Fully funded scholarships available for African graduate students and researchers

PASET’s Regional Scholarship and Innovative Fund (Rsif) is offering a significant opportunity for African graduate students and researchers in Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries.

The Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET), is looking to address the shortage of highly qualified specialists in applied sciences, engineering, and technology (ASET), in order to improve innovation capacities in SSA countries.

Scholarship Region reports that, “the PASET Regional Scholarship offers a fully funded study opportunity that covers tuition, research, travel and monthly allowance to cover living expenses such as accommodation and meals.”

The scholarship, as stated, seeks to help PhD students, postdoctoral scientists, and universities in SSA countries (such as Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Malawi, along with 41 other countries) to build training, research, and innovation environments.

About the PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund 

Rsif is a flagship program under PASET, thag supports PhD students, post-doctoral scientists, and universities in SSA.

The program, as reported, is funded by African governments, the World Bank, and the Government of Korea. It is managed by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Eligibility Criteria 

According to Rsif’s official site, applicants for the Rsif PhD Scholarship must:

• Be a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country.
• Hold a relevant master’s degree.
• Meet specific admission requirements of the Rsif AHU hosting the PhD program.
• Be 35 years of age or younger at the time of application.
• Enroll full-time in a PhD program at an Rsif AHU for the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Do not hold another PhD scholarship.
• Commit to a 6-12 month ‘sandwich’ training at an international partner university, research institute, or private company.
• Work on research topics contributing to regional development in Africa.

It is noted that priority will be given to women and young academic faculty without a PhD.

Benefits and Duration 

The scholarship covers

• university tuition,
• research costs,
• a monthly allowance for living expenses, return travel, visas, student permits, and annual medical and personal accident insurance.
• The PhD program duration is three to four years, including a 6-12 month ‘sandwich’ placement.

What To Know 

Only online applications will be accepted, and they will be screened for plagiarism. They are accepted through icipe’s online application platform.

Also, applications submitted by email or in hardcopy will not be accepted.

The application deadline is set for September 16th, 2024, at 5:00 pm East Africa Time (UTC+3).

Interested applicants are advised to address any questions to the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU), [email protected]. Also, scholarship benefits are subject to change based on the discretion of the PASET Executive Board