Applications are now opened for the 2024-2025 Ireland-Africa Fellows Program. The program offers selected students the opportunity to undertake a fully-funded one-year master’s program at a prestigious higher education institution (HEI) in Ireland. Eligible master’s level programs in Ireland commence in August or September each year and, depending on the program, will run for between 10 and 16 months. The Ireland Fellows Program promotes gender equality, and equal opportunity, and welcomes diversity.

Fully funded by the Irish Government and offered through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Ireland-Africa Fellows Program aims to nurture future African leaders, women, and men, to develop in-country capacities to achieve national SDG goals, and to build positive relationships between Ireland and Africa.

The Program is intended to support graduates on their return home, through the skills they develop, to contribute to capacity building in their home countries, and to become one of the next generations of leaders in their respective fields. It is also envisaged that they will contribute to building enduring positive personal and professional relationships with Ireland, promoting institutional linkages. Early career professionals, with leadership potential, from eligible countries, will have the opportunity to study in Irish higher education institutions.

Program Details

• Host institutions: Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland (Full list below).
• Areas: Agriculture, health, education, human rights, computer science, engineering, business and more.
• Number of awards: Not specified.
• Duration: Up to 16 months.
• Target group: Open to citizens of Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Ireland-Africa Fellows Program Benefits

The fellowship is a fully funded program by the Irish Government that will cover the following fees for selected applicants:

• accommodation
• living costs
• payment of academic fees
• visa application fees
• medical and travel insurance
• economy flights to and from Ireland
• Irish residence permit fee
• a settling-in allowance towards items needed on arrival in Ireland
• a completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period.

Eligible Host Institutions

Below is the list of Irish Universities, Institutes of Technology and Colleges where candidate can hold this Irish government scholarship.

1. Atlantic Technological University
2. Dublin Business School
3. Dublin City University
4. Griffith College Cork, Dublin, Limerick
5. Mary Immaculate College
6. Munster Technological University
7. Maynooth University
8. National College of Art and Design
9. National College of Ireland
10. National University of Ireland
11. Royal College of Surgeons University of Medicine and Health Sciences
12. St. Angela’s College
13. South East Technological University
14. Trinity College Dublin
15. Technological University Dublin
16. Technological University of the Shannon
17. University College Cork
18. University College Dublin
19. UCD Michael Smurfit Business School
20. University of Limerick

Ireland-Africa Fellows Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the fellowship program commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2024, applicants must:

• Be a resident and national of an eligible country (Please check full list above).
• Have a minimum of two- or three-years’ relevant work experience (this can include internships and volunteering positions), depending on the country (details provided in the application form).
• Hold a Bachelor’s level academic qualification from an accredited and government recognized higher education institution, with a minimum grade point average of 75% (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) – i.e. a first-class honor, or second-class honor, Grade 1 (a second-class honor Grade 2 may be accepted if the applicant has substantial directly relevant work experience). It must have been awarded in 2011 or later (i.e. within the last 12 years).
• Not already hold a qualification at master’s level or higher. Not currently undertaking a programme at master’s level or higher, or be due to start a programme at master’s level or higher in the academic year 2023/23.
• Be applying to commence a new course at master’s level in Ireland no sooner than August 2024.
• Be able to demonstrate leadership abilities and aspirations, as well as commitment to the achievement of the SDGs within your own country; and a commitment to contribute to building positive relationships with Ireland.
• Have identified and selected three relevant programs from the Directory of Eligible Programs.
• Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for all programmes chosen
• Must not have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme on more than one previous occasion.
• Be in a position to take up the scholarship in the academic year 2024-2025.

This means that fellowships in these countries are restricted to the staff of government departments and NGOs which work in partnership with Irish Aid, and to personnel of organisations that are aligned with Irish Aid’s development strategy in their country which have already been identified by the Embassy of Ireland. Applications from outside these partnerships will not be eligible. To find out if you are eligible to apply, please contact the relevant Embassy of Ireland or your employer.

Similar opportunities

1. A*STAR Computing and Information Science Scholarship;
2. Canadian Government Banting Fellowships;
3. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships.

How to Apply for the Ireland-Africa Fellows Program?

To apply for this Europe scholarship, applicants need to follow the three stages below:

Stage 1 -preliminary application (July 3, 2023 – July 30, 2023)

Please contact the relevant Embassy of Ireland to get the stage 1 application form or click on this link to download the form. It is a short application form which allows the selection panel to assess your eligibility under the various criteria of the Program. You will be contacted by the Embassy once final decisions have been made and informed whether you have been successful or unsuccessful at Stage 1. Please do not otherwise contact the Irish Embassy during this period.

Stage 2 – detailed application (25 September 2023 – 20 October 2023)

If your Stage 1 application is successful, you will be invited to move on to Stage 2 of the process and complete a more detailed application form, including the submission of all required documents.

Stage 3 (Interviews)

At this stage, candidates will be invited for interview and to submit their IELTS qualification if not already submitted. For queries, please contact the relevant Embassy of Ireland.

The deadline to submit application for the first stage is July 30, 2023. For more details on the Ireland-Africa Fellows Program, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.