Ireland - Africa Fellowship programme 2021/2022

Ireland Fellows Programme - SIDS

The Ireland Fellows Programme enables early to mid-career professionals from eligible countries, with leadership potential, to benefit from a prestigious, world-class, quality education contributing to capacity building. It offers selected students the opportunity to undertake a fully funded one-year master’s level programme at a higher education institution (HEI) in Ireland. The award covers programme fees, flights, accommodation and living costs. Eligible master’s level programmes in Ireland commence in August or September each year and, depending on the programme, will run for between 10 and 16 months. The Ireland Fellows Programme promotes equal opportunity and welcomes diversity.

The Ireland Fellows Programme - SIDS – is one of a number of commitments set out in the Government’s Strategy for Partnership with Small Island Developing States, launched in June 2019. The SIDS Strategy reflects the breadth of areas where Ireland and SIDS already collaborate, and where we have shared interests in global outcomes, including on climate action and ocean protection.

The Programme is intended to support successful candidates on their return home in strengthening their countries’ capacity to address the challenges posed by climate change, and enhance the protection of the blue economy and marine life. It is also envisaged that they will contribute to building enduring positive personal and professional relationships with Ireland, promoting institutional linkages.

The aims of the Programme are to nurture future leaders; to develop in-country capacity to address climate change and its associated challenges; and to build positive relationships with Ireland. 

The Ireland Fellows Programme is fully funded by the Irish Government and is offered under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). It aligns with the Irish Government’s commitment under Global Ireland and the national implementation plan for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ireland's Policy for International Development, Ireland’s Strategy for Partnership with Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Ireland's International Education Strategy. Programme implementation in Ireland is supported by the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS).

Eligibility

To be eligible for an Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS fellowship award commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2021, applicants must:

• Be a national of one of the eligible SIDS countries and resident in one of the eligible SIDS countries - they can be a national of one country and resident in another, in the same region, as set out here:

  Pacific and Asia: Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
  Caribbean: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
  Africa: Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles.
   

• Have a minimum of three years’ work experience that is directly relevant to their proposed programme(s) of study (this can include internships).
• Hold a bachelor’s level academic qualification from an accredited and government-recognised higher education institution, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) - i.e. a first class honour, or second class honour, Grade 1 (in some cases a second class honour Grade 2 may be accepted, if the applicant has sufficient directly relevant work experience). It must have been awarded by 2009 or later (i.e. within the last 12 years).
• Not already hold a qualification, have started a programme, or be due to start a programme in the academic year 2020/21, at master’s level or higher.
• Be applying to commence a new programme at master’s level in Ireland no sooner than August 2021.
• Be able to demonstrate leadership abilities and aspirations, as well as commitment to addressing climate change and its associated challenges within their own country.
• Have identified and selected three relevant programmes from the Directory of Eligible Programmes, available at https://www.irishaidfellowships.ie/sites/default/files/are-you-eligible/ireland_fellows_programme_-_sids_-_directory_of_programmes_2021-22.pdf.
• Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for all programmes chosen.
• Must not have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme on more than one previous occasion.
• Be in a position to take up the Fellowship in the academic year 2021/2022.

Applications

Please read the Applicant Guidance Note carefully before completing as eligibility criteria may differ from country to country. 

The application process consists of three stages:

• Stage 1   Preliminary Application;
• Stage 2   Detailed Application;
• Stage 3   Interviews.

All applicants who are selected to progress after the second stage will be required to sit an online Duolingo English Test. If shortlisted after the interview stage, all applicants will be required to take another English language test, normally the IELTS exam, unless they are already in possession of an IELTS certificate that is dated 2019 or later which shows the applicant has achieved the necessary score for the course(s) they intend to apply to. Early preparation for the IELTS exam is strongly advised, even for native English speakers.

Application Information

Applications will not be considered for this fellowship unless all eligibility criteria are met. You should carefully check that you can meet the above criteria before requesting application information.