Are you an African student, trainee, or academic staff member passionate about climate change, agriculture, or food systems? The CaReFoAfrica project is currently offering fully funded mobility scholarships for eligible individuals across Africa — and the final application window is open right now until 26 April 2026.
This is a rare, EU-funded opportunity that covers your travel, accommodation, tuition fees, insurance, and monthly living costs while you study, train, or teach at one of six participating African universities. Whether you are pursuing a Master’s degree, a PhD, a traineeship, or a staff exchange, CaReFoAfrica has a scholarship category designed for you.
Read this complete guide to understand what CaReFoAfrica is, what it offers, who can apply, and how to get your application in before the deadline.
🎓 Scholarship Overview
Program Name: CaReFoAfrica — Capacity Building for Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Africa Funded By: European Union (EU) via the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme Managed By: European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) Coordinating University: University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein, South Africa EU Technical Partner: Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT), Germany Scholarship Type: Mobility scholarships (intra-African) Current Application Round: Final Round — 28 March to 26 April 2026 Focus Area: Climate change mitigation and adaptation in the agricultural sector of Africa
CaReFoAfrica is not just a scholarship — it is a capacity-building initiative that aims to develop the next generation of leaders, researchers, and professionals who can address Africa’s food security and climate challenges. The program brings together a consortium of six African universities from four countries, all working together under one EU-funded project to enable academic mobility across the continent.
🎓 Benefits / Funding
CaReFoAfrica scholarships cover all major mobility costs. Here is exactly what you receive:
Monthly Stipend (covering travel, installation, and living costs):
| Mobility Type | Monthly Stipend |
| Master’s Students | €890 per month |
| Doctoral Candidates / Trainees | €1,230 per month |
| Staff Members | €2,370 per month |
In addition to the monthly stipend, the host institution covers:
- Full tuition and registration fees
- Medical insurance
- A contribution towards research costs
Special Needs Support: Students with certified disabilities who require additional support to participate in the mobility are also eligible for a dedicated special needs budget. This ensures the program is inclusive and accessible to all eligible candidates.
Note: The exact amounts paid may slightly vary due to currency exchange rate fluctuations at the time of disbursement.
🎓 Types of Mobility / Available Scholarship Categories
CaReFoAfrica offers four distinct scholarship categories to serve different types of participants:
🎓 1. Student Mobility (Masters & PhD)
This is the most sought-after category and is open to students at Master’s or Doctoral level. There are two sub-types:
Degree-Seeking Mobility: You move to a partner African university to complete an entire academic degree — Master’s or PhD. Upon successful completion, the host university awards you the degree.
Credit-Seeking Mobility: You spend a period at a partner university to complete specific courses or research as part of your programme at your home institution. The home university recognizes this credit formally through a signed learning agreement.
Minimum durations for credit-seeking mobility are 4 months for Master’s students and 6 months for PhD candidates.
Number of bursaries available (indicative):
- 18 for degree-seeking Master’s students
- 8 for degree-seeking PhD students
- 6 for credit-seeking Master’s students
- 4 for credit-seeking PhD students
🎓 2. Trainee Mobility
Traineeship scholarships place candidates in private or public organizations or businesses for a structured work placement. The traineeship is part of your academic programme and gives you real-world professional experience in climate change, agriculture, or food systems — significantly boosting your career prospects.
Candidates must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral programme at one of the six consortium universities.
Number of bursaries available: 5 traineeship positions
Duration: 3 to 6 months
🎓 3. Staff Mobility
Academic, administrative, and technical staff at any of the six consortium universities can apply for a staff mobility grant. Activities can include teaching assignments, joint research, curriculum development, training delivery, and technical support.
Staff from the EU technical partner (HSWT, Germany) are also eligible to apply under this category.
Number of bursaries available: 7 staff mobility positions
Duration: 2 weeks to 3 months Monthly stipend: €2,370
🎓 4. Special Needs Support
Scholarship holders with documented long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments that would prevent them from participating without extra assistance can access a dedicated special needs budget. Impairments must be certified by a competent national authority.
🎓 Participating Universities
All six African consortium universities are located in different countries, and mobility must always take place to a country different from the applicant’s own nationality and country of residence.
The participating universities and their locations are:
| University | Country |
| University of the Free State (UFS) — Coordinator | South Africa 🇿🇦 |
| Makerere University | Uganda 🇺🇬 |
| Maseno University | Kenya 🇰🇪 |
| University of Eldoret | Kenya 🇰🇪 |
| Université d’Abomey-Calavi | Benin 🇧🇯 |
| Université Evangelique en Afrique (UEA) | Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩 |
All six universities offer degree programmes in the fields of climate change, agriculture, and food systems that fall within the CaReFoAfrica project scope. Applicants for degree-seeking mobility should check the specific programmes available at their preferred host university.
Note: The EU technical partner HSWT in Germany does not host any mobility placements within this project. All mobility is intra-African.
