Issue Date: 12 December 2025
Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. (TOML), pursuant to its contract for exploration for polymetallic nodules, signed with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on 22 July 2011, is one (1) fully funded Master’s Scholarship for candidates from developing Member States as part of its 2026 training programme.
TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
The scholarship will provide support for postgraduate study at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji. The selected candidate will commence studies in July 2026 and pursue a master’s degree in a field relevant to the responsible exploration, exploitation, and management of deep-sea mineral resources.
While priority will be given to new applicants beginning a master’s degree in July 2026, applicants already enrolled in a relevant programme at USP may also be considered.
FIELD OF STUDY
Applicants must propose a master’s research degree in one of the following disciplines (or a closely related field) and demonstrate a clear connection to marine science and/or deep-sea minerals (DSM) topics. Applications in other fields will be considered where the proposed research is directly relevant to the marine environment, seafloor minerals, ocean governance, or associated sustainability and impact issues.
• Marine Science
• Environmental Science
• Earth Science
• Geospatial Science
• Environmental Law
• Engineering (with marine-focused research proposal)
• Biology (marine/ocean relevance)
• Climate Change
• Sustainability
COST BEARING/SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
The scholarship will cover the direct costs required to complete a master’s programme at the USP’s Fiji campus for the standard duration of study (up to 1.5 years full-time, subject to USP programme requirements).
Covered costs include:
• Full tuition and related student services fees;
• Monthly living allowance and annual stipend for books;
• One-time start-up / relocation fee to support travel to Suva (if required);
• On-campus accommodation (off-campus may be considered on a case-by-case basis);
• Roundtrip economy airfare (home country – Fiji – home country, annually if applicable);
• Reimbursement/support for student visa and travel insurance (if required);
• Laptop
Research Support Allowance: An additional research allowance of up to USD 8,000 may be provided for approved thesis-related costs (e.g., fieldwork, data collection, lab analysis). Disbursement is subject to submission and approval of a research proposal and itemized budget.
ELIGIBILITY
Candidates must meet the following requirements:
Education/Experience:
• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Meet USP’s admission requirements for the proposed Master’s research programme.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply to USP prior to submitting their scholarship application, or to apply while their scholarship application is under review. This is not required to receive the scholarship, but it will speed up enrolment, if selected.
Language: Demonstrate proficiency in English (spoken and written) as required for postgraduate study at USP.
Visa/Immigration: In addition to holding a valid passport (or being able to obtain one), the candidate must be able to secure a Fiji student visa/study permit and any transit visas required. TOML will assist by providing supporting documentation and guidance where required, but issuance of visas is the responsibility of the scholar and cannot be guaranteed.
Age: must be under 45 years of age.
Disclaimer: Employees of ISA’s exploration contractors are not eligible to apply to the Contractors’ Training Programme.
SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS
The selected candidate shall enter into a scholarship agreement with TOML, confirming responsibilities and requirements. The recipient must, at minimum:
• Obtain confirmed acceptance into USP (if not already enrolled).
• Study full-time and meet all USP academic requirements.
• Maintain satisfactory academic performance (minimum 3.0 GPA).
• Not change programme enrolment or thesis topic without prior written approval from TOML.
• Comply with all visa conditions and USP regulations.
• Submit academic transcripts to TOML after each semester.
• Submit annual progress reports to TOML and ISA outlining courses completed, grades received, and skills developed.
• Participate in outreach/reporting activities supporting ISA capacity-building goals.
• Return to home country upon completion of the programme.
TOML, in consultation with ISA, may withdraw the scholarship in cases of non-compliance with the agreement or serious academic/disciplinary breaches resulting in suspension or removal from USP.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP:
All interested applicants are invited to register and submit their applications on the Authority CTP Application Portal, along with their supporting documents, including:
• A copy of current passport photo and valid passport biopage
• Nomination Form (docx | pdf) duly signed by the nominating entity
• Proof of meeting USP admission requirements (acceptance letter if already admitted, or evidence of eligibility)
• Copy of CV or Résumé
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates
• Two recommendation letters
• One-page statement of purpose / research interest, explaining:
• your interest in seafloor minerals and/or ocean sustainability;
• your proposed Master’s topic and its relevance to deep-sea mineral resource development; and
• how the scholarship will build capacity for your home country.
Applicants must select the following options when applying for this training opportunity on the Application Portal:
Contractor Name: Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML)/PMN
Year: 2026
Programme Name: Master´s Fellowship
Application Deadline: 15 February 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed.
One of the Voluntary Commitments registered by ISA at the 2017 UN Ocean Conference (#OceanAction 40768) reiterated at the 2022 UN Ocean Conference aims at “Advancing women’s empowerment in marine scientific research”– As partner of the Women in Deep-Sea Research project (WIDSR), TOML has pledged to allocate 50% of the training opportunities to qualified women applicants.
All queries concerning ISA’s Contractor Training Programmes should be directed to training@isa.org.jm