role in March 2011. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), assessing work produced between 2014 and 2021, Edinburgh secured the 4th position in research power and 15th by GPA among British universities. Furthermore, the 2015 Global Employability University Ranking placed Edinburgh 23rd in the world and 4th in the UK for graduate employability, as rated by international recruiters. The 2021 Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which consolidates major world university rankings, positioned Edinburgh 24th globally and 5th in the UK.

Within this esteemed academic milieu, the School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh offers a distinguished award for research in any romance literature, language, or dialect. This scholarship reflects the institution’s commitment to fostering excellence and advancing knowledge in the diverse realms of literary and linguistic studies.

Details about the John Orr Research Awards at the University of Edinburgh:

Scholarship Sponsor: University of Edinburgh, UK

Scholarship Value: £2,300 per year

Number of awards: One

Study level: Masters

Host Institution(s): University of Edinburgh, UK

Courses: Romance Literature, Language and Dialect

Eligibility Criteria for John Orr Research Awards

Applicants are advised to meet the following requirements to be qualified for the John Orr Research Awards at the University of Edinburgh:

University of Edinburgh graduates are eligible to apply for the John Orr Research Award.
Candidates must be enrolled in or plan to enroll in the university for an intermediate or higher degree.
Research in any romance language, dialect, or piece of literature is eligible to receive this honor.
Candidates who are studying languages will be given precedence.

Required Documents

Two references.
The applicant’s CV must be submitted.
Research Proposal.
Outline the recent methodology and an explanation as to why it is important and authentic.
Statement of financial aid currently received or applied and its duration.