VSRP

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Contributed by Sheryl Mathew (VSRP summer research fellow, 2016)

Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP) is a summer research programme held by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

Dates: 1st week of May - 1st week of July every year. 
Eligibility: 2nd/3rd year Bachelor’s students and all Master’s students.

Application Procedure
The application is online and available at TIFR’s VSRP website. After a basic registration where you specify your desired subject area for the project (Physics, Mathematics etc.), you’ll be emailed a link for filling the application.

Materials Needed
In the application, the relevant courses you’ve taken, your CPI and 10th/12th std. marks have to be typed-in. Additionally, the following are required to complete the form: 
  •     Choice of up to two departments, and two areas of interest in each
  •         A research write-up of about 400 words 
  •         Two recommendations (upload link is e-mailed to referees)
  •      List of publications (if any)/academic achievements
  •         A scan of your passport sized photo
Different areas of physics are separate departments at TIFR, and there are five physics departments in all. After choosing a dept., you are required to further narrow down to specialised area(s).

Timeline
The usual application deadline is 31st January every year. Results are declared in March (or April, if you are waitlisted). A professor working in the relevant specialisation is assigned to you.  


Accommodation and Stipend
Participants are provided a monthly stipend of Rs 7000, travel reimbursement, and free shared accommodation either on or off campus (there’s bus service for off campus students). 


Programme Details
The exact project topic is fixed after selection by discussing with the professor you’re assigned. At the end of the programme, you have to submit a report and give a presentation at TIFR about your work. For VSRP students, TIFR also organises excellent department-specific lectures throughout May-June.

Personal Advice
The success for your application largely depends on your write-up and the availability of a professor in your particular area.

TIFR’s prompt for the research write-up is slightly different from other university SoP prompts you’ll encounter. You are asked for your original ideas about how you would deal with specific problem(s) in the field of research you mentioned. Your solution/approach to the problem needn’t be correct, they just want to see if you are thinking! 

The programme attracts several applications from Master’s and final year BSc students, who usually get preference over 2nd year B. Techs. So, alternatives should be kept ready if you are an EP sophomore. 

Good luck 😊

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