West African Research Association (WARA) - Pre-Doctoral Fellowships

The WARA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, for 2 to 3 month’s research in West Africa during the summer of 2025, is for the purpose of

1. preparing a doctoral research proposal; or
2. carrying out research related to the completion of another terminal degree program (e.g., MFA or MPH).

Application requirements:

• Abstract (50-80 words)
• Proposal (6 pages – double spaced)
• Resume or CV
• Itemized budget (including estimated costs for housing, food, travel, equipment, printing/photocopying, and institutional affiliation fees)
• Graduate and undergraduate transcripts (Scan and upload official transcripts)
• Bibliography
• Three letters of reference signed by the recommender.

The proposal statement should describe the concept, methodology and the significance of the proposed research project to the applicant’s academic field, and how this research contributes to the mission of WARA. On the Art of Writing Proposals, an excellent resource for preparing applications can be found on the SSRC website. The language should be understandable to non-specialist readers.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 11:59pm MARCH 03, 2025. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Please direct inquiries to:
west.african.research.association@gmail.com

Funding for the WARA Residency Program is provided by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State through a grant from the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.

Who we are

WARA is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the promotion of research on West Africa and the diaspora, scholarly exchange, the dissemination of accurate information on West Africa and its diasporic communities, and increasing awareness of the critical place of West Africa in the global community.

Founded in 1989, WARA’s mission is to promote research and scholarly exchange between West African and US scholars and institutions through its research fellowships, conferences, and publications; and through the many programs headquartered at WARA’s research center in Dakar, Senegal.

The West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal is WARA’s overseas headquarters and provides a wide range of resources and support for researchers from the US, West Africa, and beyond. It provides scholars with a rich array of resources and supportive services including a research and film library, digitization lab, seminar rooms, computer and wireless Internet access, an on-site cafe, and a pleasant space in which to organize major international conferences, local seminars, and other scholarly and artistic projects.

WARA is a member of the Association of African Studies Programs and is an affiliated member of the African Studies Association, thus linking it with mainstream organizations dedicated to the development of African area studies and research exchanges with sub-Saharan Africa. WARA programs complement the efforts of the National Resource Centers (NRC) for African Language and Area Studies (Title VI Centers) to improve the cross-cultural learning of students and faculty in the U.S. through study in Africa. As such, WARA’s programs help to address the NRC’s concern for quality infrastructure for overseas study and research programs in Africa.