Scholarship Programme for
Leadership Development

A pool of young leaders committed to facilitating greater cooperation between African countries will play a critical role in achieving the continent’s future success.

Nkosana Moyo
MINDS Founder

Pour lire cette page en français, cliquez ici

The MINDS Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development in Africa was successfully launched in 2017, bringing to realisation our vision of developing young leaders who have a continent-wide development mindset and leaders who can facilitate greater cooperation between African countries.

The Scholarship Programme enables African students to study in an African country other than their home country and in this way immerse themselves in richness and diversity that the country and its communities has to offer. By broadening access to education, we see the expansion of openness to ideas and the creation of a network of like-minded leaders who will help promote the performance and tangible progress of our continent. There is no doubt that a more integrated African economy of global scale will accelerate growth, generate positive outcomes and benefit all its communities.

MEET OUR SCHOLARS

HOW IT WORKS

MINDS’ offers scholarships to Africans who wish to pursue post-graduate studies within Africa, outside of their own countries. Through tailored leadership development activities, the MINDS Scholarship Programme aims to nurture leaders who have a continental development mindset; leaders who will facilitate greater cohesion and cooperation between African countries.

MINDS Scholarships are applicable to full-time studies of a one or two-year Honors or Master’s degree at one of the MINDS preferred institutions (listed below). MINDS does not prescribe the course to be studied.

The Scholarship will cover some or all of the expenses below, depending on whether a partial or full scholarship is awarded:

  • Tuition
  • Accommodation and meals
  • One return ticket per duration of studies
  • A fixed stipend.

Individuals with a Pan-African outlook, demonstrated leadership ability and an excellent academic record who wish to study on the African continent, outside their home country are invited to apply for the scholarships.

Eligibility Criteria

MINDS Scholarships are awarded to meritorious applicants following a rigorous selection process.  To be considered for a MINDS Scholarship, you must:

  • Be a national of an African country, residing in any African country
  • Have been formally accepted by one or more MINDS preferred institution/s outside of your country of citizenship and/ or residency
  • Have been formally accepted by one or more MINDS preferred institution/s to pursue postgraduate studies within the following year
  • Have obtained at least 70% in each subject/ course in the last two completed years of study
  • Produce evidence of demonstrated leadership abilities or potential guided by the questions/ requirements set out in the application form
  • Submit a complete online application form (see below) with the required supporting documentation.

List of Preferred Institutions:

To be eligible to receive a MINDS Scholarship, an applicant must have been accepted to study at one of the following institutions:

EAST AFRICA

  • African Leadership University, Rwanda
  • Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, Rwanda
  • Makerere University, Uganda
  • Strathmore University, Kenya

SOUTHERN AFRICA

  • African Leadership University, Mauritius
  • University of Cape Town, South Africa
  • University of Mauritius, Mauritius
  • University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

NORTH AFRICA

  • Al Akhawayn University, Morocco
  • Université Cadi Ayyad, Morocco
  • Université Mohammed V, Morocco

WEST AFRICA

  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana
  • Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos Business School), Nigeria
  • University of Development Studies, Ghana

Applying for a MINDS Scholarship

MINDS is currently receiving applications from students who commence their studies in 2018/2019. Interested individuals are invited to submit applications as soon as they receive official acceptance from a MINDS preferred university at which they wish to study. Applications will be processed in the order they are received.

If you meet the eligibility criteria above, you can submit your application by clicking on the link below. Please have the following documents scanned, saved and ready for uploading. All documents uploaded must be in PDF format. Each attachment should not exceed 2MB in size.

  • A copy of the data/ bio page of your passport.
  • A certified academic transcript/ results slip of the last two years of study.
  • A copy of the official acceptance letter from the university. The letter must:
    • Be addressed to the applicant.
    • State the degree which the applicant has been accepted to study.
    • State the academic year at which the degree will commence.
    • State the duration of the course (e.g. one year).
  • A copy of a valid study permit or visa OR proof of application. (Optional)
  • A detailed CV/ Resume of not more than four (4) single sided pages.
  • Two reference letters (of not more than 3 pages each) addressing the applicant’s demonstration of integrity, their competency and/or potential as a leader and their commitment to the development of the African continent.

Guidance

Applying for a MINDS Scholarship? We offer some guidance:

  • Ensure that you meet ALL of the requirements set out and upload ALL of the required documents. Applications that do not meet requirements or for which all required documentation has not been provided are immediately disqualified. Do not get yourself disqualified because you’re in a hurry to submit an application. Rather take the time to ensure that you meet the requirements and to gather all of the required documents before submitting an application.
  • We are looking for individuals with a Pan-African outlook, strong leadership potential and a track record of academic excellence. Your application must demonstrate these elements convincingly.
  • We encourage applicants to consider universities that are outside of South Africa. Most applications received to date have been for South African institutions and there are limited numbers that can be awarded to each university. This means that competition is stiffer for South African institutions.
  • There are two scholarships available for South African citizens wishing to study elsewhere in Africa.
  • We have set aside scholarships for studies that relate to Actuarial Sciences, Business Sciences and Accounting. If you wish to conduct such studies at any of the South African, Kenyan and Nigerian institutions that are on our preferred list, do not miss the opportunity to apply. Ensure that you meet the requirements before submitting an application.

Spread the word – share this information with your networks!

  1. How does MINDS define the applicant’s own or home country?

MINDS defines “own” or “home” country as the applicant’s country of citizenship AND their country of residence. For example, if you are a Zimbabwean citizen who is resident in South Africa, you can only apply for a MINDS scholarship if you have been accepted to study at one of the universities on the MINDS Preferred Institutions list that is NOT in Zimbabwe or South Africa.  You will NOT be eligible for a MINDS scholarship if you wish to study in Zimbabwe or South Africa.

  1. How much is the fixed stipend?

Each student’s stipend will be individually calculated depending on a number of factors. Therefore, the value of the stipend will be disclosed to beneficiaries of the MINDS scholarships.

  1. How were the universities that are on the list of MINDS Preferred Institutions selected?

MINDS selected the universities by taking into account the following factors:

  • University ranking against other universities in Africa,
  • Geographic coverage and distribution,
  • Proven track record in furthering cooperation among African countries, and
  • Historical significance.
  1. How long will it take for me to get a response from MINDS?

On submission of the application, you will receive an email confirming receipt of the application. MINDS will contact you as early as possible within two months of submitting your application

ENGAGE AND CONNECT

Donate
MINDS Connect
Blogs
Campaigns

CONTACT

+27 (0) 11 325 0501

info@minds-africa.org

Investment Place, Block C
10th Road
Hyde Park
2196
Johannesburg
South Africa

PRIVACY POLICY

© MINDS 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?