African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Early-Career Research Fellowships 2025

If you are a young African scholar looking to strengthen your research career and collaborate with leading institutions across the continent, applications are now open for the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Early-Career Research Fellowships 2025. With the support of the Mastercard Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, this program will fund up to 42 early-career researchers to conduct cutting-edge studies at ARUA’s 13 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and the 21 Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoREs).

The initiative provides a unique opportunity for young academics to dedicate six months to research, free from teaching responsibilities, while engaging with distinguished scholars and advancing globally competitive work.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

• Location: Across ARUA Centres of Excellence and affiliated Africa-Europe CoREs (hosted at ARUA universities).

• Study Level: Postdoctoral/Early-career researchers.

• Target Group: African nationals with a PhD (within the last 5 years), under the age of 35; strong focus on female candidates (70% reserved).

• Fields of Study: Energy, Unemployment & Skills Development, Non-Communicable Diseases, Inequality Research, Identity in Africa, Migration & Mobility, Sustainable Food Systems, Urbanization & Habitable Cities, Climate & Development, Good Governance, Post-Conflict Societies, Water, Materials, Energy & Nanotechnology.

• Award Value & Coverage:

  • Monthly stipend: USD $2,000

  • Modest accommodation support

  • Travel (return ticket)

  • Office space at host institution

  • Additional adjustment support for female fellows (e.g., childcare).

• Duration: 6 months (between July 2025 – June 2026).

• Application Deadline: December 2025 (priority deadline: May 15, 2025).

• Start Date: First cohort begins July 1, 2025.

• Eligible to: African nationals under 35 with a PhD and employed at an ARUA university.

📚 Fellowship Overview

The ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship is designed to strengthen the research capacity of young African academics by granting them time away from teaching obligations to immerse themselves in impactful projects.

Each fellow will:

• Conduct research within one of ARUA’s CoEs or Africa-Europe CoREs.

• Collaborate with senior, internationally recognized researchers.

• Work in institutions outside their home country, fostering cross-border academic exchange.

🔍 Roles and Responsibilities of Fellows

• Undertake research under mentorship at the host CoE/CoRE.

• Publish at least one academic article (Scopus/Web of Science indexed) with a related policy brief or blog post.

• Deliver a minimum of two presentations and participate in technical workshops.

• Support partnerships and disseminate research outputs of the Centre.

🌐 Fields of Research

• Energy

• Unemployment & Skills Development

• Non-Communicable Diseases

• Inequality Research

• Identity in Africa

• Migration & Mobility

• Sustainable Food Systems

• Urbanization & Habitable Cities

• Climate & Development

• Good Governance

• Post-Conflict Societies

• Water

• Materials

• Energy & Nanotechnology.

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

• Competitive stipend and research support.

• Exposure to globally competitive research environments.

• Opportunity to expand professional networks across Africa and Europe.

• Priority opportunities for female scholars (70% of fellowships reserved).

• Dedicated mentorship from established researchers.

• Adjustment support for women with childcare or related needs.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be African nationals under the age of 35 at the time of application.

• Hold a PhD in a field relevant to the ARUA CoEs/CoREs.

• Have completed their PhD within the last 5 years.

• Be employed as faculty or research staff at an ARUA university (female postdocs considered in limited cases).

• Demonstrate strong research productivity and academic excellence.

• Commit to spending 6 months at the host institution and returning to their home university afterward.

• Show alignment between their proposed project and the CoE/CoRE research focus.

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

📝 Application Procedure

Interested candidates should prepare and submit the following documents via the online submission portal: ARUA Fellowship Application Portal

📂 Required Documents:

1. Cover Letter – including motivation, proposed research, and suitability for the fellowship.

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) – with full details of academic qualifications, research output, and referees.

3. Letter of Support – from home institution, confirming leave and return.

4. PhD Certificate – proof of award.

5. Concept Note (max 1,500 words) – outlining research plan and alignment with host CoE.

6. Two Academic Writing Samples – not doctoral thesis chapters.

7. Details of Two Referees – external to the host CoE.

📆 Selection Timeline:

• Priority deadline: May 15, 2025

• Notification (first batch): June 1, 2025

• Fellowships start: July 1, 2025

• Final deadline: December 2025 (until all 42 positions are filled).

ℹ️ Selection will be competitive, focusing on academic merit, research relevance, and alignment with ARUA’s thematic priorities.

🚀 Final Note

The ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowships 2025 present a strategic platform for emerging African scholars to sharpen their research skills, publish impactful work, and strengthen collaborations across Africa and Europe. With a strong emphasis on female participation, this fellowship ensures equitable opportunities while driving the continent’s research excellence forward.

📂 Resources

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowships 2025 PDF call

🔗 Official Website

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