ARUA Research Fellowship 2026 for Young African Researchers with Full Funding

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Early-Career Research Fellowship 2026 is designed to support the next generation of African researchers by strengthening their research capacity through placements at ARUA Centres of Excellence across Africa. The fellowship provides an opportunity to conduct advanced research in collaboration with international experts within a dynamic academic environment, while offering financial support, academic mentorship, and opportunities for international research collaboration.

Potential Host Countries

• South Africa
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Nigeria
• Uganda
• Rwanda
• Tanzania
• Other countries hosting institutions that are members of the ARUA network.

• A monthly stipend of USD 2,000.
• Support for accommodation and living expenses during the fellowship period.
• Round-trip airfare to and from the host institution.
• Academic supervision and mentorship from leading international researchers and experts.
• Access to advanced research facilities, laboratories, and academic resources.
• Opportunities to build international research partnerships and professional networks.
• Support for publishing research findings and other scholarly outputs.

• Applicants must be citizens of an African country.
• Candidates must hold a PhD degree in a relevant field.
• No more than five years should have passed since the completion of the PhD.
• Applicants must be affiliated with a university or academic institution.
• Candidates must propose a research project aligned with one of the ARUA Centres of Excellence.
• Applicants must be able to reside at the host institution for a period of six months.

Required Documents

• Cover Letter.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Research project proposal or summary.
• Copy of the PhD certificate.
• Contact details of two academic referees.
• Copy of a valid passport.
• Samples of previous academic work, publications, or research outputs.

All eligible countries are located in Africa and include:

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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