West African Scholar Mobility Fellowship

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

WARA Fellowship for West African Scholars in a US institution

The West African Research Association (WARA) is pleased to announce researching funding and support for young West African scholars through its West African Scholar Mobility Fellowship (WASMF) program. This program reflects our commitment to increasing opportunities for emerging West African scholars, and of enhancing transatlantic exchange and collaboration. The WASMF is for 2 to 3 month’s research in West Africa during the summer of the current year for the purpose of preparing a doctoral research proposal or conducting doctoral research. 

This competition is open to West African citizens who are currently enrolled in graduate programs at institutions of higher education in the United States. (West African citizens with U.S. citizenship are not eligible.) Priority will be given to applicants who are at the pre-dissertation stage and who demonstrate financial need. 

The West African Scholar Mobility Fellowship program will award one pre-doctoral grant of $4,000 for travel to West Africa to conduct research. 

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) 
• Graduate transcripts (Scan and upload official transcripts) 
• Bibliography 
• Two letters of reference signed by the recommender. 
• Statement explaining how your research will contribute to the mission of WARA 

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 objectives of the West African Research Association.  The language should be understandable to non-specialist readers. (An excellent resource for preparing applications, On the Art of Writing Proposals, can be found on the SSRC website.)