There are two main types of postgraduate qualifications awarded after graduate studies: Masters’ and Doctorates. Generally, one starts with a Masters', but in some cases transfer to do a Doctorate (often abbreviated to Ph.D., or simply PhD). Otherwise, one can pursue a Doctorate after gaining a Masters' degree.

Research doctorates are awarded after a period of academic research giving a body of original research work at a level worthy to be published in an academic journal. In the United States and some other countries, coursework at and beyond Masters’ level may also be required. Typically, the minimum time required for completion is three years, but a typical duration is four or five years – though some take even longer depending on the student, the supervisor and the subject matter.

Choosing a good subject matter for your thesis is crucially important, as is choosing your supervisor. Make sure you have a topic which is of interest both to you (or else you'll never complete it) and others (if it's too obscure, it's hard to get your work published, which you need to be deemed a success). Even more importantly, your supervisor should be respected in the area (check their reputation and publications) and you should be confident you can have a good working relationship. Check if she or he will be available, and has some other students (but not too many!). The best way is to talk to other graduate students and see what they say before accepting.

- John Magan, Ph.D.

Here you have a list of some universities offering research and PhD scholarships with links to the web pages and contact details to get more information:

LIST OF RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED*

* Please see each university webpage to see updated information and more details on scholarships.