Eligible Countries
Researchers from all 54 African nations are eligible:
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Programme Overview
- Organizer: Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF)
- Format: Fully online, via Zoom
- Sessions: Eight 3-hour sessions
- Week 1: 19-23 January 2026 (daily, 08:30-11:30 GMT)
- Week 2: 24-26 March 2026 (daily, 08:30-11:30 GMT)
- Break: Eight weeks between sessions to draft a mini proposal and peer-review colleagues' work.
- Language: English
Aim
To equip early-career African health researchers with the skills to design competitive grant and fellowship proposals that can secure international, regional, and national funding.
What You'll Learn
- Defining your research niche and compelling question
- Understanding funders' requirements
- Writing clear, plain English proposals
- Structuring cases for support/project descriptions
- Planning project timelines and budgets
- Managing collaborations and teams
- Practicing peer review
- Preparing for fellowship interviews
Note: The programme does not cover ethics approval processes, funder-specific forms, intellectual property management, or research communication.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be citizens of an African country.
- Hold a PhD/MD/DPhil (awarded after 1 Jan 2020) OR a medical/clinical qualification plus a research-relevant Master's (awarded after 1 Jan 2020).
- Be employed at a recognised African university or research institution.
- Be actively engaged in health-related research.
- Not already hold major international grants (£250,000+).
- Not have participated in equivalent grant-writing training.
Key Dates
- Call Launch: 1 September 2025
- Application Deadline: 3 October 2025
- Results Notification: 14 November 2025
How to Apply
- Register and apply via the AREF portal.
- Guidance and FAQs are available on the portal.
- For portal registration issues, email: [email protected] (subject: Portal Registration).
⚠️ Important Notes
- Attendance at all sessions is mandatory for certification.
- Participants must commit extra time for preparatory work and proposal drafting.
- AREF does not cover internet, equipment, or per diem costs.
This opportunity is a strategic gateway for African researchers aiming to secure their first major grant and build long-term research independence.
