Frequently asked questions

How will I get to Cape Town? When will I need to be there?

Successful applicants will need to arrange and pay for their flights to Cape Town and will need to arrive by Friday 10 June 2016.  Specific times and flights will be suggested to 10successful applicants.

Up to £300 of travel cost will be refunded by Imperial following proof of purchase.  This can only be done after you have purchased tickets.  An expenses claim form along with receipts will need to be provided.

Do not purchase tickets be fore your place on the summer school has been confirmed.

When the final list of attendees has been confirmed, the International Relations Office will share others’ contact details so you may arrange to travel in a group of other Imperial attendees, should you wish.

Where will the summer school and research placement take place? Where will I stay?

During the summer school (20 – 8 July), accommodation will be provided on the University of Cape Town campus.  Participants may have to share a bedroom with another course participant.

If you wish to arrive earlier or depart later, you must arrange your own accommodation.

Can the Grad uate School/International Relations Office help me arrange travel?

No, students should book travel directly themselves.  Websites such as www.kayak.co.uk orwww.skyscanner.co.uk are useful for reviewing prices and www.statravel.co.uk can sometimes offer better deals for students.

Can I combine this with other travel?

You are free to combine this with other travel before/after the course.  Regardless, a maximum of £300 can be refunded for travel costs.

Will I need to get a visa? How will I get a visa?

You may need to get a visa before travelling to Cape Town.  The International Relations Office will assist successful applicants in arranging the necessary paperwork.  For information on nationalities that will require a visa, please see the South African Department of Home Affairs website for more information.

Who can apply? What are the criteria for selection?

Students must:

• Be a current doctoral student (from any discipline)
• Be between 3 and 24 months into their PhD at the time the course takes place (6 and 48 months for part-time students
• Not have taken the Graduate School's 3-day Imperial Residential Course or the previous 4 day version Research Skills Development Course (RSD).N.B. Grantham Institute students who have particpated in the specific Graduate School Residential Course for Grantham students are eligible to apply to the 2016 MIT Summer School as the course content will be different.
• Not have taken part in a previous Imperial international summer school
• Have an interest and awareness of global health concerns and a willingness to engage with current topics in global health

It is NOT a requirement for students to have an in-depth background in global health, but students MUST be interested in engaging with global health concerns.

Successful applicants will:

• Gain the most from this specific programme and explain how in their application
• Have realistic expectations of the experience and explain goals for the programme in their application
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for engaging with peers from UCT and other partner institutions
• Possess awareness of the skills necessary to develop links with international collaborators
• Show an awareness of Global Health concerns and a willingness to engage with current topics in Global Health
• Be willing to be a good ambassador for Imperial

Students who do not explain how they meet the above criteria in their application will not be offered a place on the course.  It is NOT a requirement for students to have an in-depth background in global health, but students MUST be interested in engaging with global health concerns.

Completing the research placement portion of the programme is not a requirement, but students who secure research placements will be looked on favourably in the application process.

Can I apply to more than one international summer school?

Yes, students can apply for more than one international summer school but will only be able to participate in one (if your application is successful).

Can I apply if I have already completed the RSD/Imperial Residential or other international summer school?

No.

Can I apply if I haven’t completed the RSD/Imperial Residential but I am more than 24 months or less than 3 months into my PhD?

No, unfortunately this opportunity is only open to students between 3 and 24 months (6 and 48 months for part-time students) into their PhD. 

Can I apply if I have already fulfilled my Graduate School professional skills course requirements?

Yes, as long as you have not already completed the Imperial Residential Course offered by the Graduate School.

Can I apply if I am an MSc or MSci student?

No, this course is only open to doctoral students.

What is the content of the course?

Students from Imperial, the University of Cape Town and partner institutions will participate in the Global Health Summer School to develop their research and professional skills.

Topics covered in this course include:

• Creativity and development of collaborative research
• Effective team working and dealing with change
• Communication with impact: reaching different audiences
• Global Health networks and networking  
• Research structure and talking research forward

At the end of this course students will have:

• A greater understanding of research in different institutions and career paths
• Analysed their current research plan
• Generated a new collaborative research proposal
• Examined group dynamics and team roles important in working collaboratively
• Considered how to communicate effectively with different audiences
• A greater understanding of current issues in Global Health

Why should I take this course?

