Application Deadline: October 3rd, 2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 AREF Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme.  The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) works to strengthen the health research capacity of scientists in Africa who are engaged in tackling the sub-region’s significant health challenges. AREF is calling for applications from scientists who are active, emerging biomedical/health researchers in African countries to participate in its Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme.  

This fully on-line programme will be held over eight 3-hour sessions during the weeks of 19^th January 2026 and 23^rd March 2026.  There will be an eight-week break in between the two-part programme, where you will be expected to write a mini proposal and participate in an activity to review the proposals of your colleagues.  

This is an intensive programme that is designed to produce tangible progress towards a grant proposal by the end of the programme series. Your commitment to the entire series and to the additional work outside of sessions will be necessary to achieve these outcomes.

The Programme series

Programme Aim

The Programme aim is to enable talented early-career health- and health-related researchers from countries in Africa to build skills to develop their own research and fellowship proposals of the quality required to win competitive international, regional and national funding.

What the Programme will cover

1. Developing and expressing your unique research niche
2. Formulating your compelling research question
3. Understanding funders’ requirements
4. Writing in plain English
5. Writing the different sections of a proposal
6. Key parts of a typical Case for Support / Project Description
7. Planning your proposal project plan and budget
8. Principles of managing your collaboration and team
9. Understanding and practicing peer review 
10. Preparing for a Fellowship interview.

What the Programme will not cover

The programme will not cover the following: how to get research ethics approval; how to complete individual funders’ application forms; the details of intellectual property management; practice in research communication.

The facilitators will use examples of real funding applications.  However, they will not be assisting participants directly with the participants’ own specific proposals.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you need to provide evidence that:

• You are a citizen of a country in Africa
• You are in the early stages of your research career, having completed your research education

EITHER 

• you have been awarded a research doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) from a recognised academic institution normally within the previous 6 years, (i.e. awarded on or after 1 January 2020);
  • OR you have a medical/clinical qualification PLUS a research-relevant Master’s degree, both awarded normally within the previous 6 years (i.e. awarded on or after 1 January 2020). 
• You are currently employed in Africa by a recognised university and/or specialist research institution. 
• You have not participated already in equivalent proposal development / grant-writing training.
• A significant part of your current employee role is to develop and conduct health research.
• You do not already have a significant portfolio of international research grants (Combined value of £250,000 or more). 

Expenses

AREF does not provide funding for participants to access equipment or internet services with which to participate nor do we reimburse you or your institution for any other expenses associated with the programme or any form of per diem payment.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the AREF Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme