Note 16: Submission of references

The Commission attaches great importance to references from people who are well acquainted
with your academic or professional work.
You are asked to include the name and email address of 3 referees in your application. If you
have undertaken or are undertaking a Master's degree in the UK, you are asked to include the
name and email address of 4 referees in your application, the 4th being your Master's degree
supervisor.
It is essential that you make prior contact with your referees and receive their permission to
name them in the application form. When you submit the application each referee will receive an
email. The email includes a link to your application that enables each referee to look at your
application and to enter the reference.
Each referee is asked to comment as fully as possible on the candidate, keeping in mind the
following points for inclusion, as appropriate:
1.

How long, and in what capacity, the referee has known the candidate

2.

The referee's views on the candidate's suitability for the proposed Fellowship and the
need for the particular subject of study in the UK

3.

Information on how, and to what extent, the candidate has shown ability in terms of:
o

capability to grasp concepts and reason analytically

capacity for original thought

motivation and perseverance in achieving objectives

4.

Assessment of the candidate's particular strengths and weaknesses

5.

Any other general qualities which the referee considers would make the candidate a
good recipient of a Fellowship.

By looking at your In Tray/dashboard you can see how many of your referees have entered
references. You can open an application you have submitted and, if necessary, send a referee
another email requesting a reference.
Although you cannot change the name of a referee in an application that you have submitted,
you can open an application you have submitted, change the email address of a referee and
send him/her another email requesting a reference.
To change the name of a referee in an application you have submitted, you have to submit a
new application.
In the event that a referee has difficulty submitting his/her reference using the on-line form, you
can ask the referee to send a signed reference, preferably on headed paper, and scanned in PDF
format to references.scholarships@cscuk.org.uk

The Helpdesk will upload the reference into your online application if:

i.

the reference is sent directly to references.scholarships@cscuk.org.uk from the same

email address to which the invitation to submit a reference was sent via the EAS
ii. the reference is less than 2 MB in size
iii. the email to which the reference is attached quotes the EAS Number of the only
application into which the reference is to be uploaded
Note 17: University Endorsement
If you are employed by and are being nominated by a university, your application needs to have
the support of the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head of the university. To obtain this
support, you are asked to include the name and email address of the ViceChancellor/Rector/Executive Head in your application as well as the names and email addresses
of 3 referees. The Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head must notbe one of your 3 referees.
When you submit the application, the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head will receive an
email. This includes a link to your application that enables the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive
Head to look at it as well as to enter the supporting information.
You cannot see the supporting information the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head has
entered. However, by looking at your In Tray you can tell when the ViceChancellor/Rector/Executive Head has submitted the supporting information. It is your
responsibility to ensure that the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head does complete the
supporting information. If you make a mistake entering the email address of the ViceChancellor/Rector/Executive Head, you can go back into your application after you have
submitted it, edit the email address and send the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head
another email. However, you cannot change the name of the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive
Head at this stage, so it is imperative that you know who will write the supporting information
before you submit your application.
If you are applying through your national agency you do not need to provide an endorsement by
the Vice-Chancellor/Rector/Executive Head of a university.