Program Description:

Title: ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025

Application Deadline: 15 May 2025 (priority for first batch)
 Final deadline: 31 December 2025
Selection for the first batch: By 1 June 2025
Start of fellowship (first batch): 1 July 2025

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Overview

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), with support from the Mastercard Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York, invites applications for its Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025. The program aims to support 42 early-career African researchers to conduct globally competitive research at any of ARUA’s 13 Centres of Excellence (CoEs).

Fellowship Duration: 6 months (between July 2025 and June 2026)
Focus Areas: Energy, Urbanization, Governance, Climate, Water, Health, Inequality, Food Systems, and more
Goal: Enhance research capacity and foster collaboration across African institutions

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be African nationals, not older than 35 years at the time of application

• Hold a PhD (completed within the last 5 years) in a field related to the chosen CoE

• Be an early-career faculty or research member at an ARUA university

• Be available for a 6-month residential fellowship away from their home institution

• Be actively working on a research project aligned with the host CoE

• Be able to provide data or research materials relevant to their proposal

• Female researchers are strongly encouraged to apply (70% of positions reserved for women)

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Benefits

• Monthly stipend: $2,000 USD

• Accommodation support and round-trip travel

• Additional support is available for eligible women (e.g., childcare)

• Office space at the host Centre of Excellence

• Research mentorship and collaboration with leading African scholars

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ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Fellowship/Program Components

• Research aligned with the host CoE’s focus

• Publication of at least one academic article (lead authorship encouraged)

• Policy brief or blog post for wider dissemination

• Two presentations/workshops participation

• Support and build new research partnerships

• Contribute to the visibility and impact of the host CoE’s work

CoE Thematic Areas Include:
Climate, Migration, Identity, Non-communicable Diseases, Urbanization, Food Systems, Governance, Inequality, Energy, Materials & Nanotech, Post-Conflict Societies, and more.

🔗 ARUA Centres of Excellence

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Application Requirements

1. Cover letter: Motivation, experience, proposed CoE, visa needs (if any)

2. Full CV: With publication details and referees

3. Letter of Support from home institution confirming return post-fellowship

4. Proof of PhD award

5. Brief Concept Note (max. 1,500 words) aligned with the CoE’s research

6. Two academic writing samples (not thesis chapters)

7. Names of two referees (not based at the host CoE)

ARUA Early-Career Research Fellowship 2025 Selection Criteria

• Quality and relevance of proposed research

• Academic excellence and research productivity

• Fit with CoE’s thematic focus

• Readiness to contribute to institutional capacity-building

• Commitment to staying active in African academic networks

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