Next Generation Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship In Social Sciences In Africa 2024/2025: Apply Now!

Applications are now open for the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. The Next Generation Social Sciences Research Council is funding three types of fellowships to support the completion of doctoral degrees and to promote next-generation social science research in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. The fellowships support dissertation research on peace, security, and development topics. These awards are open to all PhD students in any discipline. It is awarded on the basis of academic merit and research potential. Successful applicants receive a stipend and funding for their research.

Citizens of and reside in a sub-Saharan African country while holding a current faculty position at an accredited college or university in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. The fellowships support dissertations and research on peace, security, and development topics.

The Next Generation Social Sciences program, launched in June 2011, responds to a shortage of experienced faculty in African higher education. The Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program provides fellowships to nurture intellectual development and increase retention of early-career faculties in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The Next Generation Social Sciences fellowships are:

Doctoral Dissertation Research
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal

Doctoral Dissertation Completion

The doctoral dissertation research program supports 6–12 months of dissertation research costs of up to US$15,000 on a topic related to peace, security, and development.

The proposal development program is intended to support doctoral students working on developing a doctoral dissertation research proposal as well as students who recently completed a master’s degree and seek to enroll in a PhD program.

The doctoral dissertation completion support includes a one-year leave from teaching responsibilities and a stipend of up to US$15,000 to permit the completion of a dissertation that advances research on peace, security, and development topics.

The program assists fellows in developing research opportunities and skills, obtaining doctoral degrees, and participating in robust research communities. Toward this end, the project features a thematic focus to renew basic research agendas addressing peace, security, and development topics as well as strengthen interdisciplinary social science research capacity on these issues.

Selection Criteria

Strong proposals will offer clear and concise descriptions of the project and its significance. Proposals should display a thorough knowledge of the relevant social science literature that applicants will engage in and the methodologies relevant to the project. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that all proposed activities are feasible and can be completed promptly. All proposals will be evaluated for these criteria by an independent, international committee of leading scholars from a range of social science disciplines.

Next-Generation Social Sciences Fellows must be willing to attend two workshops sponsored by the SSRC each year that are intended to help early-career faculty produce scholarly publications. We anticipate awarding as many as 45 fellowships in total across all categories each year.

Eligibility Criteria

All candidates must:

be citizens of and reside in a sub-Saharan African country

hold a master’s degree
be enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, or Uganda
have an approved dissertation research proposal

The program seeks to promote diversity and encourages women to apply.

Program Benefits

The doctoral dissertation research supports research costs of up to US$15,000 on a topic related to peace, security, and development.
The doctoral dissertation proposal supports short-term research costs of up to US$3,000 to develop a doctoral dissertation proposal.

The doctoral dissertation completion support includes a one-year leave from teaching responsibilities and a stipend of up to US$15,000 to permit the completion of a dissertation that advances research on peace, security, and development topics.

How to Apply

Ready to apply? Click the following links to apply for the type of doctoral dissertation that suits you. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants must submit a complete application, including a research proposal, curriculum vitae, letter of recommendation, and transcripts.

Apply for Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship

Apply for Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship

Apply for Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship

Note that the deadline for applications is February 10, 2023. Interested applicants are advised to visit the official fellowship webpage for more information.

Click here to visit the Official Fellowship Webpage for more details