Applications are now opened for the 2020-2021 PASET RSIF Scholarships for PhD Students. The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) is the flagship program of PASET and fully funded for sub-Saharan Africa students to study at PhD level at partner universities.
PhD Scholarships are available for candidates to study at RSIF African Host Universities in the PASET Priority Thematic Areas: (1) ICTs including big data and artificial intelligence, (2) Food security and agribusiness, (3) Minerals, mining and materials engineering, (4) Energy including renewables, and (5) Climate change.
The Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) is an African-led initiative to strengthen skills in the applied sciences, engineering and technology to further socio-economic transformation in sub- Saharan Africa (SSA).
RSIF is funded by contributions from African governments, the World Bank and the Government of Korea; and managed by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya, as the RSIF Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU).
Programme Details
Host Institutions: University Felix Houphouet-Boigny (Ivory Coast), University of Nairobi (Kenya), Kenyatta University (Kenya), Bayero University (Nigeria), University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria), Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (Tanzania), Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania), African University Of Science and Technology (Tanzania), University of Ghana (Ghana), University of Rwanda (Rwanda), University of Gaston Berger (Senegal).
Number of Awards: Not specified.
Duration: up to 4 years.
Eligible Countries: Open to citizens of a sub-Saharan Africa countries (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep.Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe).
Eligible Programmes:
PhD in Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (University Felix Houphouet-Boigny) ;
PhD in Natural Resources Management and Climate Change (Bayero University) ;
PhD in Physics (University of Nairobi) ;
PhD in Petroleum and Gas Engineering / Energy Economics (University of Port Harcourt) ;
PhD in Materials Science and Engineering (African University Of Science and Technology) ;
PhD in Materials Science (Kenyatta University) ;
PhD in Materials Science and Engineering (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology) ;
PhD in Food Security and Agribusiness (Sokoine University of Agriculture) ;
PhD in Applied Agricultural Economics and Policy/Agribusiness (University of Ghana) ;
PhD in Internet of Things: Embedded Computing Systems (University of Rwanda) ;
PhD in Computer Science (University of Gaston Berger).
PASET RSIF Scholarships for PhD Students Benefits
Selected candidates for the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund will be offered the following benefits:
Scholarship covers university tuition and related fees, competitive stipend to cover living expenses, travel, medical insurance, and research costs ;
scholars will be supported to spend 6-24 months in a ‘sandwich’ training at an international partner university, research institute or private company ;
scholars become part of a growing network of emerging leaders in ASET fields in Sub Saharan Africa ;
RSIF PhD scholars will have access to RSIF competitive research grants upon completion of their PhD.
PASET RSIF Scholarships for PhD Students Eligibility
To be eligible for a RSIF PhD Scholarship, applicants must:
Have a relevant master’s degree in one of the fields of study. The Master’s degree must have been completed less than six years before 30 April 2020 ;
Meet the specific admission requirements of the African Host University they are applying to ;
Be a citizen of a sub-Saharan Africa country ;
Be willing to enrol full-time in a PhD program at a African Host University in the 2020-2021 academic year ;
Be willing to spend 6-24 months in a ‘sandwich’ training at an international partner university, research institute or private company ;
Demonstrate that their research goals are well aligned to the RSIF Priority Thematic Areas and contribute to Africa’s development.
Priority for the scholarships will be given to women and existing young academic faculty who do not have a PhD.
Application instructions
Eligible applicants who would like to apply for this programme must Click on the apply button below to complete the online application and submit it together with the required supporting documents.
The online platform will accept the following file types: doc, docx, pdf, jpg, jpeg, png. The maximum file size accepted for any single file is 32 MB. The application must be completed in English or French.
Required Documents
Certified copies of bachelor’s and master’s degree certificates ;
Certified copies of university transcripts for bachelor’s and Master’s degrees ;
Current curriculum vitae ;
Personal statement/ motivation letter (character limit, including spaces: 4,500) ;
PhD’s proposal abstract (character limit, including spaces: 15,000) ;
Two signed, official letters of recommendation from your employer (if currently employed) or university where master’s degree was undertaken. The letters must be on official letterhead ;
If applicable, an official letter confirming that you will be granted study leave from your place of employment. The letter must be on official letterhead ;
Copy of a recognized form of identification (e.g. passport biodata page or national ID).
Should there be any challenges navigating the application system, please contact [email protected]
The application deadline is at 5:00 pm (East Africa Time; UTC+3). For more information about the PASET RSIF Scholarships for PhD Students, please visit the official page.
