How to apply to SURF

Hello, my name is Clare Holdsworth, and I’m the Director of SURF. In this short video, I’m going to show you how to use the KE Online Application System to submit your application for a SURF scholarship.

You can access the system by clicking the Apply button on the SURF website, which will take you to the login page. If you already have an account, simply sign in. If this is your first time applying to KE, you will need to set up a new user account.

Once you’ve logged in, this is what the application system looks like. I’ll go through each of the tabs and highlight any specific requirements for a SURF scholarship application. The first page is for your personal details. The second page asks for information about the course you are applying for. If you applied via the SURF website, the scholarship information and mode of attendance should be filled in automatically.

Please note that we do accept applications for part-time study, but only in exceptional circumstances such as ill health or caring responsibilities. If you wish to apply for a part-time scholarship, you must contact SURF in advance, as your application will require prior approval from the Levy Trust. For most applicants, the mode of attendance will be full-time. All SURF scholarships start in October 2026 and cannot begin any earlier. When asked whether you are applying for an advertised studentship, you should select yes.

The qualifications section asks you to provide details of all qualifications you have already been awarded, as well as those you are currently working towards. It is important that you upload supporting evidence, such as degree certificates and transcripts. This includes transcripts for qualifications that are still in progress. If you are an international applicant and require an English language qualification, you must provide details of this at the time of application. We are unable to process applications from international students without the relevant English language information.

The employment section allows you to provide details of any employment that may be relevant to your application. You should also upload a copy of your most recent CV.

On the statement page, there are two text boxes. You may choose to write a brief personal statement, but this is not required for a SURF scholarship application. Instead, you must upload a completed SURF application form. These forms can be downloaded as Word documents from the SURF website. There are two versions: one for supervisor-designed projects, used if you are applying for a project listed on our current calls page, and one for student-proposed projects, used if you are proposing your own research idea.

Once completed, upload the appropriate form in the research proposal upload box. Please note that we will not accept research proposals that are not submitted using the official SURF application forms. Do not upload a separately written research proposal. Although the system refers to this upload as a research proposal, what we are actually looking for is the completed SURF application form.

If you are applying for a supervisor-designed project, we strongly recommend that you contact the lead supervisor before submitting your application. We will consult lead supervisors prior to shortlisting to discuss applications and potential candidates for interview. If you are applying for a student-proposed project, it is essential that you contact SURF before submitting your application. We need to review your proposal to ensure it meets SURF requirements and that appropriate supervisory expertise is available. It is very unlikely that we will take a proposal forward if we have not discussed it with you in advance. Before uploading and submitting your completed application form, please ensure you have contacted either the nominated lead supervisor or SURF.

For the finance section, simply indicate that your studies will be funded by a studentship.

We ask for contact details for two referees. We do not collect references at the time of application, as we receive a high volume of applications. References are only requested after decisions have been made. Please ensure that you contact your referees in advance to confirm that they are willing and able to provide a reference if requested. Do not upload generic reference letters at this stage, as these will not be considered.

The additional information section allows you to tell us about any support you may need while studying at KE, as well as how you found out about SURF opportunities. Finally, complete the declaration section. Once this is done, you are ready to submit your application.

I hope you’ve found this short video helpful. I wish you the very best of luck with your SURF application, and we look forward to receiving it. Thank you.