I received an overwhelming number of email responses to the maiden edition of scholarship, funding and other development opportunities’ series started last week. Some of the messages I am yet to respond to. However, I have to say I am encouraged at the tremendously positive feedback, some with very helpful suggestions for improvement and many others with various other links to so many opportunities to share.
I have to state a caveat though, this is information which is freely available in the public domain and all the links lead to the host institutions’ websites. While the scholarship opportunities cut across a wide range of fields, unfortunately, the (free) training courses are slightly skewed towards the social sciences.
CHEVENING UK GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
The Chevening programme makes awards to talented individuals who demonstrate the potential to become future leaders, decision makers and opinion formers. Chevening Scholarships are awarded across a wide range of fields; including politics, government, business, the media, the environment, civil society, religion, and academia.
Chevening awards enable Scholars to study a one-year postgraduate Master’s course in any discipline at any UK university. The priority areas in which Scholarships are funded vary from country to country and can be found on the country pages of the Chevening website. In some countries short courses are also funded, with further details set out from time to time on the relevant country pages of the Chevening website and/or your local British Embassy or High Commission website.
Click HERE for more Information about the Chevening Scholarships, eligibility, selection criteria etc.
Click HERE for details on how to apply in Nigeria.
Click HERE for general details on how to apply, for all other countries.
Deadline Varies by country. Find out HERE. For Nigeria, 14th December 2012.
UNIVERSITY OF GHENT, BELGIUM MASTERS SCHOLARSHIPS
The University of Ghent provides 10 postgraduate scholarships annually to candidates from developing countries who wish to obtain a master’s degree at Ghent University.
Deadline: 21st December 2012.
Find out more information about eligibility, type of courses etc. HERE on the University of Ghent website
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, CLARENDON SCHOLARSHIPS
“Clarendon Scholarships are awarded to academically excellent students with the best proven and future potential. The Scholarships cover tuition and college fees in full and a generous grant for living expenses, and are open to students starting a new course at Oxford. They are highly competitive, with less than 3% of graduate offer holders being also offered the scholarship.
In 2012-13, there will be over three hundred Clarendon scholars at Oxford representing more than fifty different countries.
Whilst there are no quotas by course type, the majority of Clarendon scholars are working towards a DPhil (PhD). Scholarships are also awarded for 2-year graduate degrees (MPhil/BPhil/MLitt) or 1-year degrees (MSc/MSt/MBA/MFE).”
“Selection criteria vary slightly depending on the subject area and whether applicants apply for a taught or research degree, but include:
“An excellent academic record is essential: A high first class honours degree or its equivalent (a GPA score of at least 3.7 if the mark is out of 4, noting that most successful candidates achieve a score higher than 3.7) or an outstanding academic record at Master’s level is necessary (noting that an outstanding Master’s degree can compensate for a moderate first degree performance)…”
Find out more about the selection criteria HERE
Deadline for 2013 entry: Friday 18 January 2013
Find out how to apply HERE
Find out more about your Eligibility HERE
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD: LOUIS DREYFUS-WEIDENFELD SCHOLARSHIP AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
The Louis Dreyfus – Weidenfeld Scholarship and Leadership Programme Scheme supports outstanding postgraduate students from transition and emerging economies throughout Africa, Asia and South America.
The Louis Dreyfus – Weidenfeld Scholarship and Leadership Programme is part of the Weidenfeld Scholarships and Leadership Programme which cultivates the leaders of tomorrow by providing outstanding university graduates and professionals with the opportunity to pursue fully funded graduate studies at the University of Oxford in conjunction with access to a comprehensive programme of leadership development, long-term mentoring and networking.
Deadline for application: 04 January 2013 for Medical Sciences and Politics & International Relations; 18 January 2013 for all other subjects
Find out more information on eligibility and application details on the website HERE
LEIDEN UNIVERSITY EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME (LExS)
The Scholarship programme is for excellent Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master’s degree programme and for excellent students from all nationalities enrolling in a Master of Law Advanced Programme or MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
This Scholarship Programme is for:
- Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master’s degree programme starting September 2013 or February 2014 ( All MA, MSc and LL.M programmes as mentioned on the website Master’s programmes in Leiden, a number of programs have a start date in September only).
