FAQs
Why can only women apply?
At present, GMCTF is only able to accept individual applications from women. This reflects the terms of a charitable gift which provides the bulk of our resources.
Does the GMCTF have a preference for graduates of any particular subject?
No. Graduates of all subjects are considered equally.
Does the GMCTF have a preference for which courses should be studied?
No. Grants may be awarded for diploma, masters or doctoral courses or for short training courses of a few weeks or months duration. It is, however, important to the GMCTF that courses studied will enable applicants to contribute to the skills base of Sudan/South Sudan on their return. GMCTF may give some preference to supporting subjects and areas of study of perceived value to Sudan/South Sudan.
Why does the GMCTF ask for a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3 out of 4.0 in an applicant's first degree?
High academic ability is essential for acceptance on most postgraduate courses. Therefore we have adopted it as one of our criteria.
Can I save my application form and return later?
Unfortunately not. Although you cannot save the form, it does not ‘expire’ after a certain period of inactivity. We advise you to draft your responses in Microsoft Word (or other software), and paste them into the application form.
Who should I choose as referees?
Please choose individuals who are able to comment professionally on your abilities and your aptitude for your course of study. If you are already engaged on your course of study, please choose at least one referee who can comment on your progress to date.
How much will the comments of my two referees influence the success or otherwise of my application?
Letters of recommendation from referees are of great importance for GMCTF in assessing applications from individual applicants. Applicants should encourage their referees to read carefully the guidance here. Applications without letters from two referees will be ineligible for an award.Why do I not need to send my degree certificates?
As it is likely that you will be submitting these to your chosen university, therefore GMCTF does not need to see them as well.
Why can I only access the form for two months of the year?
Because grants are only allocated once a year, usually in April, for courses starting in the following autumn.
What sort of information about an applicant's financial position is helpful to GMCTF in considering whether to make an award?
It is the trustees' policy to only consider applicants who are already part-funded and who are able to demonstrate that they have taken an organised approach to their finances. It is helpful for your application if you are clear about the exact amount of funding required and what this is to pay for. It is also helpful if you set out what other funding is available to you, including own resources, part time employment, university or other bursaries or grants.
Can GMCTF help to support my family if they accompany me?
Funds available each year are limited, and GMCTF will not provide funds to support dependent family.
Can I apply for funding to cover all the costs of my post-graduate course?
Applicants should note that the Trust only awards grants for a year at a time, and generally makes modest grants towards costs, and never for all the costs of a course, unless for a short course. Thus an application for all the costs of a course (unless for a short training course of a few weeks or months) would be unlikely to be successful.
What proportion of applications from individuals receive financial support from the GMCTF?
There is strong competition for the limited funding available and generally about a quarter of such applications are successful.
Why have I been unsuccessful in obtaining a grant from the GMCTF?
The application form, along with reports from referees, is the basis on which the GMCTF makes its decision on whether to award a grant or not. There could be various reasons as to why an application is unsuccessful. Please note that when applying for a grant, particular attention should be given to those sections of the application form dealing with the reasons as to why you have chosen to study a particular course, and to how you would be able, on completion of your course, and on return to Sudan/South Sudan, to contribute to the skills-base of Sudan/South Sudan. Please note that the GMCTF's decision on applications is final, and that correspondence cannot be entered into with unsuccessful applicants.
Do you provide emergency funding?
In general, our policy is not to provide emergency funding although we can provide small amounts on an exceptional basis. We are only likely to do so for students that we have previously supported.