EU Partnership for Training Scientist in Crop Improvement for Food Security in Africa (SCIFSA) Masters and PhD Scholarships for African Students 2018

Application Deadline: 5th April 2018.

Eligible Countries: African countries

About the Award: In this mobility programme, five African partner institutions and one EU technical partner will collaborate in the training of professionals to achieve sustainable crop production that shall lead to increased yield and enhanced food and nutritional security.
The project will provide fellowships for full degree programs (PhDs and MSc) as well as short-term mobility (credit seeking) for students and staff and will run from 1st November 2017 until 31st October 2022.

Fields of Study: A total of 24 Masters (6 credit seeking, 18 degreeseeking) and 12 Doctorates (4 credit seeking, 8 degree-seeking) will be trained in the thematic areas of Plant breeding and seed systems, Biotechnology, Seed science and technology, Agronomy and Vegetable crop production, Pesticides and plant protection and Plant and microbial technology.

Type: Masters, PhD

Eligibility: The scholarships are open to candidates from


Target group 1 (Applicants who are currently registered at or have done their degree at one of the partner institutions: Makerere University (Uganda), University of Ghana – Legon (Ghana), University of Eldoret (Kenya), Cairo
University (Egypt) and Chiek Anta Diop de Dakar (Senegal)) and

Target group 2 (Applicants who currently registered at or have done their degrees from any other institutions within Africa including institution from Uganda, Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sudan, Tunisia, etc.

Number of Awards: 24 Masters (6 credit seeking, 18 degreeseeking) and 12 Doctorates (4 credit seeking, 8 degree-seeking)

Value of Award: 

• Stipend: The scholarship includes a subsistence allowance of 900 € per month for PhD candidates and 600 € for MSc candidates. Each scholarship recipient will also receive a one month subsistence allowance for settling in. For the female candidate additional one-month subsistence allowance will be provided for each extra academic year for mobility of two or more years.
• Insurance: Insurance coverage (accident, travel, health) will be provided for the duration of the grant within the limits of the grant provisions.
• Travel costs: The candidate will be provided with a return ticket between his/her home Airport and the airport at the hosting institutions.
• Tuition fees and Research: The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme scholarship scheme “Partnership for Training Scientist in Crop Improvement for Food Security in Africa (SCIFSA) under participation and research costs will cover the costs of the fees following the MOU signed by the beneficiaries and such costs to cover library, student unions, laboratory consumable costs, etc. on an equal basis as the local students.

How to Apply: 

• All interested candidates should download the application form, fill it and submit through either email or postal services.
• The application for scholarship should be sent to the project coordinating office (scifsascholarships@gmail.com, ruthiemutyaba@gmail.com) with copy to the coordinator at the sending institution
• Download Application Form
• In order to facilitate and fasten the mobility process, each applicant is advised to apply to the hosting university for admission.

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: The EU under its Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme.


Important Notes: Please note that applicants are only allowed to apply to study in an institution outside of their home countries.