The CARTA PhD Fellowships 2026 offer an exceptional opportunity for early-career African academics to pursue high-quality doctoral training in public and population health. The program is committed to developing the next generation of African scholars equipped to drive impactful research, shape health policies, and strengthen teaching in universities across the continent. The fellowship provides a unique blend of academic support, collaborative learning, and research funding to nurture world-class researchers rooted in Africa.
🗓️ When is the Application Deadline:
August 20, 2025 at 23:59 hours EAT (for preliminary application)
September 21, 2025 (for full application by invitation only)
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🎓 Tell Me About The Award:
The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) offers PhD fellowships to junior academic staff at African partner institutions conducting research in public and population health. The program builds the capacity of African universities by supporting faculty to complete locally registered PhDs and become future research leaders.
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📚 Which Fields are Eligible?
Research must be related to public and population health, but applicants may be from any discipline within the eligible institutions.
🏷️ Type:
PhD Fellowship
Structured doctoral training and research support
👤 Who can Apply?
- Must be bona fide teaching/research staff at a CARTA partner institution
- Must hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field
- Not yet registered or only in the early stages of a PhD
- Under 40 years old for men, and under 45 for women
- Committed to completing a PhD at their home institution or another CARTA partner university
- Must be eligible for tuition fee waiver at their PhD institution
- Women are strongly encouraged to apply
🧠 How are Applicants Selected?
- Preliminary application through your institution
- If nominated, applicants complete:
- A full research proposal
- Academic CV
- Institutional support letter
- Timed critical tasks (e.g., numeracy, thinking, article review)
- Online ethics and plagiarism courses
- Selection is based on academic merit, institutional support, and proposal quality
🌍 Which Countries Are Eligible?
Applicants must be faculty at the following African institutions:
- African Population and Health Research Center, Kenya
- Agincourt Health and Population Unit, South Africa
- Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania
- Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi
- Makerere University, Uganda
- Moi University, Kenya
- Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
- University of Ibadan, Nigeria
- University of Nairobi, Kenya
- University of Rwanda, Rwanda
- University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
📍 Where will the Award be Taken?
At the home university of the applicant (or another CARTA partner university) in Africa.
🔢 How Many Awards?
22 Fellowships will be awarded in 2026.
💰 What is the Benefit of the Award?
- Modest stipend (for 28 months)
- Up to $10,500 in research funding
- Laptop
- Access to structured training through residential and online seminars
- Inclusion in a regional and international research network
⏳ How Long Will the Award Last?
28 months (March 2026 – mid-2028)
Note: Not the standard 48-month fellowship. Support is conditional on the availability of funds.
📝 How to Apply:
- Contact the CARTA focal person at your institution
- Submit the preliminary application via REDCap by August 20, 2025
- If nominated, complete the full application by September 21, 2025
🔗 Apply Here
FAQS About the CARTA PhD Fellowship
Are the fellowships only available to students from the nine participating universities?
CARTA fellowships are only available to students who are faculty and staff at one of the participating universities and African research institutes and who are registered for their PhD at one of the participating universities.
Is there a CARTA Committee in every university, including mine, which is not among the nine participating?
All participating CARTA universities have a CARTA Focal Point Person(s) and a CARTA Committee, which oversees the CARTA program implementation at the institution.
Are the CARTA focal persons ALSO the potential supervisors?
Yes, CARTA focal persons may also be supervisors of CARTA fellows as long as they meet institutional requirements for PhD supervision.
Can I apply for the fellowships if I have no admission status in any of the participating universities?
One can make a preliminary application to CARTA before being admitted into the program. However, final selection into the program is contingent on admission to one of the nine participating universities.
Can I apply for a fellowship if I am teaching at a university that is not participating in the CARTA program?
Applicants for this program must be members of staff at one of the participating African institutions.
Can I work anywhere in the world after finishing the CARTA fellowship program?
If I do not get a CARTA fellowship, can I participate in the CARTA-organized training if I have an alternative source of funding?
Currently, only CARTA fellows may participate in CARTA’s organized training sessions. However, in the future, we may open up the training to private students.
How do I get a supervisor for my work?
Kindly browse the list of available supervisors, matching them with your research topic and select those you want to supervise you. Send an email to the respective supervisor(s) requesting them to supervise you. By sending the e-mail to the supervisor, you essentially agree to share your e-mail with the supervisor.
How do supervisors get students to supervise?
A student sends an e-mail request to the identified supervisor, who in turn responds, either accepting or declining the request.
Are we allowed to register for a PhD with any of the northern partner Universities?
It is not possible. Fellows are strongly encouraged to register in their home institutions, with exceptions where the programs they intend to take are not on offer or where they cannot secure a supervisor in their institutions. In such circumstances, they are encouraged to register with other CARTA institutions within sub-Saharan Africa. If a northern partner is interested in the work of a CARTA fellow, arrangements can be made to have the fellow hosted, provided that the northern partner institution is willing to take the CARTA fellow on board.
Are sandwich or split-site PhD arrangements possible where one can register for a PhD in more than one university?
A split-site PhD program can be allowed if your university has a collaboration with a northern partner institution; however, this is subject to approval by the CARTA Board of Management.
