About this opportunity
AfricaLics is inviting applications from PhD students enrolled at universities in African countries for the 2027 cohort of its Visiting Fellowship Programme. The fellowship is aimed at doctoral research that examines how innovation, technology, learning, institutions and competence-building interact with economic, social or environmentally sustainable development in Africa. It is open across disciplines, from economics, sociology, political science, science and technology policy, geography, history and development studies through to STEM and manufacturing work that carries a social-science perspective.
The programme is more than a research trip. Online activities begin in the first half of February 2027 and include training in academic writing and research, with short courses on how to write an academic journal article and how to do a systematic literature review. Each fellow can present and take part in up to five paper presentation seminars, including the AfricaLics PhD Academy expected in April 2027 in Kenya. The three-month study visit then runs from 6 September to 3 December 2027 at the University of Johannesburg, hosted with the Trilateral Research Chair, where fellows get dedicated time to consolidate research, analyse fieldwork data, sharpen theoretical arguments, draft dissertation chapters and write journal articles. A second face-to-face meeting is planned for November 2027 and further online activities follow in December 2027 and early 2028.
AfricaLics covers accommodation in Johannesburg, a return economy airfare from the nearest international airport, the training and mentorship activities and the costs of the two face-to-face meetings. Fellows also receive a living stipend of approximately US$600 per month during the study visit, meant to cover living costs and local travel to and from the university. A small amount of funding may be available for a short course that matters to your PhD but is not normally available in your home country. Each fellow is matched with one or two scholars from the AfricaLics and Globelics networks whose expertise fits the research, and starts with a one-year work plan agreed with the home supervisor, the mentors and the programme coordinator.
The programme was established in 2015 with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and has hosted African PhD students from low and lower-middle-income countries ever since. It is designed to complement your PhD, not replace it, so candidates must already hold basic funding for their doctoral studies. AfricaLics gives special consideration to female applicants and to applicants from low-income African countries, and the four Research Coordination Areas for 2027 point to where the programme is steering its attention.
What you receive
- Three-month research stay at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa from 6 September to 3 December 2027
- Living stipend of approximately US$600 per month during the study visit
- Accommodation in Johannesburg arranged with support from AfricaLics and university staff, with working space at the UJ-TRCTI offices
- Return economy airfare from your nearest international airport to Johannesburg
- Training in academic writing and research, including short courses on writing a journal article and doing a systematic literature review
- Up to five paper presentation seminars, including a presentation at the AfricaLics PhD Academy 2027
- Individual and joint mentorship from one or two AfricaLics and Globelics scholars matched to your research area
- Costs of the two face-to-face meetings covered under the AfricaLics Research Capacity Strengthening project
- Access to an international research environment and a lasting alumni network in Innovation and Development
Who can apply
- You must be actively enrolled as a PhD student at a university in an African country
- Your doctoral research must address the relationship between innovation and economic, social or environmentally sustainable development
- You should preferably have completed the first year of your PhD by December 2026
- You need adequate literacy in English, and documentation may be requested to demonstrate it
- You must already have basic funding for your PhD. The fellowship is complementary support, not full PhD funding
- Applicants from STEM and manufacturing backgrounds are welcome where the research carries a relevant social-science perspective and connects to Innovation and Development
- Research connected to one of the four AfricaLics Research Coordination Areas for 2027 is particularly encouraged: STI Measurement in Africa; Global Value Chains, Innovation and Industrialization; Innovating Resilience; and Innovation and Sustainable Energy Transition in Africa (i-SET Africa)
- Female applicants and applicants from low-income African countries receive special consideration
Who should not apply
- Undergraduate students, general master's students, researchers who are not enrolled in a PhD programme and candidates who have already completed their PhD are not in the applicant category
- Costs for accompanying family members, including spouses and children, are not covered
- Additional personal travel within South Africa is not funded unless it forms part of an approved programme activity
- The travel insurance issued with the fellowship ticket generally covers minor ailments only, so candidates with existing health conditions should check their own cover and upgrade it before travelling
- AfricaLics mentors are not formal PhD supervisors. Your official supervision continues with your home university
Documents to prepare
- A motivation and expected outcomes statement of about one page or 500 words covering your academic background, why you are applying and what you hope to gain
- A brief outline of your current PhD project, including your PhD training plans, of no more than five pages
- A current curriculum vitae that includes the PhD courses you have attended
- A letter of support from your main PhD supervisor
- A letter of support from the university administration at the institution where you are enrolled
- Copies of your academic certificates, at minimum your Bachelor's and Master's degree certificates
- One writing sample, such as an academic article or a chapter from your current PhD work
How to apply
- Read the 2027 call on the AfricaLics website and check your research against the four Research Coordination Areas.
- Talk to your PhD supervisor early, because both a supervisor letter and a university administration letter are required and institutional documents take time to obtain.
- Write your 500-word motivation statement and your PhD project outline of no more than five pages, making the innovation and development link explicit in your research problem, questions, framework and method.
- Prepare your CV with PhD courses, your academic certificates and one strong writing sample.
- Complete the AfricaLics online application form and upload all required documents before 23:00 East Africa Time on 2 October 2026.
- Keep the information session and the AfricaLics website in view for updates, and stay available around 27 and 30 November 2026 for shortlisted candidate interviews.
Selection process
- Assessments focus on three core criteria: the research focus and its relevance to Innovation and Development studies, African development and the AfricaLics research agenda; the quality of the theoretical and conceptual framework and its connection to the research questions; and the clarity and rigour of the methodology, including data sources and collection.
- Reviewers also consider whether you are at a stage of the PhD that will benefit from the fellowship, and whether suitable mentors can be identified.
- Shortlisted and potentially successful candidates are interviewed on 27 and 30 November 2026.
- Successful candidates are expected to be notified by mid-December 2026 or early January 2027, with the final date communicated through the AfricaLics website.
- Selected fellows sign a study agreement confirming participation, and begin with a one-year work plan signed by the student, the home supervisor and the mentors.
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
Does my PhD have to be titled Innovation and Development?
No. The programme is deliberately multidisciplinary. What matters is whether your doctoral research addresses an important relationship between innovation and economic, social or environmentally sustainable development.
Is this a full PhD scholarship?
No. The fellowship is designed to complement your existing PhD rather than fund it entirely. You must already have basic funding for your doctoral studies, and AfricaLics adds research training, mobility, mentorship and study-visit support.
Will I get a private room in Johannesburg?
Accommodation is covered and AfricaLics and University of Johannesburg staff help arrange it near the UJ-TRCTI offices. A private bedroom is aimed for where possible but is not guaranteed, and depending on availability fellows may share bedrooms, kitchens, living spaces or bathrooms.
Do I need a passport to apply?
You do not need a passport at the application stage, but successful fellows travel to Johannesburg, so plan for travel documents early after selection.
What is the monthly stipend and what does it cover?
Fellows receive approximately US$600 per month during the Johannesburg study visit, intended to cover living expenses and local travel associated with the fellowship, including transport to and from the university.
Who should I contact with questions?
Questions that the information session does not cover can be sent to the AfricaLics team at visitingphd@africalics.org.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
