AfricaLics Visiting PhD
» » AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme 2027 for young African PhD Students (Funded)
by September 15, 2026
written by September 15, 2026 0 comments
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3 Application Deadline: 2nd October 2026.
Applications are now open for the The AfricaLics network invites eligible PhD students enrolled at universities in African countries to apply for the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP), 2027 cohort, which focuses on research in Innovation and Development (I&D).
The AfricaLics VFP was established in 2015 with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Since its establishment, 50 African PhD students from low- and lower-middle-income countries have participated in the programme, receiving training and mentorship support.
Successful candidates for the 2027 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)in South Africa.
The 2027 VFP cohort activities will kick off with a range of online activities starting in the first half of February 2027. The study visit at UJ is scheduled for 6 September to 3 December 2027 and will be followed up by various additional online activities in December 2027 and in early 2028.
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The AfricaLics VFP aims to support African PhD students working in Innovation and Development by strengthening their academic and research capabilities, improving the quality of their dissertations, and preparing them for careers in academia, the private sector, or government and policymaking. The AfricaLics VFP does this by increasing the mobility and level of exposure of the selected PhD students to international knowledge and research on innovation and development. The programme forms part of the broader AfricaLics efforts to contribute to the development of a vibrant research community in Africa in this emerging and highly multidisciplinary field.
Eligibility Requirements
The scholarship option is open to PhD students from countries in Africa classified by the OECD/DAC as low and lower-middle-income 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 seeks to increase the representation of women in Innovation and Development research in Africa. Likewise, PhD students from low-income countries are particularly encouraged to apply because AfricaLics endeavours 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 2026. 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 match 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, or self-financing).
For the 2027 VFP cohort, PhD students engaged in research relevant to the four AfricaLics Research Coordination Areas are particularly encouraged to apply. The Network currently has four established RCAs:
Student Requirements and Application Form
Applicants for the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme should:
Application Requirement
The following documents must be submitted with the application:
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.
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