- All nationalities enrolling in the following programmes starting September 2013 or February 2014 or (programs listed below have a September start date only, with the exception of Adv. Studies in Air & Space Law):
Deadline for Application: 1 February 2013 |
Find out more information on the Leiden University website HERE
KAAD SCHOLARSHIPS IN GERMANY FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
“The KAAD scholarships are addressed to post-graduates and to academics who already gained professional experience and who are interested in postgraduate studies (or research stays) in Germany. This program is administered by regional partner committees, staffed by university professors and church representatives.”
Who can apply?
For the scholarship programme 1 of KAAD you can apply if you:
- come from a developing or emerging country in Africa, Asia, the Middle East or Latin America
- have a university degree and professional experience from your home country
- want to acquire a master’s degree or a PhD at a German university or do a post-doctoral research project (2-6 months for established university lecturers) at a German university
- are a Catholic Christian (or general belong to a Christian denomination). Candidates from other religions can apply if they are proposed by Catholic partners and can prove their commitment to interreligious dialogue
- possess German language skills before starting the studies (KAAD can provide a language course of max. 6 months in Germany).
Find out more information from the KAAD website HERE
The application pack for African countries can be downloaded from the website HERE
Deadline for application: 30th November 2012
UNIVERSITY OF BERN EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The Universität Bern offers six Master Grants for the academic year 2013/14 for excellent international students. The grant consists of 1’600 CHF per month for the duration of the Master’s programme (standard period of study).
Application files will be examined by a selection committee. Criteria for selection are academic excellence and the candidate’s potential and motivation.
The Master Grant is offered for all Master’s programmes of the Universität Bern except for “Biomedical Sciences”. Most programmes are in German. Here (the University’s website) you will find the programmes in English: MA Programmes in English (docx, 93KB)
Preconditions:
- applicants must have graduated at the latest by the end of July 2013 with at least a Bachelor’s degree in the desired field of study
- this Bachelor’s or Master’s degree must be from a non-Swiss university
- the applicant’s permanent place of residence up to the application must have been outside of Switzerland
Deadline for application: December 2012
Find out more information on the website HERE
FELLOWSHIPS
THE OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (ODI) FELLOWSHIP SCHEME
The Fellowship Scheme has two specific goals: To provide governments of developing countries with high calibre junior professional economists where gaps in local expertise exist. To provide recent postgraduate economists with practical work experience in a developing country.
The ODI Fellowship Scheme:
- has worked in 40 countries, concentrating on those most in need;
- has sent over 900 economists into careers in development;
- offered 54 two-year awards in 2012 and has 100 Fellows in post; and
- is partnered with 24 developing country governments and three regional bodies.
The application process for the 2013-2015 Fellowship Scheme is now open. The deadline is 17 December 2012. To apply, please complete the online application form (ODI Website)
Find out more information HERE
SOME FREE ONLINE TRAINING COURSES
FREE ONLINE COURSE: INTERNATIONAL LAW AND AFRICA
“Think Africa Press recently launched a free online educational course entitled, ‘International Law and Africa‘. Bringing together leading academics, legal practitioners and United Nations special rapporteurs, the course is intended to present readers around the world with an understanding of how international law works, how it came about, how it is enforced and monitored, how it affects individuals and groups, and how it shapes the world’s social, political and economic dynamics. In particular, the course examines the impacts of international law and its institutional infrastructure on Africa.”
Find out more from the Think Africa Press website HERE
UNITED STATES’ INSTITUTE OF PEACE (USIP) COURSES ON CONFLICT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION
USIP has a wide range of courses on Conflict Analysis and Prevention. Some are free and can be taken online and others require on-campus enrolment. The courses include:
- Perspectives on Conflict Prevention
- Preventing Electoral Violence in Africa: Tools for Policymakers
- Peace building Organizations and Institutions
- Understanding Islamic Law
…and so many others.
Find out more, on the USIP website HERE
Zainab Usman 
Many thanks for ur continous encouragements.
Great job Zainab, keep it up