Connect Africa Scholarships

The funding covers travel within South Africa or to other countries in order to learn new techniques, attend conferences and scientific courses, take part in teaching opportunities, build new scientific research collaborations and develop global and intra-Africa partnerships. The scholarships also aim to leverage the research and training facilities of the three research organisations, and to offer young African scientists (undergraduates, postgraduates, postdoctoral research fellows and early career research scientists) the chance to develop further as researchers.

Additional information

Scholarships of up to $2 000 are typically awarded. Awards are given based on the perceived benefit and need of the trip to the applicant, the qualifications of the applicant, and the quality/content of the proposed trip.

Connect Africa Scholarships are generously supported by the Massachusetts General Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, and through philanthropic support from the Mark and Lisa Schwartz Foundation through the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard.

Review panel

Each application will be reviewed by a committee of scientists based at AHRI and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard. Eighteen awards will be made each year. Reviewers will consider applications which close annually on 1 March, 1 July and 1 November. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by the third week of March, July and November.

Applications are only received via our online form. 

Important to note

• Applicants should time their applications to accommodate the annual application date deadlines and approximately three weeks to get a response on the outcome of the application.
• Funds must be used for the approved purposes of the award.
• All funds will be transferred to home institutions/departments. Funds will not be transferred into personal accounts. A detailed budget and budget justification outlining how the funds will be spent needs to be submitted with the application. A detailed budget needs to be submitted outlining entire trip costs and how the $2 000 from the Connect Africa Scholarship will be spent. Please note that CAS funds will not be transferred until funding for the entire trip has been secured.
• Awards can support domestic and international air travel and other costs, including but not limited to: housing, ground transport, fees, and visas.
• Award recipients are required to submit a two-page report on their travel as well as at least one relevant photograph documenting their trip. By accepting the award, awardees give permission for AHRI and affiliates to use trip reports and media for publicity and marketing purposes.
• Support from the Connect Africa Scholarships should be acknowledged in any subsequent publications or presentations derived from this award.
• Please note that an individual can only be awarded one scholarship per year.