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Introduction to the Borel Global Fellows Masters Scholarships
Applications are now open for the Borel Global Fellows Masters Scholarships 2024/2025 at Iowa State University for African Students. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Resources at Iowa State University is offering a Master’s degree program to train African students in plant breeding, crop protection, soil science, agricultural economics, microbiology, wildlife management, entomology, and other areas vital to food security in Africa.
The primary objective of these scholarships is to empower African students by imparting them with comprehensive knowledge and advanced skills for developing sustainable agricultural systems. The program’s ultimate goal is to help students create an ecosystem that can enhance the economic growth of their communities.
Along with knowledge, the program also focuses on providing African students with access to modern technological resources, such as advanced farming equipment and software, that can help them improve their agricultural practices. Additionally, the program offers networking opportunities with international organizations and experts to foster global collaboration and share knowledge on the latest advancements and trends in the agriculture sector.
About the Master’s Scholarships
Thanks to a generous gift from ISU alumni Jim (’78 agricultural business) and Marcia (’78 family environment) Borel, the Borel Global Fellows Program was launched in 2018. The Borel Global Fellows Program supports students from Sub-Saharan Africa to pursue graduate studies at Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. These scholarships seeks to help eradicate food and nutrition insecurity while promoting wealth and health for subsistence farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa by educating scientists at Iowa State University who will become knowledge leaders who reside and work in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Available Field of Study for the Master’s Scholarships
In response to identified needs in Africa, the 2024 focal areas are:
- plant breeding and genetics,
- agricultural economics,
- soil science,
- microbiology,
- wildlife ecology, and
- entomology.
Projects that aim to enhance the productivity of smallholder farms are especially noteworthy.
Eligibility Criteria
All faculty members with a majority appointment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University may submit an application for partial graduate student funding. To be considered for the Borel Global Fellows Program, the student must:
- be admitted into a graduate program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- be a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country: Eligible countries include Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.
- commit to completing graduate studies as a means of preparation for a career contributing to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa
- complete the majority of their graduate research in Sub-Saharan Africa
- demonstrate an intention to work and live in Sub-Saharan Africa after completing their graduate studies
Benefits of the Master’s Scholarship
Graduate students who are pursuing their Master’s or PhD degrees can benefit from a generous funding opportunity of up to $25,000 per year. This funding can be utilized to provide stipends to students or as a combination of partial stipends and research funding. The funding is available for a period of up to 30 months for MS students and up to 42 months for PhD students. This provides ample time for students to focus on their research and complete their degree programs.
In addition to the stipends and research funding, graduate students and their advisors can also avail of travel funding to and from Africa for research purposes. This funding ensures that students and advisors can conduct research in Africa without worrying about the costs associated with travel. This opportunity enables students to gain valuable research experience and expertise in a new and exciting environment while also contributing to the advancement of knowledge in their field.
How to Apply
The completed application will include a cover letter from the major professor, a CV of the student, and a copy of the student’s goal statement. Application Deadline is 15th January 2024. Cover letters will address the commitment of the major professor to provide the remaining required funding (typically tuition, fees, and research costs) and his or her commitment to support the student’s research in Sub-Saharan Africa. Please submit the application to Dr. David Acker, Associate Dean for Global Engagement, dacker@iastate.edu. It is important to go through all the application requirements on the official programme page (see link below) before applying.
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