Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme: Eligibility and How to Apply
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 08, 2026 • African Scholarships & Student Funding
The Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme, run by the African Union Commission since 2007, funds master's and PhD study at universities in African Union member states, and encourages you to study outside your home country. You need admission secured first, a bachelor's degree at Upper Second Class Honours or better, and you must be under 35 (master's) or under 40 (PhD) when you apply.
🎓 Eligible fields typically include Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Health, Education, Engineering and Social Sciences, the exact list changes by cycle.
📩 Apply with a full document set: transcripts, admission letter, CV, two reference letters and a 500 word motivation essay.
🏠 After graduation, you commit to work in an African Union member state for a period tied to your scholarship length.
⏱️ Deadlines and target groups shift between cycles, confirm the current call on the African Union website before applying.
What the scholarship covers
The Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme, launched by the African Union Commission in 2007, funds master's and PhD study at universities within Africa. It exists to build and retain skilled African talent in priority development fields while promoting mobility between African countries: you are encouraged to study in an AU member state other than your own, and after graduation you commit to work in an AU member state, not necessarily your home country, for a set period tied to your scholarship length.
Who qualifies
Core eligibility criteria across recent calls for applications include:
🎓 Citizenship of an African Union member state.
⏱️ Age under 35 for master's applicants, under 40 for PhD applicants.
📩 A bachelor's degree at Upper Second Class Honours or better (for master's applicants) from a recognized university, or a master's degree for PhD applicants.
🏠 Proof of admission to a full-time master's or PhD program at a recognized university in an African Union member state.
The scheme has also run targeted calls limited to specific groups in certain cycles. Past calls have focused on women applicants, and on refugees and displaced persons in Africa. Check the current call on the African Union website to confirm whether the open cycle applies broadly or targets a specific group.
Eligible fields of study
Recent calls list Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Health, Education, Engineering and Social Sciences as the eligible fields, sometimes narrowed to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Education (STEME) depending on the cycle's priorities. Confirm the eligible field list against the specific call you are applying to, since it changes between cycles.
How to apply, step by step
Secure admission first. You need an offer letter from a full-time master's or PhD program at a recognized African university before you apply for the scholarship itself.
Gather your documents: completed application form and data sheet, passport photograph, CV with three referees, certified academic transcripts and certificates, proof of citizenship, your university admission letter, and two reference letters.
Write your motivation essay, a maximum of 500 words explaining why you chose your field of study and how it serves Africa's development.
Submit an electronic PDF copy of your full application to the African Union Commission's scholarship program email address, then mail the required hard copies to the African Union Commission office in Addis Ababa, following the exact instructions in the current call.
Track the call's specific deadline. Deadlines shift between cycles, so confirm the exact date on the current African Union call rather than relying on a previous year's date.
After you apply
Selected candidates receive funding structured around tuition, a stipend and related study costs, the exact package is defined in each call for applications. You commit in writing to work in an African Union member state for a set period after graduation, tied to the length of your scholarship, part of the scheme's goal of retaining skilled graduates within the continent.
Check the African Union website directly for the open call before you start gathering documents, since eligibility details, target groups and deadlines are republished with each new cycle.