Masters Student Support Program

Scholarship Benefits & Conditions

Background:

ISLAND (Improving and Strengthening Leadership for Nature-based Development) is a five-year program co-implemented by NatureFiji-MareqetiViti (NFMV) and The United States Forest Service International Program (USFS-IP). The ISLAND Program endeavours to improve the management of Pacific Island forests, increase the resilience to various stressors, and overall improve human livelihoods across the Pacific. NFMV collaborates directly with USFS-IP to achieve regional cooperation in biodiversity conservation, terrestrial forest restoration and community-based natural resource management.

The ISLAND Master’s Student Support Program, funded by the USFS-IP, will support two Fiji or regional students for full-time study for a maximum of two consecutive years in a Masters by Thesis/Research.

Criteria:

1) Applicants must be enrolled as full-time students.

2) Applications from regional students will be accepted. Candidates currently residing in Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are encouraged to apply.

3) Must satisfy the admission requirements specified by the University of the South Pacific, Fiji National University, or a nationally recognized university within the country of which the applicant is a citizen.

4) Must have identified a principal supervisor and research advisory team.

What are the benefits and conditions of the scholarship?

1) Tuition fees for full-time studies (maximum 4 semesters or two years) for a Masters by Thesis/Research.

2) Book and stationery allowance per semester.

3) Partial funding for field-based research (up to FJD$4000).

4) Monthly stipend of FJD$1400.

5) Attachment with NatureFiji-MareqetiViti for Fiji-based students for the duration of the award.

6) Return economy airfares at the start and end of the award for regional students studying at a university in Fiji.

What programme is funded?

The ISLAND scholarship will fund tuition fees for a Masters by Thesis/Research in one or a combination of the following areas of research:

1) Terrestrial and mangrove forest restoration 

2) Community-based forest management

3) Agroforestry and alternative livelihoods

4) Biodiversity conservation and wildlife ecology

5) Species diversity and distribution along an elevational gradient

6) Endemic or endangered terrestrial species research (related to population counts, IUCN RedList assessments etc)

7) Combating illegal logging and wildlife trafficking 

8) Landscape management after landslide occurrences

9) Protected area management

10) Watershed management

11) Monitoring and evaluation of forest restoration approaches (plant phenology of native species, quantitative research on growth rates of native and introduced trees, suitable soil types for forest restoration etc)

What are the scholarship requirements?

Recipients of the ISLAND scholarship will be expected to abide by the postgraduate research policies and guidelines for the university they are enrolled in. Additionally, they will be required to meet monthly with the ISLAND Program management team and submit are a quarterly progress report. Failure to do so may result in their scholarship being terminated. The scholarship may also be terminated if recipients undertake paid employment, or if they receive other financial assistance or scholarships from other sources without notifying NatureFiji-MareqetiViti in writing. Additional research advisory support can be facilitated by the ISLAND team from NFMV and USFS-IP if required.

How do I apply:

Please email the following to [email protected]:

Applications are due on Tuesday 11 February 2025, 11:59pm (Fiji Time).

Successful applicants will be notified via email and are encouraged to begin studies in the first semester of 2025.