The University of Manchester Faculty of Science and Engineering Africa Futures Doctoral Scholar Awards are currently open and accepting applications from interested persons for a 3.5-year doctoral programme at Manchester University starting in October 2025. Interested applicants who are interested and ready to start a PhD by the end of 2025 should submit applications for review as early as possible.
Benefits of the Scholarship:
Successful applicants of this scholarship will be provided with the following benefits throughout their study period:
- Band A, International tuition fees
- An annual Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) towards project running costs/consumables of up to £5,000 per year.
- Annual stipend at the minimum UKRI rate (2025/26 rate of £20,780).
Applicant Eligibility for this Scholarship:
Note that the University of Manchester is an equal opportunity employer. They actively encourage those who, in addition to fulfilling the criteria above, have historically been underrepresented in Higher Education.
This includes but is not limited to: Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and/or otherwise Global Majority applicants, disabled applicants, trans applicants, applicants exiting a career break, care-experienced applicants, and LGB+ applicants.
Interested applicants will be considered based on the eligibility criteria below:
- Fulfil the University of Manchester entry requirements: That is, you must hold a First Class or 2:1 UK honours degree (or international equivalent to be checked with UoM admission team).
- Nominations will be considered for international fee-paying students domiciled in any African country as defined by the UN: UN Regional Groups – please note that this includes both countries in southern Africa and North Africa.
- To be considered as domiciled in these countries, applicants must have predominantly resided there during the last five years.
- We consider your domicile to be the country in which you are ordinarily resident, not a country where you are only living for the purpose of full-time education.
- Ideally hold a master's-level qualification at merit or distinction level (or international equivalent to be checked with UoM admission team).
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills, including in the English language, a proficiency which should be demonstrably indicated by meeting the requirements indicated on
- Language Requirements and securing an IELTS score of at least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, OR securing a TOEFL ibt score of 90 with no less than 20 in each component OR equivalent. Candidates with no formal certification of English at the time of the application can be considered, but would be required to meet the English language requirements before any offer can be confirmed. Please note that a timely, demonstrable minimum English language level is a requirement of the UK Home Office for the issue of student visas to the UK. For some projects, an ATAS certificate may also be required by them.
Fulfil the Faculty of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Researcher person specification:
- Educational background matches research project.
- Potential to form effective working relationships with a diverse range of people, including working inclusively and as part of a team.
- Potential to take the initiative, lead on projects, and be proactive in prioritising a dynamic, agile and diverse workload.
- Potential to develop understanding of complex problems, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a given scenario, and apply in-depth knowledge to address them.
- Potential to develop expertise in new areas of the subject
- Evidence of an understanding of the proposed area of research, including knowledge of current challenges and opportunities.
- An interest in continuous personal and professional development.
- Potential to communicate ideas and conclusions, verbally and in writing, clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Preliminary knowledge of research techniques/track record of engaging with research.
- Commitment to principles of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility in teaching, research, or experience.
- The scholarship may not be held in conjunction with any other doctoral scholarship with a value of greater than £5,000.
- Candidates must be willing to take part in a small number of activities to promote the scholarship scheme and the wider partnership of The University of Manchester with Africa.
What are the Project selection criteria for this Scholarship?
- The Faculty of Science and Engineering Africa Futures Doctoral Scholarships are exclusively for candidates applying to PhD programmes that are led and supervised by staff from the University of Manchester’s Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE). However, co-supervision with academics from the Faculty of Humanities and/or the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health is encouraged if it enhances the proposed project and receives support from those faculties. It is important that the PI (Principal Investigator) is from FSE and that over 50% of the supervisory commitment is from FSE.
- The extent to which the proposed project is supported by an African higher education or other relevant institution, including relevant NGOs, businesses, African country government agencies or international aid agencies (e.g., UN, WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross, Red Crescent).
- The extent to which the proposed project addresses Sustainable Development Goals specifically relevant to Africa as a whole or to a specific country or group of African countries.
- The extent to which the proposed project shows evidence of co-design and co-development by the candidate, the supervisory team and partners (if any).
- Demonstrable alignment of the proposed project with the University’s Africa Strategy.
- Preference will be given to candidates/projects that have robustly considered compliance and field health & safety risks.
- The selection panel reserves the right to consider the collective spread of scholarship offers across the Schools of Natural Science and Engineering and across different regions of Africa.
- Preference will be given to candidates from LDC (Least Developed Countries) or Lower Middle Income Countries as defined HERE:
Project/Student Selection Process:
- The faculty will include FSE academics in the internationalisation, social responsibility, and postgraduate research teams.
- The Faculty Panel will undertake shortlisting of candidates according to the students' eligibility and project selection criteria.
- The Programme team will invite the shortlisted candidates to interview, and the interviews will be conducted via Zoom.
- The Faculty Panel will assess candidates based on a short verbal presentation and a standard set of interview questions mapping to the eligibility criteria.
Important Timelines to Note:
1. Deadline for Supervisors to nominate candidates: 6th May, 2025
2. Deadline for shortlisting and inviting candidates for interviews and sharing candidate information with the faculty panel: Week commencing 12th May, 2025.
3. Formal Panel Interviews held: Week commencing 19th May, 2025.
4. Informal offers confirmed to students: 26 May, 2025.
5. All candidates start programme: October 2025
How to apply for this Scholarship:
Interested applicants should please complete the attached nomination form and email it to fse.doctoralacademy.specialistprogrammes@manchester.ac.uk by 6th May 2025. You can visit the official website of the University of Manchester to read more about the scholarship and apply by clicking HERE.