Africa Fellows in Education Program 2025/2026: $35,000 Grant and Mentorship for African Researchers

Applications are now open for the Africa Fellows in Education Program (AFEP) 2025/2026, offering a significant opportunity for African researchers to advance education policy through evidence-based research. This two-year fellowship provides a substantial research grant, mentorship, and international networking, aiming to enhance research skills and foster policy engagement among young African scholars.

Empowering African Education Research: AFEP 2025/2026 Opens Applications

The Africa Fellows in Education Program (AFEP) is a two-year research and policy development fellowship designed to support young African researchers. Organized by the Global Education Analytics Institute (GEAI) in collaboration with PEP and supported by the Yidan Prize, the program focuses on improving education policy through evidence-based research.

Key takeaways:

The fellowship provides training, mentorship, and international networking opportunities.
Fellows will gain experience in data analysis, policy engagement, and dissemination of research findings.
The program runs from September 2025 to June 2027.

Eligibility Criteria for Aspiring Fellows

To be eligible for the AFEP, applicants must meet specific requirements:

Be a national of a Sub-Saharan African country.
Hold an MA or PhD degree, preferably in Economics, education policy, social/public policy, development studies, or international development, with a strong focus on education.
Be proficient in quantitative data analysis, with strong knowledge of software such as R and Stata.
Be no older than 35 years old.
Demonstrate interest in education policy research and analysis.
Work for the government or have an affiliation at a research or higher education institution in a Sub-Saharan African country, with an intention to continue doing so.
Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Process and Required Documents

The application deadline is April 30, 2025 (23:59 GMT). Applicants must submit their materials via the PEP intranet system. The required documents include:

A two-page statement of interest.
A two-page essay, prepared in English, addressing either:
- A specific education problem in their home country and how it could be scientifically evaluated using quantitative methods.
- An essay responding to questions under the five thematic areas of Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa, explaining how such questions could be scientifically evaluated using quantitative or mixed methods.
A detailed and updated CV with at least two referees.

Applications will be assessed based on academic background, research experience, proficiency in quantitative methods, quality of the submitted essay, and potential to contribute to education policy in Africa.

Program Benefits and Support

Selected fellows will receive comprehensive support, including:

A $35,000 research grant (cash).
Up to $25,000 for mentorship, training, study visits, conference travel, and in-country workshops.
Access to international conferences, such as the CESifo Economics of Education Conference and the AEFP Conference.
Mentorship and training from experts at Stanford University and other institutions.
Opportunities for networking with policymakers and researchers.

Final selection results will be announced in June 2025.