Student Research Fellowship

Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and MSU African Studies Center (ASC) are pleased to announce our Student Research Fellowship. This award supports: 

1. MSU graduate students’ travel to any African country for research. 
2. Graduate students from AAP’s ten African consortium member universitiesto travel to MSU for research. 
3. MSU graduate students’ travel in the US to present their research on Africa at an academic conference.

AAP and ASC recognize that graduate students can have limited opportunities to apply for grants and fellowships to conduct international research and to access funds for conference travel to disseminate their research results. To address this issue, AAP and ASC have established the Student Research Fellowship.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from November 1 through May 30, 2025, subject to funding availability. The application process may close early if all funds are awarded before May 30, 2025.

Funding

• Each research fellowship will be up to $2,000, awarded for travel and/or fieldwork expenses. 
• Each conference travel fellowship will be up to $1,000 and will be on a reimbursable basis. 
• Applicants for research and conference travel fellowships should specify all other funding sources, if applicable. 
• For students from AAP consortium members, funds will be provided to the MSU host faculty member to pay for travel costs directly. 
• For students from MSU, funds will be provided either via the home department or via another method; AAP and ASC will work with students on a case-by-case basis on fund transfer. 

Eligibility

• All applicants must be a graduate student currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at one of AAP’s ten African university consortium members or at MSU. 
• MSU applicants for research funds must secure affiliation with an African university, institution, or organization in the country to which they are traveling and for the time in which they will conduct research.
• Applicants from the ten AAP African university consortium members must be supervised by an academic mentor at their home institution who is collaborating with an MSU faculty member. The student must be hosted by the MSU faculty member/department. 
• All applicants for research funds must successfully complete their university requirements related to doing research (e.g., approved research plans, ethical conduct of research or IRB training and approvals, etc.).
• All fellowship recipients must return to their home university as registered students in the semester or term following the award. 
• All fellowship recipients must be in good academic standing, and priority will be given to underrepresented students and those with demonstrated financial need. 
• All fellowship recipients must write and submit a report on their research and experiences within one month of their return from the research trip or conference travel. The report template will be provided to students upon their award.