MINDS Scholarship

ABOUT THE BURSARY PROVIDER – MINDS

The Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) is a continental institute that seeks to address the short, medium, and long-term development challenges in Africa in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

The following programmes are offered by MINDS: African Heritage Programme, Economic and Regional Integration Programme, Youth Programme on Elections and Governance, Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development, Programme de bourses d’études pour le développement du leadership and African Youth Networks Movement.

The MINDS Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development in Africa was initially launched in 2017, with the goal of developing young leaders with a continent-wide development mindset and leaders who can facilitate greater cooperation between African countries. The Scholarship Programme aims to allow for students to become immersed in the richness and diversity of an African country and its communities has to offer, by offering students the opportunity to study in an African country other than their country of residence.

ABOUT THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED

The Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) is inviting African students to apply for the MINDS Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development.

The scholarship is available for Postgraduate (Honours or Master’s degree) studies within Africa, in any field, at approved institutions. The scholarship is available to students from any African country, to study outside of their own country.

The MINDS Scholarship Programme aims to create leaders who have a continental development mindset; leaders who will encourage greater cohesion and cooperation between African countries.

MORE ABOUT THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME – COVERAGE VALUE

The scholarship will provide cover for the following expenses (partial or full cover): tuition fees, meals, accommodation and 1 return ticket per duration of studies. Scholars will also receive a fixed stipend – the amount will be calculated based on various factors (the final value of the stipend will be disclosed to scholarship beneficiaries).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):

You must be a national of any African country
You must reside in any African country
You must have been accepted to study at one of these approved institutions, outside of your country of citizenship and/ or residency:
- Southern Africa applicants: University of Cape Town (South Africa), University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), African Leadership University (Mauritius), University of Mauritius (Mauritius)
- East Africa applicants: African Leadership University (Rwanda), Carnegie Mellon University (Rwanda), Makerere University (Uganda), Strathmore University (Kenya)
- North Africa applicants: Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), Université Cadi Ayyad (Morocco), Université Mohammed V (Morocco)
- West Africa applicants: Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos Business School) (Nigeria), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (Ghana), University of Development Studies (Ghana)
You must have been accepted to study towards a full-time postgraduate qualification (Honors or Master’s degree), for the following year
You must have achieved a minimum result of 70% for each subject or course within the last 2 years of completed studies
You must have evidence of demonstrated leadership abilities or potential guided (per the questions and requirements set out in the application)

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP

Applications must be submitted online at: MINDS Scholarship Application

Applicants will be required to Register an Account before they can Login and apply.
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your online application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):

Passport bio page/ data page (copy only)
Academic transcript/ results for the last 2 years of study (certified copy)
Official university acceptance letter, which must be: addressed to you, degree you have been accepted to study, academic year in which the degree will commence, duration of the course (copy only)
Detailed Curriculum Vitae/ Resume (maximum 4 single sided pages)
Valid study permit or visa OR proof of application (copy only)
2 letters of reference, addressing the following: your demonstration of integrity, competency and/or potential as a leader and commitment to the development of the African continent (maximum 3 pages each)

Note: documents must be submitted in PDF format and must not be larger than 2MB.

NOTES ABOUT THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP

If any of the above information is not stated in the acceptance letter, candidates must upload copies of other official university documentation as proof․ If any of the information cannot be verified through supporting documentation, your application will not be considered․
All applicants will receive on-screen confirmation and email confirmation within 30 minutes of submitting their application.
MINDS will contact applicants within 2 months of submitting their application.
Applicants must study outside of their country of citizenship AND their country of residence – i.e. if an applicant is a South African citizen residing in Nigeria, they can only apply for the scholarship if they have been accepted to study at a MINDS Preferred Institutions that is NOT in South Africa or Nigeria (you cannot apply if you wish to study in South Africa or Nigeria).
The MINDS Preferred Institutions are selected based on the following factors: University ranking compared to other universities in Africa, geographic coverage and distribution, proven track record in furthering cooperation among African countries, and historical significance.
MINDS is seeking scholars with a Pan-African outlook, strong leadership potential and a strong academic record – applications must demonstrate these elements.
Applicants are encouraged to consider studying at approved institutions outside of South Africa. Most applications received have been for studies at South African institutions – there are a limited numbers of scholarships awarded to each university, therefore competition into South African institutions is greater.
There are 2 scholarships available for South African citizens to study at another country in Africa.
Scholarships have been allocated for studies relating to Actuarial Sciences, Business Sciences and Accounting. Candidates who wish to pursue studies in these areas at approved institutions in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria should apply.
Scholarships are awarded to meritorious applicants after a rigorous selection process.

CLOSING DATE FOR THE MINDS SCHOLARSHIP

None – applications are open throughout the year.

CONTACT THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER

For any queries related to this scholarship programme, please contact the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) directly:
Email: info@minds-africa․org
Please do NOT contact MINDS if this bursary has already closed.