Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grant for Masters and PhD Students in African Universities (Study in Canada)

Call for Applications :
Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grants

Course(s) Offered: Several thematic areas
Course Level: Postgraduate (masters, PhD)
Provider: AIIS
Country to Study in: Africa, Canada

Scholarship Description
The Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grants program supports short-term academic placements for students enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program at African universities.

Supported research covers the Africa Initiative thematic areas of conflict resolution, energy, food security, health, and migration, with special attention to the cross-cutting issues of climate change. Grant recipients are expected to self-identify professors and experts they would like to work with at universities in Canada and will be required to submit an official letter of support from the university where they wish to be based as part of their application for the grant.

The Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grant program is currently accepting applications for research to be conducted between September and December.

Eligibility
Grant Eligibility Criteria:

• must be a Master’s or PhD student enrolled in an African university*
• must be in good academic standing (with at least an overall B, or equivalent, standing)
• proposed research must be original and timely, and must focus on one of the Africa Initiative’s thematic areas of conflict resolution, energy, food security, health, and migration, with special attention to the cross-cutting issue of climate change

NOTE: Eligibility is based on existing agreements between Canadian and African universities. Students from select African universities are eligible to conduct research at corresponding Canadian universities for a complete list of eligible universities please refers to the List of Eligible Institutions.

Eligible groups
Students of African universities

Participating Institutions
AIIS; WITH
Any university in sub-Saharan Africa; AND
Select Canadian universities

Fields of study
Successful applicants to the Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grants would focus on the thematic areas of conflict resolution, energy, food security, health, migration, and climate change

Number of awards
Up to four months at select Canadian universities

Sponsorship duration
15 students every year

Scholarship benefits
The program offers grants of up to CAD$10,000 each to fifteen students per year to conduct research for up to four months at select Canadian universities.

An additional prize of $1,000 will also be awarded to the best research paper produced by a grant recipient.

The program is building capacity by giving bright, highly-motivated students and scholars an opportunity to discover and impart new learning in a cross-cultural experience.

Method of Application
Scholarship Application Requirements:

• completed application form
• proposal (maximum 5 pages) summarizing the applicant’s graduate research, including research objective, methodology and expected results and outputs; a timeline and proposed research plan in Canada; and an overview of the capacity of the host institution contacts’ involvement with the applicant’s work while in Canada
• one letter of support from the university the applicant plans to be based at (either a letter of support from the host university inviting the applicant as a visiting scholar or an acceptance letter from the host university inviting the applicant as an exchange student)
• current CV
• current university transcript
• two letters of recommendations (one letter from the applicant’s academic advisor and an additional letter from other academic or professional sources)
• passport scan
• writing sample (can be any written research work authored by the applicant)

It is important to visit the scholarship webpage (link to it is below) for complete information on applying for this scholarship

DEADLINES:
Last day to apply is 31 May 2011

PLEASE NOTE:
Program expectations: Participants are expected to provide content for the Africa Initiative’s Africa Portal on a regular basis during their placement and write one major research paper for the Portal at the end of their placement.

Application Deadline: 31 May 2011
Open to International Applicants: No (Africans ONLY)

More Scholarship Information and Application

Related: Scholarships in Canada for International Students