AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowships 2026 for young African PhD Students (Funded)

Application Deadline: 15 November 2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowships. AfricaLics is inviting suitable PhD student candidates from universities in African countries to apply for participation in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme (2026 cohort) focused on research in Innovation and Development (I&D).

The VFP was established in 2015, and since then, a total of 45 African PhD students from low and lower-middle-income countries have participated in the programme, obtaining training and mentorship support.

Successful candidates for the 2026 cohort will participate in a fellowship programme combining online pre- and post-activities with a study period of 3 months at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)[1] in South Africa.

The 2026 VFP cohort activities will kick off with a range of online activities starting in the first half of February 2026. The study visit at UJ is scheduled for 1^st September to 30^th November 2026 and will be followed up by various additional online activities in December 2026 and in early 2027. After engagement in the programme, students are offered the opportunity to continue engaging with the AfricaLics community, through participation in AfricaLics Alumni activities, AfricaLics research conferences, our webinar series, and activities organised by national chapters of AfricaLics in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

Overall aim and organisation of the programme

The aim of the AfricaLics VFP and the scholarships is to help African PhD students working in the field of Innovation and Development to strengthen their academic/research qualifications; improve the quality of their dissertations and prepare for a career in innovation and development either within academia or outside (e.g. in the private sector or in government/policy making).

Eligibility and selection criteria

• The scholarship option is open to PhD students from countries in Africa classified by the OECD/DAC as low and lower-middle-income countries whose studies – irrespective of sectoral discipline – focus on the relationship between innovation and economic, social or environmentally sustainable development. Female PhD students are particularly encouraged to apply as AfricaLics endeavours to contribute to increasing the currently low number of female scholars in Innovation and Development research studies in Africa.
• Likewise, PhD students from low-income countries are particularly encouraged to apply because AfricaLics endeavors to strengthen research capacity in Innovation and Development in low-income countries in Africa.
• Applicants must be enrolled as PhD students in a relevant programme at an African university and should preferably have completed their first year of PhD studies by December 2025.
• The final number of accepted visiting fellows will depend on the in-depth assessment of the quality and relevance of applications, funding available and possibilities to secure relevant mentors that matches the topics of PhD candidates applying for the fellowship.
• The visiting scholarship is complementary to the studies of the PhD students at their home universities, and applicants must already have secured basic funding for their PhD studies from other sources (e.g. African governments, other organisations, self-financing).

Student Requirements and Application Form

Applicants for the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme should:

• Be working actively on a subject relevant to innovation and development as defined above.
• Be enrolled as a PhD student at a university in Africa.
• Have preferably completed their first year of studies by December 2025
• Have a background (BSc, MSc etc.) in Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Science and Technology Policy, Geography, History or Development Studies. Applicants may also work within the STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) subjects or even manufacturing but from a social science perspective.
• Possess adequate skills in English (documentation may be requested).
• Submit a brief application of one page/500 words explaining their background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme

Benefits

Accommodation and workspace

The AfricaLics RCS team at ACTS and staff at UJ will help organise accommodation for students during the study visit in Johannesburg. The accommodation will be near the business school campus of the University of Johannesburg, where the students will have their working space.

Additional information on terms and conditions

1. Return flight costs from your nearest international airport (economy class) to Johannesburg will      be covered by AfricaLics through the new Sida-supported RCS project.
2. Visiting fellows on the AfricaLics VFP must take out a comprehensive health insurance for the study period. Costs may be reimbursed by the AfricaLics secretariat if funding allows.
3. Living costs during the study visit to UJ are normally covered through a stipend amounting to approximately $600 per month. This amount should cover all costs while in Johannesburg related to living expenses and travel around Johannesburg including to and from UJ campus.
4. Costs for participation in joint courses and mentorship fees will be covered by AfricaLics. The AfricaLics RCS project will cover costs related to the two face-to-face meetings between students, home supervisors and mentors.
5. If AfricaLics agrees to fund the three-month study visit to Johannesburg, the scholarship will only cover costs related to the student’s visit. Any costs related to accompanying spouses, children, or others will not be covered.  The scholarship does not cover the costs of any additional      avel in South Africa that the student may wish to undertake unless as part of selected and approved VFP activities.

The following documents must be submitted with the brief application:

• Brief outline of current PhD project, including PhD training plans (max. 5 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae – CV (including PhD courses attended so far)
• Letter of support from the main PhD supervisor confirming that the PhD student will have completed her/his upgrade/probation by the end of December 2025 OR reasons why the student is deemed suitable for inclusion in the fellowship programme if this is not the case.
• Letter of support from the University Administration at the university where the PhD student is enrolled
• Copies of academic certificates (copies of Bachelor and Master Certificates as a minimum)
• One writing sample (article or chapter) from current PhD program

Applicants are NOT expected to submit a copy of their passport when applying for the PhD visiting fellowship programme.  Successful candidates will be asked to handle any visa issues that may be relevant      with support from the AfricaLics Secretariat and UJ. Collection of personal data will be kept to a minimum, and information received will be stored safely and will not be used for any other purposes.

An information session on the VFP and the application process will be held on 24^th October on Zoom. If you are interested in attending this information session, please email [email protected].

Interviews of shortlisted and potentially successful candidates will take place on 12^th November and on 15^th November 2026.

Successful candidates will be notified by mid-December 2025 or early January 2026, following which they will be required to sign a study agreement form confirming that they will participate in the fellowship programme.

The final notification date will be communicated after interviews have taken place.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowships