The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship
The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship is designed to provide the best and brightest students resident in Afghanistan, Central Asia, or the South Caucasus with the opportunity to continue onto the Conflict, Security and Development MA in the Department of War Studies without the worry of financial constraint.
King’s worked with the Petersen Family to establish The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship at King’s in September 2016. The scholarship programme has been made possible by a transformative US$1million gift from his family and will fund at least 22 full master’s scholarships in in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.
The programme will support students whose work reflects Alexandros’s aims and ambitions and those who hope to become future practitioners on the ground, spanning the world of academia and policy. Our hope is that this programme will not only perpetuate Alexandros’s academic and personal memory but also encourage other young people – through his example – to continue the work that he was unable to finish.
One scholarship will be available per year. Each student will receive a full tuition fee waiver, a monthly stipend, and a £2,000 travel bursary. Scholarships are open to residents in Afghanistan, Central Asia, or the South Caucasus, who wish to undertake a one-year master’s programme in the Conflict, Security, and Development programme within the War Studies Department.
To be eligible for the scheme, students will have to complete an application form which will include an overview of recent academic achievements, demonstrate their financial need, and include a personal statement demonstrating how the scholarship will support their future aspirations and build their careers.
Who was Alexandros Petersen?
Dr Alexandros Petersen was one of the Department of War Studies' most gifted and conscientious young scholars. His tremendous energy and enthusiasm made a lasting impression on his teachers and contemporaries at King’s.
He founded the London branch of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy and, in a few short years after leaving King’s, made a distinguished and lasting contribution to the field of Eurasian Geopolitics.
His death in January 2014 as a result of an attack on a Kabul restaurant was a great tragedy. His achievements are a continued source of pride for the College and all those who knew him.
How much is the scholarship?
The scholarship is worth £53,000 annually, made up of:
What are the eligibility criteria to apply?
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
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Resident of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.
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Applicants must acknowledge that they would endeavour, on completion of their studies, to return in due course to Central Asia or the South Caucasus region to share the skills that they gain whilst at King’s.
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Priority is given to students applying to the Conflict, Security and Development MA but other War Studies MAs may be considered.
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Applicants must meet the minimum criteria for English language as stated by the University for this programme. Applicants are responsible for taking the appropriate tests to prove they meet these requirements.
Please note: If you are successful in your application, you will receive a conditional offer until all the above criteria are met. In the case of meeting the language requirement, you will need to have completed your English proficiency test within 60 days of confirming your acceptance of the scholarship in writing.
How to submit your application
Applicants must submit their application by 4 January 2023 to be considered. To do so, you must:
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Complete the formal programme application for King’s through the King’s Apply portal (https://apply.kcl.ac.uk/) for the Conflict, Security and Development MA (Full-time) programme or any other full-time Master’s programme within the War Studies department (see full list here)
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Attach the Scholarship application form to the Funding section of your King’s Apply application
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Attach a writing sample to the Funding section of your King’s Apply application form; and
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On the Funding screen, please tick box 5 “I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London” and include the following Award Scheme Code: APS2023.
Please note: There is a 3MB limit to the size of documents you can upload to the Supporting Statements section of the King’s Apply Portal. You may find that saving the document in a different format e.g. JPEG reduces the size.
Admissions application fee
Applicants for master’s programmes at King’s College London are normally required to pay an admissions application fee, however, if you are applying for the Alexandros Petersen Scholarship opportunity, you can have this fee waived.
To get your admissions application fee waived, please follow these instructions:
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Start drafting your application for the Master's programme of your choice via our online system - King’s Apply.
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Once you have completed your application and before you submit, please complete the form available HERE and do this by no later than 4th January 2023.
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Your details will be passed to the admissions team who will arrange to waive your application fee and confirm that you can submit your application free of charge. You will need to submit your application by no later than 8th January 2023 to be considered eligible.
Selection process
Eligible applications will be reviewed by King's College London, and King's will notify all candidates to the Alexandros Petersen Scholarship of the decision by the end of March 2023. Note that an offer for the Master’s programme does not entail award of the studentship. All candidates will be contacted via email about the studentship outcome.
Please provide a copy of a paper you have already completed, which links to the themes of conflict, security, or development. An academic essay would be best, but you can use a policy report that showcases your analytical skills.
Provided your application form has been accurately completed and the appropriate documentary evidence supplied, shortlisted applicants will be contacted no later than early March with instructions on the next step of the application process, with the final decision to be made by the end of March 2023.
Past recipients of the scholarship
- Abdullah Khenjani
- Najib Sharifi
- Kanatbek Abdiev
- Mubareka Sahar Fetrat
- Mammad Azizov
- Rashid Watanpahlzazai
Testimonies
‘I have been extremely honoured to have been granted the scholarship, and benefit from it to fulfil my dream of studying abroad at a highly global research university, like the King’s. The scholarship has served good cause for me, for others, and for the ones who will receive it in the future.
‘Thanks much to Late Alexandros, to his family, and others who have made it possible for people, like myself, to become parts of a global community of international students, and to make the world a better place for all.’
‘I wanted to study at King’s because King’s has the best War Studies Department in the world. My dream was to gain a as much knowledge about the war, its causalities and prevention so that I can contribute to ending of the war in Afghanistan—a country that has gone through 4 decades of war.
This scholarship has had life-transforming effects on me. Not only did I learn a significant amount about conflict, security and development, but the course allowed me to make a huge number of friends from all over the world. On top of this, living in London which is one of the most vibrant cities of the world, was a magnificent experience.
My life experience brought a significant amount of knowledge and experience to King’s—one that was significantly helpful to students and also teachers at the department. Afghanistan is a country that is often discussed in most classes at the War Studies Department so having the first-hand experience of war from a country that has been going through four decades of war was extremely helpful for those who are interested in Afghanistan. I talked about Afghanistan in many classes and also briefed/assisted many students who were writing their essays or thesis about Afghanistan.’
How can I support the scholarship?
The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship is open to donations from outside, with the aim to increase the number of scholarships over time.
Contributions to the fund can be made online at https://alumni.kcl.ac.uk/give-back/ways-to-give
In the US, please send cheques payable to the registered charitable trust:
Friends of King’s College London Association, Inc. 1350 Avenue of the Americas
Floor 2, Suite 266
New York
NY 10019 Reference: 363778 The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship Fund
In the UK, Europe and other countries, please send cheques payable to:
King’s College London
Fundraising & Supporter Development
Virginia Woolf Building, 22 Kingsway London WC2B 6LE Reference: 363778 The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship Fund
For all other means of donating, including bank transfers, please contact giving@kcl.ac.uk or +44 020 7848 3053. Please include this unique reference number with all donations: 363778 - The Alexandros Petersen Scholarship Fund.
Receipts for all donations can be provided accordingly for banking and tax purposes.