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility varies by scholarship category. Here is a clear breakdown:
For Student Mobility (Masters & PhD):
- Must be a national of and resident in an African country at the time of application
- The host university must be in a different African country from your own nationality and country of residence
- Must be enrolled in, or applying to, a relevant programme at a participating university
- Both students registered at one of the six consortium universities AND students from other African universities are eligible to apply
- Must meet the entry requirements of the host university’s programme
For Trainee Mobility:
- Must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral programme at one of the six consortium African universities
- Must be a national of and resident in an African country at the time of application
- Must be seeking a traineeship placement in the field of climate-resilient food systems or agriculture
For Staff Mobility:
- Must be a current staff member (academic, administrative, or technical) of one of the six consortium universities or HSWT (the EU partner)
English / French Language Requirements: The consortium universities operate in both English and French. Université d’Abomey-Calavi and Université Evangelique en Afrique are French-medium institutions. Applicants should ensure they meet the language requirements of their chosen host university.
Important: Applicants must be African nationals and residents at the time of application. This is an intra-African program — it does not cover mobility to or from Europe.
🎓 Who Should Apply
CaReFoAfrica is the right opportunity for you if:
- You are an African student at Masters or PhD level with a passion for climate change, agriculture, or food security
- You want to gain experience studying at another African university in a different country
- You are a recent or current university student looking for a fully funded traineeship placement in your field
- You are a university staff member wanting to teach, research, or collaborate at a partner African institution
- You want to build your academic network across the African continent
- You are passionate about contributing to solutions for Africa’s food and climate challenges
You may NOT be eligible if:
- You are not an African national or not currently residing in Africa
- You want to go to a university in your own country of nationality or residence
- You are applying from outside of Africa
- You are not affiliated with any of the six consortium universities (for traineeship and staff categories)
🎓 Required Documents
While the full document list is confirmed at the application stage, candidates generally need to prepare the following:
- Completed online application / bursary form (available at the CaReFoAfrica website)
- Valid passport or national ID
- Proof of current enrollment or staff affiliation at a participating university
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates
- Motivational letter / personal statement
- Research proposal or academic plan (for PhD and credit-seeking mobility)
- Signed Learning Agreement (for credit-seeking students — must be agreed between home and host institutions before mobility begins)
- Signed Mobility Agreement (for trainees and staff)
- Proof of language proficiency (if required by the host institution)
- Medical certificate or disability certificate (for special needs applicants)
Download the key documents from the official website:
- Selection Criteria PDF
- Learning Agreement — Degree Seeking
- Learning Agreement — Credit Seeking
- Mobility Agreement
🎓 Application Process
Step 1: Visit the CaReFoAfrica official website and review the scholarship categories and eligibility requirements carefully.
Step 2: Download and read the selection criteria document to understand how applications are evaluated.
Step 3: Choose the mobility type (degree-seeking, credit-seeking, traineeship, or staff) and identify your preferred host university.
Step 4: Prepare your learning agreement or mobility agreement in advance — this must be signed by both your home and host institution before your application is finalized.
Step 5: Complete the online bursary application form on the CaReFoAfrica website.
Step 6: Submit all required supporting documents before the deadline.
🌐 Apply here: https://www.carefoafrica.org/bursary-application-form/
⚠️ Anti-Scam Warning: CaReFoAfrica has issued an official notice warning about scholarship scams. Legitimate CaReFoAfrica scholarships are completely free to apply for — no fee is ever charged to applicants. If you receive any message asking you to pay money to secure a scholarship, do not pay and report it.
🎓 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Final Round Opens | 28 March 2026 |
| Final Round Application Deadline | 26 April 2026 |
⚠️ This is the final round of the CaReFoAfrica project. Once this round closes, no further applications will be accepted under this funding cycle. Do not wait — apply before 26 April 2026.
🎓 Why Apply — Why CaReFoAfrica
Here is why this scholarship stands out among Africa-focused opportunities:
- EU-backed funding — full financial transparency and security, directly managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency
- Intra-African mobility — unique opportunity to study, work, or teach across the African continent
- Climate-focused — directly addresses one of Africa’s most critical challenges: food security and climate resilience
- Multi-level support — whether you are a student, trainee, or university staff member, there is a scholarship track for you
- Career-building — trainees gain real-world professional experience; staff gain international teaching and research exposure
- Academic recognition guaranteed — credit-seeking students have their time abroad formally recognized by their home institution through a signed learning agreement
- Inclusive — special needs budget ensures even students with disabilities can participate fully
Africa needs more researchers, scientists, and policymakers who understand climate-resilient agriculture. CaReFoAfrica is one of the few programs that specifically invests in building that capacity within the continent itself.
🎓 Official Source
For all scholarship details, application forms, key documents, and contact information, visit the official CaReFoAfrica website:
🌐 https://www.carefoafrica.org
📧 CaReFoAfrica@ufs.ac.za 📞 +27 51 401 9437
🎓 Scholarship Summary
| Feature | Details |
| Program | CaReFoAfrica Mobility Scholarship |
| Funded by | European Union (EU) |
| Focus | Climate change & agriculture |
| Open to | African students, trainees & staff |
| Mobility Type | Intra-African (between African countries) |
| Masters Stipend | €890/month |
| PhD/Trainee Stipend | €1,230/month |
| Staff Stipend | €2,370/month |
| Additional Benefits | Tuition fees, insurance, research costs |
| Application Deadline | 26 April 2026 |
| This is the | Final Round of the project |
🔗 Related Opportunities on Gradualin
Looking for more scholarships and opportunities in Africa and beyond? Browse these guides:
