PhD and Master Scholarships at CERAAS in Senegal, DAAD In-Country/In-Region , 2018

Applications are invited for DAAD PhD and Master Scholarships at Regional Center for Drought Adaptation Improvement (CERAAS) in Senegal for the year 2018. Applicants from Sub-Saharan countries are eligible to apply.

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), as a publicly funded, self-governing organisation of the institutions of higher education in Germany, promotes international academic exchange as well as educational co-operation with developing countries through a variety of funding and scholarship programmes.

Ceraas is the result of the commitment of a national institute of agricultural research (Isra), research institutes of Coraf member countries and their bilateral partners, to meet the challenges of improving agricultural production in conditions drought. The objective of CERAAS is to provide technical solutions to mitigate the depressive effect of drought on agricultural production in order to reduce the food deficit and improve the standard of living of the populations.

Course Level: The target group for scholarships are graduates and postgraduates from Sub-Saharan Africa with a first academic degree if applying for a master’s programme, or with a Master’s degree if applying for a doctoral programme who want to pursue Master’s or PhD courses in their home country (so-called In-Country scholarships) or in another Sub-Saharan African country (In-Region scholarships).

Study Subject: The In-Country/In-Region Scholarship Programme Scholarships supports studies in subject areas with strong relevance to national development. The scholarships at CERAAS are available in the following fields:

1. Physiology
2. Genetics
3. Genomics
4. Agronomy
5. Plant Breeding
6. Plant Health
7. Agroforestry

• Scholarship Award: The scholarship covers:

Additional benefits

DAAD In-Country/In-Region scholarship holders are also encouraged to apply for a research grant in Germany for 2 up to 6 months. Please note: The short-term research stay in Germany should preferably be announced in the application for the regular scholarship. The short-term research scholarship includes:

• A monthly scholarship payment for living costs which amounts to 1.000 € per month
• Health/accident/personal liability insurance
• A flat-rate travel allowance

Further details regarding additional benefits and the additional application processes will be provided after admission to the scholarship programme.

Nationality: Applicants from Sub-Saharan countries are eligible to apply.

Number of Scholarships: It has been agreed upon that DAAD cooperates with Centre d’Etude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (CERAAS) by offering up to 2 In-Region and 1 In-Country scholarships for PhD and up to 3 In-Region and 1 In-Country scholarships for Master studies at CERAAS for the intake 2018.

Scholarship can be taken in Senegal

Eligible Countries: Applicants from Sub-Saharan countries (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic), Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) are eligible to apply.

Entrance Requirements: Applicants

• Have successfully completed generally a three-year university degree (Master candidates) or a two-year university degree (doctoral candidates) with above average results (second class upper division)
• Clearly, show motivation and a strong commitment
• Have a thorough knowledge of the language of instruction
• Have completed their last university degree not more than 6 years ago at the time of application
• Must be nationals or permanent residents of a Sub-Saharan African country
• Should generally be a) staff member of a public or private university, b) candidate considered for teaching or research staff recruitment, c) from the public sector or d) DAFI-Alumni (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative)

Female applicants and candidates from less privileged regions or groups are especially encouraged to participate in the programme.

English Language Requirements: Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency in English at the higher level required by the University.

Application Procedure: First step:

Applicants must apply for their studies at CERAAS using the contacts and the method that is prescribed by the institution.

CERAAS has set their own deadlines. CERAAS will screen, pre-select (according to DAAD selection criteria) and shortlist the applicants. A detailed report consisting of the shortlisting procedure, the entire list of applicants, the ranked shortlist and the shortlisting panel members will also be availed to DAAD. The ranked shortlist will contain at least double or triple (optional) the number of scholarships that have been attributed to the institution.

DAAD reserves the right of final selection.

Second step:

Pre-selected candidates are asked to log into the DAAD portal and register themselves and submit an DAAD application. The institution is requested to communicate the following information to the shortlisted candidates:

1. Register online via the DAAD-Portal (if not already registered):
2. Apply online via the DAAD-Portal under the tab “Personal Funding“/ “Application“ Documents to be submitted:

– DAAD application form duly filled (available in the DAAD-Portal)
– Hand signed curriculum vitae, including a list of publications (if applicable).
– Recommendation letter by university lecturers (Master 1, PhD 2)
– Certified copies of university degree certificates including transcripts
– Letter of motivation (if applicable: mentioning the planned research stay in Germany, see “Additional benefits”)
– Copy of the passport or national identity card
PhD candidates have to submit the following additional documents:
– Declaration of acceptance from the academic supervisor
– Detailed and precise PhD proposal, including detailed work and timetable (if applicable: mentioning the planned research stay in Germany, see “Additional benefits”)
– Abstract of the proposal on one page (please include name and title of the proposal)

Scholarship Link

Deadline: July 30, 2018