Post-doctoral Fellowship

This Fellowship is CLOSED. Please check back in January 2025 (follow us on social media for updates).

WARA Post-doctoral Fellowship

In the interest of enhancing transatlantic exchange and collaboration, the West African Research Association, with funding from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US State Department, WARA holds an annual competition for Post-doctoral fellowships. The WARA Post-Doctoral Fellowship, for 2 to 3 month’s research in West Africa during summer of the current year, is for the purpose of 1) completing or elaborating upon an earlier project; 2) initiating a new research project; or 3) enhancing understanding of a particular topic in order to improve teaching effectiveness or broaden course offerings.

This competition is open to U.S. citizens already holding a Ph.D. who are currently affiliated with an academic institution or who work in another related domain (e.g. public health or museology). All applicants must have been affiliated with an institution of higher education or research within the last three years. It is advisable that applicants be conversant in an African language spoken where they will be conducting research.

Each fellowship will provide round trip travel to a West African country not exceeding $2,500 and a stipend of up to $3,500. The West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal may assist with academic contacts and affiliations and recommendations for lodging in the country chosen by the fellow.

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)
• Bibliography
• Two 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 3, 2024. 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.