2026 AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants for Junior Researchers

About the opportunity

The AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grant for Junior Researchers aims to strengthen the scientific capacity and networking of young researchers in sub-Saharan Africa through active cooperation between AGNES and potential AGNES members acting as scientific hosts. Funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH), the program enables doctoral candidates to spend 1 to 2 months at a university or research institute in another sub-Saharan African country. The research must contribute to their doctoral thesis—such as bench work, laboratory studies, library use, or thesis writing—and demonstrate clear relevance to the development of their home country.

Funding and benefits

• Grant funding ranging from EUR 2,300 for a 1-month stay, up to EUR 2,650 for 1.5 months, and up to EUR 3,000 for a 2-month stay.
• Coverage for travel costs (by land or economy class flight) and subsistence living expenses (rent, meals, local transport, health insurance).
• A research cost allowance for the host institute upon request, amounting to EUR 100 per month for Humanities and Social Sciences and EUR 200 per month for Natural, Life, and Engineering Sciences (deducted from the total grant amount to cover bench fees).

Who can apply?

• Must be a national of a sub-Saharan African country.
• Must be officially registered for a doctoral degree at a university or tertiary institute in sub-Saharan Africa at the time of application.
• Must have published at least one article from earlier thesis work in a non-predatory journal indexed by Scopus or Web of Science.
• Must have an identified scientific host at a university or research institute in another sub-Saharan African country with a mutually agreed-upon proposal and work schedule.

Required documents

• A short research or project proposal in English (maximum 5 pages) outlining the proposed activity and work schedule, with written agreement from the scientific host.
• A standard applicant CV in English using the official AGNES template.
• Official proof of registration for the current postgraduate degree.
• Official academic transcripts reflecting undergraduate and postgraduate grades, along with an official explanation of the grading system in English if applicable.
• A single merged PDF containing a descriptive title, a list of published articles with Scopus or Web of Science URLs, and an electronic copy of the first page of each publication showing the title, authors, and abstract.
• Two travel quotes for return travel between the applicant's country of residence and the host institute's country.
• Estimated cost of living at the host institute, including rent, meals, local transport, and health insurance.
• An invitation letter in English from the scientific host confirming workspace availability and including a binding declaration from the host institution requesting the research cost allowance.

When to apply

• Application deadline: 16th October 2026 at 23.59 GMT.
• Selection meeting held in December 2026.
• Research stays must commence no earlier than 1st March 2027 and be completed by 31st July 2027.

How to apply

• Prepare all required application documents in English, ensuring publications and CV templates adhere strictly to guidelines.
• Fill out and submit the online application form via the official Google Form link provided by AGNES.
• Submit the application before the deadline of 16th October 2026.

Additional information

• AGNES operates two variants: General Grants for male and female candidates, and Special Grants for female candidates only. Female candidates may apply for both but can receive a maximum of one grant.
• While there are no geographical quotas, applications are especially welcomed from under-represented sub-Saharan countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Angola, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Congo Kinshasa (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Mauritius, Mauritania, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
• Recipients and their scientific hosts must email a signed letter of acceptance and contractual agreement to the AGNES Governing Board within two weeks of receiving the offer.
• A progress and success report must be submitted to AGNES within six months after completing the research stay.