The research environment is increasingly competitive and requires both excellence in research and developed professional skills.  This course is designed to challenge researchers to assess their research skills and develop their interdisciplinary awareness, examining opportunities to collaborate and develop research.  The course will focus on professional skills essential for researchers and also feature insights from current Global Health researchers.

Attendance on the course fulfils the Graduate School professional skills course requirements for the Early Stage Assessment.

How much does the programme cost?

Excluding students’ travel, accommodation for the duration of the Summer School (11 - 15 June) will be arranged and paid for by Imperial.  Students will also receive a £300 contribution to their flight costs.

During research placements, accomodation, meals and other incidentals will be the responsibility of students themselves.

Students will also be responsible for paying for their travel to/from Cape Town, with up to £300 refunded by Imperial after purchase.

Is there any financial assistance/funding available? How will I receive reimbursement for my travel costs?

Up to £300 of travel cost will be refunded by Imperial following proof of purchase.  This can only be done after you have purchased tickets.  An expenses claim form along with receipts will need to be provided to the Graduate School.

Is there any additional assistance for students in need?

No, for students who do not have access to the available funds, we recommend they speak to their supervisor/ department about the possibility of obtaining funding from other sources. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer discounted rates on an individual basis.

What vaccinations and other precautions are necessary for travel to South Africa?

Imperial Occupational Health has provided the following advice:

• Students are strongly recommended to receive the following vaccination before travelling: Hepatitis A.
• These vaccinations are available for free from some GP’s.  Alternatively travel clinics can offer these. 
• The area is classed as low to no risk for malaria so prophylaxis is not required.  However you should also adhere to strict insect bite avoidance as there are other insect borne diseases such as Dengue Fever & Chikungunya so please do read the guidance on NATHNAC
• Travel to Kruger National Park in the northeast of the country will require malaria prophylaxis.
• Rabies is a risk in this country. Please avoid contact with any animals, particularly bats. 

Further guidance is provided by the UK Government Foreign Travel Advice website.

Students who submit an application are recommended to get in touch with GP to arrange an appointment as soon as possible as it could take several weeks to receive the necessary vaccinations.

This information is correct as of 23 February 2016.  Advice may change and is the student's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the latest health and safety advice.

Is South Africa safe?  Is it safe to walk around Cape Town or UCT campus?

It is important that students are aware of the potential safety concerns when travelling around Cape Town and South Africa.

Please look through the safety guidance provided the UK Government Foreign Travel Advice websiteand Campus Safety Advice provided by UCT.

This information is correct as of 23 February 2016.  Advice may change and is the student's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the latest health and safety advice.

Why should I do a research placement?

From our experience, students that stay on after the summer school component of the programme are able to build stronger relationships and greatly expand their academic networks by spending time in overseas labs and research groups.  It is also a great way to learn about a different research culture and environment.

How do I find a research placement? Can you help me find a research placement?

In finding a research placement at UCT, you are first encouraged to discuss this with your supervisor/department at Imperial.  This should help you gain a sense of existing collaborative relationships with UCT and to gauge the potential of finding a host supervisor via your Imperial department.  If no collaboration or connections are active, please look through the Faculties and Departments list on the UCT website to see which departments or groups may be suitable for a p lacement.

If you identify an academic or group which you think might be suitable for a placement, you should contact them directly to see if they would be willing to host you during the placement period (20 June - 8 July).  Once agreement is received, please include this information in your application for the programme.  If successful, applicants will be asked to forward confirmation emails, so please keep track of any correspondence related to your research placement.

How can I fund my placement?

You should discuss with your supervisors possible sources of funding from themselves or within your department to help pay for your accommodation and expenses during your research placement.  

The amount of money needed will vary dependent on accommodation requirements, but students should budget for £500-£1000.  The International Relations Office can provide assistance in arranging accommodation.

In exceptional cases, the International Relations Office may be able to provide matching funds for students who secure a portion of their costs.  If you have arranged a placement and found a portion of the necessary funds but are unable to afford the whole costs of the placement, please contact phdsummerschools@imperial.ac.uk to discuss your needs.